Discussion, disputation, and argumentation: Mira'-Jadal-Khusuma-Jida

I have been reading Professor M. Hashim Kamali's 'Freedom of expression in Islam', and was wondering if you could address the three concepts mentioned in the subject header: mira, jadal and khusumah. He translates these as follows:

Wa `alaykum as-Salam wa rahmatullah wa barakatuh:

I do not know precisely the answer to that question but jadal is a Qur'anic word for something that is prohibited in Hajj but which characterizes human nature. The Prophet, upon him blessings and peace, also used it and the Sahaba also, who associated it with nifaq. Al-Bukhari considers it and mira' - also a Qur'anic word - synonyms while khusuma is a more general word for contention in the largest sense possible, including rightful contest of an offender before the judge. The most technical of the three is probably jadal because it is the root of jidal which is an Islamic science that means debate (munazara) and concerns the rational sciences such as logic, kalam, and usul al-fiqh, and of which the etiquette and rules were briefly exposed by the Maltese-Cairene Hanafi Shaykh `Abd al-Basit ibn Khalil ibn Shahin, known as Ibn al-Wazir (d. 920) in his epistle Aadaab al-Bahth wal-Munazara (Ethics of research and debate).

Here are two examples of munaazara:

1. Between the great qadi `Abd al-Jabbar of the Mu`tazilis and the accomplished Ash`ari grandmaster Abu Ishaq al-Isfarayini. (Isma`il ibn `Abbad said about the effectiveness of al-Isfarayini and his Ash`ari colleagues in debate: ‘Ibn al-Baqillani is a drowning sea, Ibn Furak a striking adder, and al-Isfarayini a fire that burns.’

`Abd al-Jabbar: ‘Glory to Him Who exalted Himself above indecency!’ Abu Ishaq: ‘Glory to Him in Whose dominion nothing befalls but what He wills!’ `Abd al-Jabbar: ‘Can our Lord will that He be disobeyed?’ Abu Ishaq: ‘Can our Lord be disobeyed against His will?’ `Abd al-Jabbar: ‘Do you think, if He has prevented me from being guided, that He has acted well towards me, or ill?’ Abu Ishaq: ‘If he prevented you from something that you own, then He has acted ill towards you; but if He prevented you from something that He owns, then {He selects for His mercy whom He will} (2:105, 3:74).’ `Abd al-Jabbar remained silent.

Narrated by Ibn al-Subki in Tabaqat al-Shafi`iyya al-Kubra (4:256-262 §358).

2. Between the Hafiz Ibn Rajab al-Hanbali and the Hafiz Zayn al-Din al-`Iraqi whom his student Ibn Hajar called ‘Our Master, our leader, our teacher, our benefactor, and our almus pater (mukharrijuna), Shaykh al-Islam, the most unique one among the notable scholars, the hasana of our days and hafiz of our time’:

While travelling with al-`Iraqi to visit al-Khalil ["Hebron"] in Palestine, Ibn Rajab said to him: ‘I am intending to pray in the mosque of our Master Ibrahim, upon him peace’ to preclude from himself the intention of visiting his grave in the manner of the teacher of the Hanbalis, Ahmad ibn Taymiyya. Al-`Iraqi replied: ‘As for myself I am intending to visit the grave of our Master Ibrahim, upon him peace.’ Ibn Rajab said: ‘Why did you formulate a different intention’ Al-`Iraqi said: ‘You have contradicted the Sunna of the Prophet, upon him blessings and peace, who said: ‘Do not undertake journeys to mosques except for three mosques’ by intending to visit a fourth. As for me, I am following his Sunna according to the hadith: ‘Visit the graves.’ Did he say, ‘Except the graves of Prophets?!’ Ibn Rajab remained speechless.

Narrated by Abu Zur`a al-`Iraqi in Tarh al-Tathrib (6:43).

Allah Most High have mercy on them.

Hajj Gibril