In this verse Allah provides guidance to the best method of discussion with the people of the Book.

Allah says: “Argue not with the People of the Book except in the fairest manner, unless it be those of them that are utterly unjust. Say to them: “We believe in what was revealed to us and what was revealed to you. Our God and your God is One; and we are those who submit ourselves to Him.” (29 Al-Ankabut:46)

This means, that the discussion should be conducted rationally, in a civilized and decent language, so that the ideas of the other person may be reformed. The preacher’s main aim should be to appeal to the addressee’s heart. We must convey the truth to him and bring him to the right path. We should not fight, like a wrestler, whose only object is to defeat his opponent. We should rather conduct ourselves like a physician, who is ever cautious not to cause the patient’s ailment to worsen, because of his own mistakes, and try to cure him with the least possible trouble.

This instruction on how to conduct a discussion with the people of the Book is a general instruction pertaining to the preaching of the religion, and it has been given at several places in the Quran. For example, “O Prophet, invite to the way of your Lord with wisdom and excellent admonition and discuss things with the people in the best manner.” (Surah AnNahl: Ayat 125). “O Prophet, goodness and evil are not alike, repel evil with what is best. You will see that he, with whom you had enmity, has become your closest friend.” (Surah Ha Mim As-Sajdah: Ayat 34). “O Prophet, repel evil with what is best: We are fully aware of what they utter against you.” (Surah Al-Muminun: Ayat 96). “O Prophet, adopt the way of leniency and forbearance; enjoin what is good and avoid useless discussions with the ignorant people. If Satan ever excites you to anger, seek refuge in Allah.” (Surah Al-Aaraf: Ayat 199-200).

Furthermore, with those who adopt an attitude of wickedness, You must adopt a different attitude also according to the nature and extent of their wickedness. In other words, one cannot, and should not adopt a soft and gentle attitude towards all sorts of people under all circumstances, at all times, because you don’t want that to be mistaken for weakness. Islam teaches its followers to be polite, gentle and reasonable, but it does not teach them to be unduly humble and meek, so that they are not taken for granted by every cruel and wicked person.

Allah has provided this guidance to the best method of discussion, which the inviters to the truth should adopt. The method is this: “Do not make the error, or deviation of the other person the basis and starting point of the discussion. Begin the discussion with those points of truth and justice, which are common between you and them. That is, the discussion should start from points of agreement and not from the points of difference. Then, arguing from the agreed points, the addressee should be made to understand that, in the matter of the things in which you differ, your stand is in conformity with the agreed points, whereas his stand is contradictory to them.

In this connection, one should bear in mind the fact that the people of the Book, with the exception of the Trinitarians, do not deny revelation, prophethood and Tauhid (the indivisible oneness of Allah), like the polytheists of Arabia, but believed in these realities just like the Muslims. After agreement on these basic things, the main thing that could become the basis of difference between them could be, that the Muslim would not believe in the divine scriptures sent down to them, and would invite them to believe in the divine Book sent down to themselves, and would declare them disbelievers if they did not believe in it.

This would be a strong basis of their conflict. But the Muslims have a different stand. We believe as true, all those Books that are with the people of the Book, and then also believe in the revelation that had been sent down to the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). After this it is for the people of the Book to tell the rationale for which, they believe in one Book sent by Allah yet reject the other. That is why Allah has instructed the Muslims, that whenever they have to deal with the people of the Book, they should first of all present before them this very point of view in a positive manner. Say to them: “We believe in the same God in Whom you believe, and we are obedient to Him. We have submitted ourselves to all those commands, injunctions and teachings that have come from Him, whether they were sent down to you, or to us. We are obedient servants of God, not of a country, a community or a race, that we should submit to God’s command when it is sent down in one place, yet reject it when it is sent down in another place. This thing has been repeated at several places in the Qur’an and particularly in relation to the people of the Book, it has been presented forcefully. For this, see (Surah Al-Baqarah: Ayats 4, 136, 177, 285); (Surah Aal-Imran: Ayat 84); (Surah An-Nisa: Ayats 136), 150 to 152, 162 to 164); (Surah Ash Shuaraa: Ayat 13).