What are the etiquettes of scholarly debate (munāẓarah), and what is the difference between it and conversation (muḥāwarah) and discussion (munāqashah)?

Linguistically, munatharah (debate/disputation) comes from al-nazar (looking, contemplating) and al-intizar (waiting, expecting) and al-baseerah (insight). It also means al-mira' (contention) for extracting what the opponent holds, or praiseworthy jidal (disputation/argumentation) for manifesting the truth.

Whereas al-muhawarah (dialogue/conversation) originates from al-hawr, meaning: returning from something and to something. It is applied to the review and exchange of speech between two parties, and the give and take within it.

There are differences between al-munatharah and al-jidal: 1. Al-jidal is argumentation by tongue, while al-nazar may be by heart and thought. 2. Al-nazar can be from one party, whereas al-jidal necessarily requires two parties. 3. The goal of al-munatharah is the emergence of truth, while the goal of blameworthy jidal is to make the opponent concede to the arguer's statement.

As for al-hiwar (dialogue), its goal is the exchange of information and the exploration of viewpoints, whereas al-jidal and al-munatharah aim to correct one statement and invalidate another.

Among the etiquettes of al-munatharah: 1. Good intention, seeking the Face of Allah and manifesting the truth. 2. Understanding the opponent's doctrine and arguments. 3. Considering the stature of the debaters. 4. Arguing with goodness, gentleness, and kindness. 5. Agreeing on common grounds before moving to points of disagreement. 6. Clarifying the point of contention by defining agreed-upon and disputed matters, and using clear terminology. 7. Avoiding anger and vexation. 8. Being fair to the debater by presenting the opponent's arguments. 9. Being keen on maintaining the companion's affection. 10. Turning away from self-admiration.