Should a Muslim debate with atheist/polytheist?
Many Muslims are reluctant to face intellectual challenges posed by atheist/polytheist. For instance, those who believe in Darwin’s evolution claimed that living beings were originated due to gradual changing and modification of inanimate materials and was first created unicellular organisms and due to continuous evolution finally monkey was converted into human being!
Those all are natural process and nothing to do with the concept of God, Who creates all living beings and the gigantic universe. They pretend and argue in such a way that they are very smart too!
Those atheists go on to claim that they find so many errors and unscientific propositions in the holy Quran and they are propagating their false ideas day and night and confusing and misguiding many gullible people especially those who are not expert in relevant scientific arena.
Question arises that should we respond to those types of challenges posed by atheist/polytheist?
Actually, history of human civilization is the history of struggle between the servants of God and the devil (Satan) and his followers. Struggle could be happened via different modes, for instance, direct combat, intellectual struggle and so on.
However, at this modern era intellectual struggle is extremely important and more relevant. Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham) is a typical example in intellectual struggle.
[The Quran 2:258] “Have you not considered him (Namrud) who disputed with Abraham about his Lord, because Allah had given him the kingdom? When Abraham said: My Lord is He who gives life and causes to die, he said: I give life and cause death. Ibrahim said: So surely Allah causes the sun to rise from the east, then make it rise from the west; thus he who disbelieved was confounded; and God does not guide aright the unjust people.”
It is very important to note that Abraham was encountered a big intellectual challenge by an ardent disbeliever and his answer was 100% scientific; it was not a mere theological answer. In history, it is observed that someone gave a challenge and later that challenge was superseded.
But Abraham’s challenge is still 100% relevant at this modern era and it will uphold till doomsday. This is one of the many examples of amazing nature of the Quran. Every prophets and messengers had to face devil’s followers and devil’s followers disputed too much with all those prophets but prophets and messengers never surrendered or subdued to devil and his followers. For example, how prophet Noah’s people disputed with him out of ignorance and audacity.
“[The Quran 11:32] They said: O Noah(Nuh)! indeed you have disputed with us and lengthened dispute with us, therefore bring to us what you threaten us with, if you are of the truthful ones.”
“[The Koran 40:5] The people of Nuh and the parties after them rejected (prophets) before them, and every nation purposed against their apostle to destroy him, and they disputed by means of the falsehood that they might thereby render null the truth, therefore I destroyed them; how was then My retribution!”
However, after long disputing and argument when it will be very clear that they are arguing out of ignorance and desperateness, we may follow the rule according to the following noble verse.
“[The Koran 25.63] And the servants of the Beneficent God are they who walk on the earth in humbleness, and when the ignorant address them, they say: Peace.”
If Jews or Christians bullying about their religion in front of us, how we should respond, God almighty teaches us.
“[The Quran 2:135] They said, “You have to be Jewish or Christian, to be guided.” Say, “We follow the religion of Abraham – monotheism – he never was an idol worshiper.”
“[The Quran 2:139-140] Say, “Do you argue with us about GOD, when He is our Lord and your Lord? We are responsible for our deeds, and you are responsible for your deeds. To Him alone we are devoted.”
Do you say that Abraham, Ismail, Isaac, Jacob, and the Patriarchs were Jewish or Christian? Say, “Do you know better than GOD? Who is more evil than one who conceals a testimony he has learned from GOD? GOD is never unaware of anything you do.”
Therefore, we have to respond to Jews, Christians, atheists, polytheists using the best possible arguments from the holy Quran and science. But if they continue arguing out of ignorance we should avoid them according to the teaching of the verse [25.63].