Who is the loser? (adab ul-munazara)


Questions for us:
1. Are we the loser or winner when we could not win the debate?
2. Do we feel bad when defeated?
3. Do we feel victorious when triumphed?

Some people win, some people lose,
do they really?

4. Who is the real loser? The winner or the loser?

"The rule of truth and equity, established by the scholars of the art of debate ('ulama of fann al-'adaab and 'ilm al-munazara), is this:

Whoever desires, in debate on any subject, that his own word should turn out to be true, and becomes happy when he turns out to be right at the end of the debate and his opponent to be wrong, mistaken or defeated, is such a person who acted unjustly.

In addition to his unjust manner, he, the winner is the actual loser when he is pleased that he won. Why?

Indeed he has learnt nothing out of the debate he has not known before, and probably because of his victory in the debate his nafs and ananiyat (ego and pride) will cause him lose more and more. If his opponent had won the debate, he would have learnt what he had not known previously and his nafs would be saved from this dangerous pride which is a great loss for a believer.

ISOC Reading Circle: Religion and Respect

The ISOC reading group is an informal gathering that meets every week, or every other week, for a session of an hour an a half (this varies depending on how things are going). The material to be discussed is sent ahead in order for people to pre-read and think about things beforehand, however, though it is highly recommended, those who haven't had the opportunity to do so are still encouraged to come.

One person always reviews the article being read, this last for about +/- 10 minutes and then its open to all.

The 'reviewer' need not be an expert, he/she simply provides an over view.

As for the articles themselves; they can be from the news, journal articles
or a chapter of a book. People are notified by sending an e-mail to the
general ISOC mailing list (where we will also attach the article or provide
a link for it).

A Google group with all the prior articles has been crated. Anyone who is interested in this and has a Gmail account, please let Br. Emre Kazim know so he can invite you to the group.

In the next reading circle we will be discussing an article by Prof. Simon Blackburn entitled, 'Religion and Respect'.

Please see the details below: