SHARED WISDOM

THE CULTURE OF DIALOGUE devotees of God must seek to inculcate tolerance and wellwishing for all people. THE CULTURE OF DIALOGUE Islam prescribes the practice of shura, or mutual consultation and discussion for family, social, and national life. This can lead to mutual learning and intellectual development. Moreover, such mutual consultation can be useful for promoting more harmonious relations between adherents of different religions. Dialogue is a significant aspect of the culture that the Quran seeks to promote. This is mentioned thus in the Quran: “They conduct their affairs by mutual consultation” (42:38). This verse indicates that Muslims should base their dealings on dialogue and mutual discussion. The debate is quite different from the dialogue. Debate is conducted between two parties, each of which tries to prove its claim of superiority over the other. In contrast, the essence of dialogue is mutual learning without seeking to put the other party down. There are also two or more parties in authentic dialogue, just as in a debate, but no party tries to establish its supposed superiority over the other. Instead, each tries to learn from the other. Each seeks to increase their knowledge and insights through the mutual sharing of experiences. Dialogue is a healthy practice, whereas debate is a kind of unwanted intellectual wrangling. The practice of consultation (shura) was common among the Companions of the Prophet of Islam. For example,