Al Haawee Min Fataawa Ash Shaykh Al Albaanee: P.494

In the Name of Allaah, All Compassionate, All Merciful

How to Debate with non-Muslims - 1

Ash Shaykh Al ‘Allaamah Al Muhadith Naasir Al Albaanee

Question: A Muslim asks how to respond to a non-Muslim who says that Allaah is unjust because He punishes people who died more than 500 years ago.

Answer: It is not permissible for you to debate with this non-Muslim because firstly, those who debate non-Muslims must have knowledge of the Book of Allaah and the Sunnah. Secondly they must be intelligent, understanding and be acquainted with the methods of debating with non-Muslims.

You do not start by responding to this person's misconception, you start with the issue of whether he believes if Allaah created this world or not, then you keep progressing downwards until you reach this particular issue of disbelief, and then it can be thwarted. But how cay you skip all these stages, and try to save him from misguidance with this particular issue?! He is a disbeliever in the foundation, a disbeliever in Allaah the majestic, and you're trying to convince him that Allaah, who is non existent according to him, is just?

Questioner: Subhan-Allaah!

Shaykh: This is impossible. Therefore we advice you not to occupy your time with this?

Questioner: Shaykh, I do not occupy my time with this, but he is one of those people who come and sow misconceptions, so I responded to him by citing one of the first verses of the Quraan: {Those who believe in the unseen.} That was my response to him Shaykh.

Shaykh: This response is of no benefit, because he is not a believer in the Book! Nor is he a believer in the Lord of the Book! What is the benefit of debating with him [in this issue].

Questioner: There is no benefit.

Shaykh: A similar thing happened to me while I was in Damascus, someone asked me; 'How did Muhammad ascend to the heavens when it is scientifically proven that whoever travels beyond the atmosphere dies?'

Questioner: Allaahu Akbar!

Shaykh: The first thing I asked him was; 'Do you believe in Allaah?'

He said: 'Yes I do.'

'Ok, do you believe in the Messenger of Allaah?'

He said: 'Yes I do.'

'Good, do you believe in miracles?'

He said: 'No.'

I said: 'Do you believe in medicine?'

He said: 'Yes.'

'Doctors says that some humans have two hearts. One on the right and the other on the left. Do you know anything about medicine?'

He said: 'No, nothing.'

'If doctors publish this information that you don’t know anything about, would you believe in it?'

He said: 'Yes I would.'

'Even though doctors may be mistaken, deceptive and so on. We know that the person who informed us of the ascendance is the most truthful of people, the Messenger of Allaah, since it is Allaah that revealed to him:

{Glorified (and Exalted) is He (Allaah) Who took His slave on a journey by night from Al-Masjid Al-Haraam to Al-Masjid Al-Aqsaa…}

'Do you doubt this?'

I then showed him a magazine…debate goes on…

The whole point in narrating this story to you is to show you how to debate progressively with non-Muslims. Did you understand?

Questioner: Yes I understood, may Allaah reward you well.

Shaykh: May Allaah safeguard you, do you have another question?

Questioner: No.

To be continued…


Translator: Nadir Ahmad, Abu Abdul-Waahid


Date Published: Thursday, 21 September 2006

Interesting.