Using the Best Manner of Argumentation with the Opponents
Muslims believe in a sublime message sent to guide all humanity to the right path. This belief necessitates that they should embody the noble ethics that the Islamic message represents in their dealings, deeds, and speech. That is because a successful propagator should have a great deal of forbearance, knowledge, leniency, and gentleness in order to be able to convince other people of the validity of his call.
It is a fact that a polite word has attractiveness and charm, affecting the hearts. If sound thinking and a wise method are used with polite words, the result will be convincing the invited people and achieving the desired goal, which is guiding humanity to the straight path of believing in the Oneness of Allah.
(Tell My slaves that they should say that which is best. Indeed, Satan stirs enmity among them. Verily, Satan is ever an open enemy to man.
Your Lord knows you very well. If He wills, He will have mercy on you, and if He wills, He will torment you. We have not sent you as a guardian over them.
Your Lord knows very well all those in the heavens and the earth. Indeed, We have favored some Prophets over others, and We gave David the Psalms.) [Quran Surah al-Isra: 53-55]
Relationship with the Previous Part
Allah mentioned the indisputable proof, refuting worshipping other gods besides Him, (Say, ‘If there had been other gods besides Allah, as they say, then they would seek to find out a way, leading to the Lord of the Throne.’) [42] He also mentioned the unequivocal evidence confirming the occurrence of resurrection, (They will say, ‘Who will bring us back to life?’ Say, ‘He who created you the first time.’) [51]
Then Allah has commanded to adopt the best manners and use the best method of argumentation when arguing with opponents. Moreover, Allah has said the duty of the Messenger of Allah is to clearly convey the Islamic message to people and not forcing them to believe in it. Allah has also mentioned that He sent His Messenger to give good news to the believers in the Islamic message and warn the disbelievers in the Islamic message of severe punishment.
Tafsir
(Tell My slaves that they should say that which is best. Indeed, Satan stirs enmity among them. Verily, Satan is ever an open enemy to man.) [53]
O Prophet! Tell the believers that when arguing with other people and inviting them to follow the right path, it has to be done in the best manner by using polite and lenient speech. That is because politeness and leniency increase positive feelings and remove negative ones.
Verily, Satan stirs enmity among people so that discord spreads among them. Satan does his best to incite disagreement among people, as he is their open enemy since the time he refused to prostrate before their father, Adam.
Then the ayat mention that all creatures will return to Allah, who fully knows their conditions and circumstances.
(Your Lord knows you very well. If He wills, He will have mercy on you, and if He wills, He will torment you. We have not sent you as a guardian over them.)[ 54]
O people! Allah, your Creator, knows you very well. He knows who deserves to be guided to the straight path and sound belief, and who does not deserve. If He wills, He will have mercy on you, so that He will save you from misguidance, and guide you to the path of obedience and repentance. Likewise, if He wills, He will torment you so that He will not guide you to believe in Him, and accordingly you will die as disbelievers; thus, your final abode will be Hell.
(We have not sent you as a guardian over them.)
O Messenger! We have not sent you to be people’s guardian, forcing them to believe in Allah. Rather, We have sent you to clearly convey the Islamic message, give good news to the believers, and warn the disbelievers of severe punishment.
(Your Lord knows very well all those in the heavens and the earth. Indeed, We have favored some Prophets over others, and We gave David the Psalms.) [55]
O Messenger! Allah is fully aware of those in the heavens and earth. Nothing of their affairs is hidden from Him, Exalted is He. He fully knows the obedient and the disobedient, and who deserves to carry out the noble duty of conveying His message.
(Indeed, We have favored some Prophets over others, and We gave David the Psalms.)
This is clarification showing Allah’s perfect knowledge, and comprehensive and generous bounty.
Allah, out of His knowledge and wisdom, has favored some Prophets over others, e.g. He spoke directly to Moses, He chose Ibrahim to be His beloved friend, He granted David the Psalms, and He sent Muhammadﷺ to all people.
Learned Lessons
• Allah has commanded the believers that when arguing with other people, it shall be done by using the best manner of argumentation.
• Satan is an open enemy to people. Thus, they must prevent him from achieving his goals of inciting enmity among them. This can be achieved by using lenient, polite, and respectful manner of communication with each other.
• Allah’s knowledge is comprehensive. He knows all conditions, affairs, and circumstances of the creatures. If He wills, He will make them obedient, and if He wills, He will torment them due to their disobedience and sins.
• Allah, Exalted is He, has not sent His Messenger Muhammadﷺ to force people to believe in Islam. Rather, Prophet Muhammad’s duty is to convey the Islamic message, give good news to the obedient, and warn the disobedient of painful torment.
• Not all prophets enjoy the same status. Allah has favored some of them over the others.
• Just as Allah, Exalted is He, revealed the Psalms to David, He revealed the Quran to Muhammadﷺ.
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