The Concept of Debate in the Holy Quran and the Diversity of Its Meanings

Abstract

This research examines the concept of jadal (argumentation) in the Holy Qur'an in terms of its Qur'anic inflection (tasrif), the diversity of its connotations, and its objectives, through an inductive survey of the twenty-nine occurrences of the root (j-d-l), tracing their contexts and the statements of the exegetes concerning them. The study finds that the term proceeds along neither a single meaning nor a single ruling: its connotations vary between the innate, the missionary, the doctrinal, the judicial, the devotional, the social, and the eschatological, while its rulings vary between the commanded, the prohibited, and the merely reported. This confirms that inflection, rather than repetition, is the term befitting the eloquence of the Book of Allah.
The morphological survey further reveals that the imperfect form accounts for twenty occurrences, signalling the renewed nature of disputation in every age, whereas the imperative occurs only once, qualified by His saying: "and argue with them in the way that is best" (al-Nahl: 125). Restraint is therefore the norm, and permission an exception conditioned upon excellence. The research concludes that jadal in the Qur'an is a divine methodology for establishing proof, guiding creation, and fortifying the intellect — not a chapter of rhetorical contention; and that reviving it is a religious and civilisational necessity in an age in which platforms of speech have multiplied and the etiquettes of disagreement have been lost.