Cleric: Wisdom and logic are criteria with regard to difference of opinion

In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful
All praises be to Allah, Lord of all the worlds. Prayers and salutations be upon our Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and his infallible household
Well, an issue which assumes a very essential and fundamental position in social and scientific relationship is quality of relationship. Holy Quran and traditions of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and logically and rationally, all types of social relationships should be polite and based on logic and wisdom. This is especially true when expecting such relationship to be revitalizing and unifying. Scientific relations and scientific debates are among types of social relationship. Scientific dialogue, i.e., free thinking, is a way of promoting scientific debate. Holy Quran says, “So announce the good news to My servants. Those who listen to the Word and follow the best thereof.” Moreover, there is famous proverb which says, “Add the men's opinions together, then choose the one that is closest to reward.” Attach scientific views and theories and link them to each other; talk to each other and choose the best among the views; then hold other traditions which seem to be logical. What is important is quality of the debates; quality of the speech; what are in Islamic nations, in Islamic community, in Islamic Ummah with regards to difference of opinion, they are the criteria that are the basis of both wisdom and logic. These criteria should be observed. The verses, whose axis is these debates, should be observed. A verse to the end of Surah Nahl says, “call to the way of your Lord with wisdom and goodly exhortation, and reason with them in the best manner possible.” This verse says, “Call to the way of your Lord.” Commentators of Holy Quran believe that ` سَبِيلِ رَبِّكَ (The way of your lord)’ means inviting to the right faith.” Tabarsi and Beyzavi believe it is, “Invite to his religion because it is the path to God’s satisfaction.”
We want to invite the audience based on what we consider to be righter. We have three options:
1. By Hekmah (wisdom): Inviting by wisdom, is meant to invite people based on reality and logic; by Hekmah means with reason. Beyzavi interprets `Hekmah’ as “The clear guide to the truth.” The reason which eliminates problems. Zemakhshari comments on `Hekmah’: “For the correct article that explains the truth.” He wants to say `Hekmah’ is the reason and justification which removes problems of the other party. So, Hekmah is the first choice. So, the justification, reasoning, logic and wisdom are essence of Hokm, which is the justification and logic in which there is no doubt.
2- `Moezeh Hassaneh’ (Good Advice): Contrary to Hekmah (Wisdom) that has something to do with wisdom, `Moezeh’ works with affection; it means affecting feelings of the audience and addressee. We speak in a way to seem well wishing; this way, efforts are made to soften the addressee’s heart. The target of Hikmah is wisdom and justification, while that of Moezeh is affection. However, the Moezeh (the advice) should be a good advice.
3. Jedal (Controversy): `Jedal’ means using our position and power to dissuade the audience and the addressee from his/her claim. It should not be based on our logic acceptable to ourselves; rather, it should be through the logic and wisdom of the party, whom we try to dissuade. This way, we may convince her/him to give up. The `Jedal’ (controversy) should be good; in scientific debate it should seem to be superior and the best. The superiority should be based on clear criteria.
In `Jedal,’ there should be no insult, humiliation and disrespect of the other party. Surah Hujurat refers to the three above-mentioned elements: “O ye who believe! Let not a folk deride a folk who may be better than they (are), not let women (deride) women who may be better than they are; neither defame one another, nor insult one another by nicknames.” Believers should not ridicule each other.
Secondly, they should not use the sarcastic tone. Social relationship, including scientific relations, alike family and friendly relationships should be based on respect. Preferably, in scientific debates, when two sectarian and religious points of view are exchanged, there should be no insult to anybody, or any group; Maleki or Hanafi believer, Shiias or Sunnis should not insult each other. There is a tradition in this respect: “Let not a folk deride a folk; nor insult one another by nicknames; and whoever does not repent – then it is those who are the wrongdoers.” Those, who in the dialogue, in the scientific debate, scientific discussion, ridicule the other party, they are known as tyrants: “Then it is those who are the wrongdoers.” The verse threatens. Verse 79 in Surah Tawbah says, “Those who defame such of the believers who give charity voluntarily, and such who could not find to give charity except what is available to them -- so they mock at them (believers); Allah will throw back their mockery on them, and they shall have a painful torment.” Of course, this verse is about donation. Certain people ridicule certain believers for low amount of their donation. This verse threatens and questions, “How do you ridicule the faithful, while God ridicules you; i.e., you are subject to divine chastisement.” “سَخِرَ اللَّهُ مِنْهُمْ (... So they mock at them (believers)).” This verse says those are ridiculed by God Almighty; it means they are subject to God wrath. The verse further reads, “وَلَهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ (and they shall have a painful torment.) Here, God threatens painful torment. Jurisprudents believe that a sign of major sins, people are committing, is the verses threatening to torment. In scientific debates we should announce that our intention is inviting to the right. In virtual spaces, exchange of views is coupled with ridiculing unfortunately. Another verse in Surah Momenoon says, “You are those that when a party of My servants said: 'Our Lord, we believe, so forgive us, and have mercy on us, for You are the Best of those that are merciful.' “You made a laughingstock of them and your hostility to them caused you to forget Me, and you simply kept laughing.” God says you are tormented because some believers ridicule others. Ridiculation is the main cause of tormenting those in the hell because of committing the sin. The ridiculation might be for financial issues; it might be because of scientific issues; it makes no difference. In scientific debate, Quran says, “And argue with them in a way that is best.” Debate should be in the best possible manner. One condition of such a debate is that it should not provoke feelings when dealing with sanctities. Well, when there is free thinking, our scientific dialogue should be in a way to provoke feelings of the party taking part in the scientific debate with us. The precondition for such a debate is that it should not give rise to insult and sacrilege. A verse in Surah Anam says, “Do not revile those whom they invoke other than Allah, because they will revile Allah in ignorance out of spite.” You are not even allowed to insult their god and worshippers because when their feelings are provoked, they will insult your sanctities. Quran says though you do not believe in what they worship, you have no right to insult. Is it supporter of human rights and the West to say because of freedom, we are not allowed to insult sanctities, Quran and God of millions of people? On `Jedal Ahsan’ Holy Quran says, “Argue not with the People of the Book except in the fairest manner.” Commonalties should be used. The verse says you should not go into controversy with such people. When comparing believers in Quran with different Islamic sects, we will find out that the two cannot be compared at all. People of the Book are not at all comparable with various Islamic denominations; this is because we have very limited commonalties with People of the Book. At any rate, God says when being in scientific debate with People of the Book, your Jedal (controversy) should be in the best possible manner and use commonalties. Quran says, “Argue not with the People of the Book except in the fairest manner, unless it be those of them that are utterly unjust. Say to them: “We believe in what was revealed to us and what was revealed to you.” It says we are common in monotheism.
O People of the Book! When Quran invites those from Islamic sects and supporters of the Islamic sects to scientific debate with People of the Book, it means the debate should be superior and preferably they should use commonalties in the debate. The debate should be free of any prejudice and provoking sentiments. Quran says in Surah Baqara, “And recall when We made a covenant with the Children of Israel: “You shall serve none but Allah and do good to parents, kinsmen, orphans and the needy; you shall speak kindly to people.”
The verse says:
1. Only worship God 2. Do good to father and mother 3. Have good speech
God says in Quran, “ وَقُولُوا لِلنَّاسِ حُسْنًا (You shall speak kindly to people.)” God says, “you should speak kindly to people not believers. ` الناس’ is a general word, including all, even including pagans.”
You should speak well with pagans and atheists as well. Commentators believe the word ` الناس’ includes pagans as well. When it says the speech should be in the best possible manner, it is not restricted to Muslims and religions they hold.
This holds true when doing good to parents (احسان بالوالدین). In this case, Holy Quran says, “But if they endeavor to make you associate with Me that of which you have no knowledge, do not obey them but accompany them in [this] world with appropriate kindness.” The verse says we should have good relations with the pagan parents. Both doing good and having good speech with parents have nothing to do with Islam and faith. Scientific studies should also be this way.
The criteria of goodness is that speeches and acts should be well-documented and not based on rumors and what are in the virtual space. Holy Quran says, “And follow not that of which you have no knowledge. Verily, the hearing, and the sight, and the heart of each of those ones will be questioned (by Allah).”
At the end, I have a suggestion. It is felt that unity, authority and progress in the said issues depend on sticking to these criteria and unfortunately, enemy, global arrogance, and Zionism act against these due to their special goals. Social networks have mobilized many people to move against the path. Therefore, one of the responsibilities of the officials, Ulima, and personalities is to make social networks healthy. Today, virtual space and social networks are not safe and threaten social security. They damage cultural issues as well. When virtual space is not managed by us, the enemy makes optimum use of it to wage cognitive war. Virtual space should be managed and controlled. Officials should be persistently be asked to invest in managing social networks and make them healthy.
As expected, economic corrupts should be removed; economic relations should become healthy as security issues should be healthy. Scientific debates should be managed. Social networks should become healthy and healthy atmosphere should dominate them. One of the ways to invite to science is respecting personality of and dignifying the other party, as Holy Quran says, “Let not a people ridicule [another] people.” Don’t be among those ridiculing others. This has been heavily emphasized in our traditions. These are mentioned in traditions and sources in general. The sources exclusively dealing with the issue, are, “The sanctity of a believer is like the sanctity of the Kaaba and the sanctity of a believer is greater than the Kaaba.” The tradition is brought in sources of both Shiites and Sunnis. One of the traditions is: “The Messenger of God, may God’s prayers and peace be upon him and his family, looked at the Kaaba and said: Welcome to your home. How great you are and how great your sanctity. By God, the believer is more sacred to God than you, because God Almighty has forbidden one thing from you and has forbidden three things from the believer: his blood and his property. He has bad thoughts.”
Holy prophet of Islam addressed Kaaba, saying, “How great you are and how great your sanctity. By God, the believer is more sacred to God than you.” This tradition is very important. Qibla and Kaaba are the most sacred to believers of all Islamic sects. Without Qibla, prayers are not prayers. Qibla is the essential and noteworthy pillar. The tradition says, “The sanctity of a believer is like the sanctity of the Kaaba.” How a Muslim dare to assault personality and position of a Muslim in a group, and a society and of millions of human beings through virtual space just to prove his scientific theory and opinion and invite people to (ادع الی سبیل ربک Call to the way of your Lord) faith? This is against wisdom and explicit order of Holy Quran, traditions of prophet, of Ahl-ul-Bait and logic and rationality.
Peace, mercy and blessings of God be upon you all.