ADDRESSING MINDS
THROUGH DIALOGUE

Abraham was a Prophet of God. He brought the message of Tawheed (the oneness of God) to King Nimrod of Babylonia. However, the King refused to accept his message. A part of their conversation is quoted in the Quran (2:258) as follows, which shows how to address the minds of people:

“Have you not heard of him who argued with Abraham about his Lord because God had bestowed the Kingdom upon him? Abraham said, ‘My Lord is the one who gives life and brings death.’ He answered, ‘I (too) give life and bring death!’ Abraham said, ‘God brings up the sun from the east, so bring it up yourself from the west.’ Then, the disbeliever was confounded. God does not guide the wrongdoers.”

This conversation between the Prophet Abraham and the King gives us a very important principle of dialogue. If the other party’s response is not positive, one should not follow the futile course of insistence. Instead, see the other party’s mind and adopt an alternative form of dialogue. For example, when the Prophet Abraham said God Almighty was the Lord who gave life and brought death, the King said he could do likewise. This answer was wrong, but the Prophet Abraham avoided repeating himself and, with a change of stance, he raised a different point. His second point was so compelling that the King became speechless.

This instance gives us a good example of successful dialogue. The best dialogue participant is not obsessed with his mind but can see the other party’s mind, which he tries to address.

It is a fact that there are different kinds of mindsets. Everyone sees things from his angle. Thus, to convince the other party, you must understand their mindset. You must try to address their mind, even if this might require a change in your argument. This is the right way to have a successful dialogue.