methods of discourse from imam ali’s perspective

the fundamental role of discourse and its positive and negative effects in personal and social interactions is known to everyone. this is why religions and denominations have always relied on discourse, especially when it is beyond the boundaries of personal concerns and by the expansion of its domain, have stressed on the vital position and particular role of discourse in the fate of humanity. in the words of imam ali, many different aspects of discourse depending on their conditions and contexts are addressed and the importance of considering the purposes and the participants of discourse in choosing the proper and effective way of holding it is also emphasized. imam, through his living examples, dialogs, speeches and letters, clarifies the purposes and motivations of discourse and signifies the safeguarding of the principles and abidance to values to protect discourse from deviation. he also stresses on thinking about the consequences of what is being said, command of logic over speech, acceptance of the truth and avoidance of blind patronage. imam ali, in explanation of the successful methods of dialog, advises patience, abstinence from enmity and egotism and focusing on common points in order to reach the desired understanding. he talks about the jidal ahsan approach and learning from the past traditions. imam says both opposing sides of the dialog, regardless of their dissimilar aims, must pay attention to historical events as lively and true learning examples. this discussion is based on a descriptive-analytical method. the library research method has been used with references to historical and hadith books, especially nahj al-balaghah and ghurar al-hikam as two reliable collections of imam ali’s words.