Debating with someone who has incorrect beliefs

Q:

1. I have one question. Mere neighbour hain he is Masha Allah a good person. But when it comes to religious beliefs he says that shias are muslims and we shuold not say anything about them thats fine. On further discussion he says that if we have any questions on masaail regarding to Islam, we shouldn't look for Aalims rather we should look for a solution ourselves by reading Qur'an and going through hadith books. Further on tableegh dawat isn't important for everyone and the book that tableegh people use thats ​Fazaail-e-A'maal has some weak Hadith. What should be said to him? Should I debate with him or not?
2. Last week a jamaat came from Malaysia to my musjid here in New Delhi India. The people of jamaat came to meet him so he used to say jamaat people should go to people who are in real need like people should go in villages to people who are doing shirk following qabr parasti and all..
3. We shouldn't blindly follow Ulama' as he thinks that every Aalim is not reliable.

Please answer my question. What should to be said and how should this situation be tackled?

A:

1. Refer him to some ulama. Explain to him that you are not well equipped to understand these issues nor to find suitable answers. If he is really in doubt and he is really in search of the truth he should refer to someone who is well versed and specialised in this respect.
2. Tableegh is for everybody. Just as Islam is for all then performing namaaz is for all. Those who are not performing namaaz need to be given dawat just as those who do not have imaan have to be given dawat to Imaan.
3. Don’t ever blindly follow people who give these types of advice because they are suspects. When they do not have knowledge, as they are not ulama then they will prevent others from listening to those who are learned and specialised. It is like a person who does not know medicine and says, “Do not see a doctor, rather research the books of medicine on your own because doctors are all liars.”

And Allah Ta'ala (الله تعالى) knows best.

Answered by:

Mufti Ebrahim Salejee (Isipingo Beach)