HTS Teologiese Studies/Theological Studies (Nov 2018)

Various types of dialogues and features of a corrective dialogue in the Qur’an

  • Majid Maaref

DOI
https://doi.org/10.4102/hts.v74i3.5140
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 74, no. 3
pp. e1 – e6

Abstract

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The Qur’an is the book of Allah’s dialogue with humans. At the same time, this book itself contains a diverse number of dialogues including the prophets’ dialogues with people, the wise peoples’ dialogues, the divine selected figures’ dialogue with people, the angels’ dialogue with humans, various classes of humans’ dialogue with each other, human’s dialogue with his or her own organs and such likes. The dialogues in the Qur’an have various types of attitudes ranging from criticism, alteration, trials and reforms whose latter samples are manifested in the prophets’ dialogue with their people. To be in agreement with the truth, to be authentic and to be proportional with the society, customs, profitability, clearness, purity, acceptability and bearing, beauty and goodness are all the features of ideal dialogues and speeches in the Qur’an. Features such as rationalism, religious tolerance, endurance and self-constraint, humbleness in words, sympathy with the opponents with an emphasis on commonalities and avoiding any kind of polemic debates and violence in the process of dialogue, and observing politeness and dignity of the addresses are among the most important features of corrective dialogue in the Qur’an.

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