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The Role of Cyberspace in Interfaith Dialogue / 187

Islam’s Perspective on Dialogue
Author: Mohammed Kabir Umar Author: Mohammed Kabir Umar /233
The Qur’an categorically encourages tolerance and
thus recommend engagement with people of other
faith. It says:
“if any of the polytheist seeks asylum from you,
grant him asylum until he hears the word of
Allah. Then convey him to his place of safety.
That is because they are people who do not
know” (At-Taubah: 6, Ali Quli Qarai).

The Prophet himself crowned the issue of dialogue
when he practically engaged the Christians of Najran
during the latter parts of his mission. Those Christians
visited the Prophet to inquire about his mission and to
ask and argue with him about their belief.
The Prophet accommodated them and engaged
them in a long discussion, until the dialogue reached
the red-line of the Christians (THE TRINITY) And
here Allah resolved the issue by asking the Prophet to
go into “mubahala” with the Christians.
The peaceful nature of this engagement is the fact
that Allah never condoned fight at the end of the this
argument . Allah says in this regards:
“indeed the case of Jesus with Allah is like the
case of Adam: He created him from dust then
He said “BE and it was. This is the truth from
your Lord, so do not be among the skeptics.

Should anyone argue with you concerning him,
after the knowledge that has come to you, say: