The Ethics of Disagreement in Islam

Introduction to the English Edition

When the original Arabic manuscript for this book was under preparation over ten years ago, we never imagined that it would be perceived as an explanation of the etiquette envisioned by Islam for those engaged in discourse and disagreement, regardless of the subject. Likewise, the group we had in mind when we wrote the book was not the entire Ummah, but rather a small section within it.

The circumstances that led us to write on this subject were that a number of Islamic groups in the Muslim world had split up after coming under government pressure. Thereafter, they began to take opposing positions and soon fragmented themselves into numerous Islamic parties, associations, factions and coalitions, each with its own agenda. To make matters worse, the focus of each new group seemed little more than an effort to outdo the others in the hope of capturing the support of the Muslim masses. Yet the masses were totally confused by these developments, for most sincere and simple Muslims had always supposed that their problems would be solved when the parties calling themselves Islamic came to power.

Imagine their disappointment when those parties split and began disputing among themselves over abstruse points of fiqh and theology, entirely forgetting the higher aims and purposes of the Ummah. In their efforts to support their claims to represent "true" Islam, some of these groups went so far as to label other Islamic parties as disbelievers, apostates and heretics. While engaging in this activity, however, they lost sight of the higher principles and purposes of the Shari'ah which provide Muslims with perspectives far vaster than those afforded by pedantic debate over points of law and procedure, or fine distinctions between conflicting theological arguments. Rather, experience has shown that long immersion in such futile debate often renders the mind incapable of comprehending real situations and making value judgements on changing circumstances.

Since the book was originally intended to address these opposing Islamic political parties in one particular part of the Muslim world, the author went to great lengths to give examples from classical Muslim historical experience. In particular, he analyzes instances of judicial disagreement between the early fuqahaa', differences that were not allowed to go beyond the academic domain or to cause hard feelings among the debaters and dissenters alike. Certainly, the differences between those early scholars never led them to lose sight of the higher purposes of the Shari`ah or their rsponsibilities to the Ummah at large..

Although this book may more appropriately be titled The Ethics of Disagreement between the Classical Jurists, it nonetheless serves as a useful introduction to the subject of disagreement in general. It also lays down for contemporary Muslims many commendable example of forebearance and understanding on the part of some of the greatest personalities and scholars in Muslim history. In this lies the utility of this book. And it is the revival of this spirit that allows contemporary Muslims to look forward to the future with hope.

Dr. Taha Jabir al `Alwani