From Sectarian Debates to Social Reform: What Should Our Scholars Be Debating?

By Desk Editor Published on Aug 29, 2026

Sahil Mir

“A scholar’s greatness should not be measured by how many opponents he defeats in a debate. It should be measured by how many hearts he brings closer to Allah, how many people he reconciles, how much ignorance he removes and how much goodness he brings into society.”

It is painful to see religious scholars spending so much of their precious time debating one another merely to prove who is superior, whose interpretation is correct, or whose school of thought is better. When knowledge becomes a tool for defeating another Muslim rather than guiding people towards Allah, it loses the very spirit for which it was acquired.

Islam did not come to create an Ummah obsessed with arguments. Islam came to create an Ummah of faith, character, justice, mercy and brotherhood.

Allah سبحانه وتعالى commands:

“And hold firmly to the rope of Allah all together and do not be divided.”

(Qur’an 3:103)

And Allah warns:

“Do not dispute with one another, lest you lose courage and your strength would depart.”

(Qur’an 8:46)

These verses should make every person of knowledge reflect deeply.

There is a difference between sincere scholarly discussion in search of truth and arguments driven by ego, rivalry and the desire to humiliate another scholar. Constructive academic disagreement has always existed in Islamic scholarship. But turning every difference into a public confrontation, labelling one another and encouraging ordinary Muslims to fight over secondary issues only deepens division.

The Prophet ﷺ said:

“The most hated person to Allah is the most quarrelsome of the opponents.”

(Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim)

He ﷺ also said:

“I guarantee a house in the surroundings of Paradise for one who leaves arguing, even if he is in the right.”

(Sunan Abi Dawud)

What, then, should our scholars be debating?

Debate poverty: Why are our poor families struggling?

Debate addiction: Why are our young people being destroyed by drugs?

Debate education: How can we give our children knowledge, character and a meaningful future?

Debate corruption and injustice: How can we create a society where honesty and justice prevail?

Debate family breakdown: How can we reduce divorce, domestic violence and the suffering of children?

Debate unemployment and hopelessness among our youth.

Debate the loss of compassion from our society.

And above all, debate how we can bring people closer to Allah.

Our pulpits should inspire people to pray, forgive, help their neighbours, care for their parents, feed the hungry, support the orphan, be honest in business and abandon hatred.

The Prophet ﷺ said:

“The Muslim is the brother of another Muslim. He does not wrong him, nor abandon him, nor despise him.”

(Sahih Muslim)

So how can we claim to follow the Prophet ﷺ while allowing our religious disagreements to turn brother against brother?

A scholar’s greatness should not be measured by how many opponents he defeats in a debate. It should be measured by how many hearts he brings closer to Allah, how many people he reconciles, how much ignorance he removes and how much goodness he brings into society.

There is no shame in saying, “Allah knows best.”

There is no weakness in respecting another sincere scholar. There is no defeat in admitting that we may be mistaken.

The real defeat is when our knowledge makes us arrogant.

The Ummah does not need more religious personalities competing for superiority. It needs sincere scholars competing in service to Allah and humanity.

Let our scholars disagree with adab. Let them discuss with knowledge. Let them correct one another with mercy. But let them never forget that the person sitting across from them is also a servant of Allah and, if he is a Muslim, their brother in faith.

We need fewer debates that create hatred and more conversations that create solutions.

Less “Who is superior?” and more “How can we serve Allah better?”

Less sectarian rivalry and more brotherhood. Less ego and more sincerity. Less winning arguments and more winning hearts.

May Allah grant our scholars wisdom, humility and sincerity, protect the Ummah from unnecessary sectarianism, unite our hearts upon truth, and make our knowledge a source of guidance, mercy and social reform rather than division.

Allahumma aslih ahwalana, wahdina ila ma tuhibbu wa tarda.

Author is a banker and can be reached at sahil44m@gmail.com