Turning away from the Ignorant
Turning away from the Ignorant
Allah the Highest said: “TAKE FROM THEIR EXCESS MONEY, AND UPHOLD GOOD TRADITIONS, AND TURN YOUR BACK TO THE IGNORANT”. (S: 7 A: 199)
In this Ayah is a command to Allah’s messenger prayer and peace upon him and the Muslims in general to turn their backs to the ignorant. So what is it to turn your back to the ignorant?
It is to ignore them and not to enter into an argument or a quarrel with them, physical or verbal. The Muslim should be above that, should leave the ignorant and turn his back to him and go. This protects the dignity of the Muslim and shows his strength for Allah’s messenger prayer and peace upon him said: “The strong is not the person who can overpower others physically, but the strong is the one who can control himself when angry”. (M:Ber;107 & B:Adab;102)
The prophets and messengers prayer and peace upon them all were not argumentative, particularly with the ignorant. What they said was decisive. Allah the Highest said about His prophet Dawood (David) peace be upon him: “WE STRENGTHENED HIS KINGDOM, AND WE GAVE HIM WISDOM AND THE DECISIVE WORDS”. (S:38 A:20)
When the king of Egypt argued with Ibrahim, the father of the prophets prayer and peace upon him, Ibrahim did not argue but close the argument with a decisive statement as we were told in Baqarah: “DID YOU NOT SEE HE WHO HAD A DISPUTE WITH IBRAHIM CONCERNING HIS LORD, AS IBRAHIM SAID: “MY LORD IS HE WHO GIVES LIFE AND DEATH”. HE SAID: “I GIVE LIFE AND DEATH”. IBRAHIM SAID: “BUT ALLAH BRINGS THE SUN FROM THE EAST, YOU BRING IT FROM THE WEST”. THE DISBELIEVERS WAS CONFOUNDED, AND ALLAH DOES NOT GUIDE THE UNJUST EVIL DOERS”. (S:2 A:258)
And of turning our backs to the ignorant not to sit down with them while they are insulting Allah the Highest, his books and messengers and prophets. Allah the Highest said: “WE SENT DOWN UPON YOU IN THE BOOK THAT IF YOU HEAR ALLAH’S AYAHS DISBELIEVED IN AND MOCKED, DO NOT SIT DOWN WITH THEM UNTIL THEY TALK ABOUT SOMETHING DIFFERENT, OTHERWISE YOU WILL BE LIKE THEM. ALLAH WILL GATHER THE HYPOCRITES AND THE DISBELIEVERS ALL TOGETHER IN THE HELL-FIRE”. (S:4 A:140)
This is what all the prophets and messengers prayer and peace upon them all did with the ignorant, and this is what the believers should do. Turning our backs to them shows them to be insignificant and not important, not attracting attention to them, and in the mean time keeping the believer dignified and the faith honoured.
Allah’s prayer and peace be upon Mohamed and upon his family and companions.
Dr Ahmed Saafan
