(Imam Hassan Al-Askari -asws said): ‘And Al-Sadiq -asws said, and there had been mentioned in his -asws presence, the debating in the Religion, and that Rasool-Allah -saww and the Imams -asws had forbidden from it. So-Al Sadiq -asws said: ‘It has not been forbidden from, absolutely. But, there is forbiddance from the debating with other than which is good.
Are you not listening to Allah -azwj Mighty and Majestic Saying: And do not debate with the People of the Book except by that which is best [29:46] ? And the Words of the Exalted: Call to the Way of your Lord with the wisdom and goodly exhortation, and have disputations with them by that which is best [16:125] .
فَالْجِدَالُ بِالَّتِي هِيَ أَحْسَنُ قَدْ قَرَنَهُ الْعُلَمَاءُ بِالدِّينِ، وَ الْجِدَالُ بِغَيْرِ الَّتِي هِيَ أَحْسَنُ مُحَرَّمٌ حَرَّمَهُ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى عَلَى شِيعَتِنَا، وَ كَيْفَ يُحَرِّمُ اللَّهُ الْجِدَالَ جُمْلَةً وَ هُوَ يَقُولُ: «وَ قالُوا لَنْ يَدْخُلَ الْجَنَّةَ إِلَّا مَنْ كانَ هُوداً أَوْ نَصارى» ‘‘The debating by that which is best had been the conduct of the scholars in the Religion, and the debating with other than that which is not best is prohibited.
Allah -azwj the Exalted Prohibited it upon our -asws Shias. And how can Allah -azwj Prohibit the debating as a whole, and He -azwj is Saying: And they (non-Muslims), are saying ‘He will never enter the Paradise except one who would be a Jew or a Christian [2:111] .
وَ قَالَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى: «تِلْكَ أَمانِيُّهُمْ- قُلْ هاتُوا بُرْهانَكُمْ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ صادِقِينَ» فَجَعَلَ عِلْمَ الصِّدْقِ وَ الْإِيمَانِ بِالْبُرْهَانِ، وَ هَلْ يُؤْتَى بِالْبُرْهَانِ إِلَّا فِي الْجِدَالِ بِالَّتِي هِيَ أَحْسَنُ ‘‘And Allah -azwj the Exalted Said: These are their aspirations. Say, ‘Give your proof if you are truthful.’ [2:111] . Thus, He -azwj Made the knowledge as truthful and the Eman with the proof.
And can the proof be come with except in the dispute with that which is good (an extract).