The Need-for “Dialogical-Communicative Model” of revelation in Islamic theology

By Adis Duderija, New Age Islam 20 March 2025 In the complex landscape of contemporary Islamic theology, few discussions are as consequential as how we understand the nature of divine revelation. The framework proposed by theologian Mouhanad Khorchide offers a profound reconceptualization that could reshape how Muslims engage with their faith, with one another, and with the broader world. By contrasting what he terms the “Monological Model” with the “Dialogical-Communicative Model” of revelation, Khorchide invites us to consider not just theological abstractions, but fundamental questions about the human-divine relationship that lie at the heart of religious experience. The Limitations of Monologue The Monological Model of revelation—still dominant in many Islamic circles—presents a God-centred universe where humanity’s purpose is primarily servitude. In this framework, humans exist essentially to worship their Creator, as explicitly stated in Quranic verse 51:56: “I created jinn and mankind only to worship Me.” Salvation becomes inextricably linked to formal adherence to Islam, supported by verses such as 3:19 (“Truly, religion with Allah is Islam”) and 3:85 (“Whoever seeks a religion other than Islam, it will not be accepted from him, and in the Hereafter he will be among the losers”). When taken as the primary lens for understanding revelation, this model creates several problematic outcomes. First, it establishes a rigid boundary between Muslims and non-Muslims, with profound implications for how believers interact with religious others. Second, it risks reducing the richness of Islamic practice to mere ritual performance rather than spiritual transformation. Third, it can foster an authoritarian religious culture where questioning is discouraged, as the divine message is seen as a one-way transmission requiring only obedience, not interpretation or dialogue. The psychological impact of this model should not be underestimated. When believers internalize the idea that God’s primary demand is submission and that salvation hinges on specific religious identity, faith can become driven by fear rather than love. Religious practice may devolve into a transactional exercise, where ritual observance is performed not out of devotion but as insurance against divine punishment. This approach can generate superficial piety without deeper ethical transformation—a contradiction of Islam’s emphasis on inner intention (niyya) as the foundation of righteous action. The Promise of Dialogue The Dialogical-Communicative Model that Khorchide proposes offers a compelling alternative. Here, God is understood fundamentally as a being of unconditional mercy and love, whose revelation initiates a relationship rather than simply issuing commands. The Quran itself points to this understanding when it describes God as “ar-Rahman ar-Rahim” (the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful)—words that Muslims repeat at the beginning of nearly every chapter of the Quran and countless times throughout their daily lives. This model emphasises that revelation is not just God speaking at humanity but to and with humanity. It recognises that interpretation is inevitable in any engagement with sacred text, and rather than seeing this as a problem to overcome, it embraces the interpretive process as part of the ongoing dialogue between God and humanity. The Quran itself seems to anticipate this when it speaks of its verses as being for “a people who reflect” (13:3) and “a people who reason” (30:24). The divine desire is not for automated worship but for human beings who freely choose goodness, justice, and compassion. Reconciling the Sacred Texts Critics might argue that the Dialogical-Communicative Model selectively emphasises certain Quranic verses while downplaying others. Yet this critique misunderstands the nature of interpretation itself. No reading of scripture—including the most literalist—can avoid interpretive choices completely about which passages should contextualize others. The question is not whether we interpret, but how consciously and thoughtfully we do so. The Quranic text itself provides resources for a dialogical reading. It repeatedly invites reflection, questioning, and reasoning. It presents itself not as a static monologue but as a response to specific historical situations and human questions. The very structure of the Quran—its shifts in voice, its rhetorical questions, its engagement with its immediate audience—suggests a text designed for dialogue rather than monologue. Even verses that seem to support an exclusivist understanding of salvation can be read differently when contextualized within the Quran’s broader emphasis on divine mercy. When the Quran states that “religion with Allah is Islam,” we might understand “Islam” not narrowly as a formal religious identity but more broadly as the sincere submission to God that has characterized all authentic faith throughout human history. This reading finds support in verses that affirm the validity of earlier revelations and the potential salvation of those who follow them sincerely (2:62, 5:69). Implications for Contemporary Muslim Life The shift from a monological to a dialogical understanding of revelation has profound implications for how Muslims navigate the modern world. First, it creates space for meaningful interfaith engagement based not on reluctant tolerance but on genuine respect for diverse paths to God. Second, it encourages intellectual humility within the tradition, recognizing that no single human interpretation can fully capture divine intent. Third, it fosters an approach to Islamic ethics that emphasizes inner transformation and moral agency rather than mere rule-following. This model also offers resources for addressing some of the most pressing challenges facing Muslim communities today. For Muslims living as minorities in pluralistic societies, it provides a theological foundation for civic engagement that doesn’t compromise religious integrity. For Muslims seeking to reform problematic aspects of traditional jurisprudence, it offers a principled basis for reinterpretation that remains rooted in the Quranic text. Perhaps most importantly, the Dialogical-Communicative Model speaks to the spiritual hunger that many contemporary Muslims feel—a longing for a relationship with God that engages their full humanity, including their intellect, creativity, and moral agency. By emphasizing divine mercy and human freedom, it addresses the crisis of meaning that often underlies religious extremism, offering not the false certainty of rigid ideology but the more profound assurance of divine love. A Path Forward Embracing the Dialogical-Communicative Model does not require rejecting the Quranic text or Islamic tradition. On the contrary, it invites a deeper engagement with both, reading the text in light of its own highest principles and the tradition in light of its own richest resources. It calls Muslims not away from their faith but more deeply into it, recognizing that authentic engagement with revelation has always involved interpretation, contextualization, and the exercise of human reason illuminated by faith. The challenges facing Muslim communities today—from religious extremism to the erosion of faith among the young—cannot be addressed by simply reasserting traditional formulations or uncritically adopting secular frameworks. What is needed is exactly the kind of creative, faithful rethinking of foundational concepts that Khorchide’s work represents. The choice between monologue and dialogue is not merely academic. It shapes how Muslims understand their relationship with God, with one another, and with the wider world. A God who speaks in monologue demands only obedience; a God who initiates dialogue invites partnership in the work of justice and mercy. A revelation understood as monologue becomes a tool for enforcing conformity; a revelation understood as dialogue becomes an invitation to moral growth and spiritual transformation. As Muslims navigate the complex terrain of the 21st century, the Dialogical-Communicative Model offers not an abandonment of tradition but a revitalization of it—a return to the Quran’s own emphasis on divine mercy and human moral agency. It reminds us that at the heart of Islamic or any faith lies not just submission but relationship—a living dialogue between Creator and created that continues to unfold through history, inviting each generation to hear the divine word anew and respond with the fullness of their humanity. ------ Checkout Dr. Adis Duderija’s personal website at: https://dradisduderija.com/ A decades old patron of New Age Islam, Dr Adis Duderija is a Senior Lecturer in the Study of Islam and Society, School of Humanities, Languages and Social Science; Senior Fellow Centre for Interfaith and Intercultural Dialogue, Griffith University | Nathan | Queensland | Australia. His forthcoming books are (co-edited) - Shame, Modesty, and Honour in Islam and Interfaith Engagement beyond the Divide (Springer) URL: https://www.newageislam.com/islamic-ideology/model-of-revelation-in-islamic-theology/d/134926 New Age Islam, Islam Online, Islamic Website, African Muslim News, Arab World News, South Asia News, Indian Muslim News, World Muslim News, Women in Islam, Islamic Feminism, Arab Women, Women In Arab, Islamophobia in America, Muslim Women in West, Islam Women and Feminism