The Best Answer for the Ignorant Is Silence

Bismi Llāhi r-Raḥmāni r-Raḥīm

“وَعَسَىٰ أَن تَكْرَهُوا شَيْئًا وَهُوَ خَيْرٌ لَّكُمْ”

(Qur’ān 02:216)

“Wa `Asá ‘An Takrahū Shay’āan Wa Huwa Khayrun Lakum”

“But perhaps you hate a thing and it is good for you.” Ṣadaqa Llāhu l-‘Aẓīm.

Allāh ‘Azza wa-Jalla says, sometimes things you don’t like happen, that you think are bad whereas they are good. Everything in dunyā is good for the believer with Allāh’s ﷻ permission. Even the seemingly bad is good. Bad and good will be good, in shā’a Llāh. Because this dunyā is not paradise, there is trouble, hardship and all kinds of things. There are also enemies for you. There are also people who say bad words to you. You should see them all as a means to goodness.

When someone does not respect you and speaks against you, he is speaking to your ego. You should say, “It is true. This ego of mine is worse. So whatever this man says is true.” Allāh ‘Azza wa-Jalla will defend you. “إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُدَافِعُ عَنِ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا”, ‘Inna Allaha yudafi’u ‘ani l-ladhina ‘amanu’, ‘Truly, Allah defends those who believe.’ (Qur’ān 22:38). Allāh ‘Azza wa-Jalla is the one who protects the believers.

When something like this happens, there is no need to defend yourself. Allāh ‘Azza wa-Jalla is defending you anyway. What more do you want? You can talk all you want, it will get worse. It won’t be of benefit for you. Otherwise, Allāh ‘Azza wa-Jalla defends you, and you gain rewards. You gain rewards because you are patient, because you did not answer him.

Now these days, people talk thinking they did something. They think, “We are defending someone. We are defending the truth.” To defend the truth, you don’t talk to ignorant people. When you talk to an ignorant person, it gets worse. You make him commit sin, and you also commit sin. It won’t benefit either. That’s why, they say, “جَوَاب الْجَاهِل السُّكُوت”, “Jawabu l-jahil s-sukut.” The best answer for the ignorant one is keeping quiet.

Now various things have come out. They write here and there, “He said this and that to me.” We are thankful we can neither write that nor answer that. And we don’t see those things anyway. Don’t see them at all. Don’t look at them. Even if you see them, don’t answer. That’s the answer of the ignorant. And Allāh ‘Azza wa-Jalla gives the answer.

Therefore, there is no need to be sad. A Muslim should praise Allāh ﷻ and thank Him ﷻ that they are not harming us but harming themselves. Otherwise, if you speak, harm will come to you too. Therefore, there is no need at all for that. If there is a person who wants to learn the truth, you talk to him. If there is someone who just wants to attack you, you leave him to Allāh ﷻ. Allāh ‘Azza wa-Jalla will deal with them all. Everything is in His ﷻ Hand.

May Allāh ﷻ protect us from the many ignorant ones. It’s now the time of the second Jāhiliyyah. Jāhiliyyah means ignorance. It means not knowing. Now there are educated ignorant people. They really don’t know anything about what they study. They walk around graduating for free without getting tired. Everywhere is full of educated ignorant ones. People who went to primary school in the past were smarter, and had more knowledge.

Now they graduate from university and they can be cheated with two words. Then, they boast. This is a miracle of our Holy ‎Prophet ﷺ. He ﷺ said there will be a second Jāhiliyyah. We are exactly in this time. Do not talk with those ignorant people. Let them talk as much as they want, Allāh ﷻ will answer them. May Allāh ﷻ protect us. Wa min Allah at-Tawfiq.

Al-Fatiha.

• Mawlana Sheikh Muhammad Adil ar-Rabbaniق

13 April 2025/ 15 Shawwal 1446

Fajr Prayer – Akbaba Dergah, Istanbul