The Answer to the Uneducated is Silence

Some people remain ill-mannered. hot-tempered and lewd-talkers for the whole of their lives. Their faith and belief are not at all disturbed by these evils, nor does their morality admonish them on their attitude. They have no hesitation in telling others things which are disagreeable to them. Whenever they find a suitable field to let off their steam, their tongues run away with vulgar and obscene talks like rein less steeds. No cries stop them nor does any voice inhibit them.

The attitude of a gentleman with such people should, be that he should not engage himself in any discussion with them, because any provocation would lead to great disturbance, and it is necessary to seal this source or trouble. For this reason Islam has commanded to ignore the foolish and unwise people.

Once one of these illiterate persons stood at the door of the Prophet's house with a view to entering it. The kind Prophet treated him very decently and managed to persuade him to go away. There was no other go besides this, for tolerance and forbearance is the cloth by which the uneducated and the fool can be gagged. Had the Prophet allowed him to do whatever he intended to do, then he would have had to hear all the drivel and the rubbish talk from which his ears thus remained safe.

Hazrat Ayesha says that one man sought the Prophet's permission to enter the house, and the Prophet remarked: "What a bad man is he of his family !" When he came in, the Prophet talked to him pleasantly and softly. After he went away, she asked him 'O Messenger of Allah! You heard this man talking in this way, yet there was no sign of perturbation on your face, on the contrary you talked to him pleasantly ?” The Prophet replied: "O Ayesha ! when did you hear me talking vulgarly? On the Day of Judgment before Allah the worst man would be the one for avoiding whose vulgar talk people stopped meeting him,"
(Bukhari)

This policy is such that its truth is borne out by our daily experiences, for how can a man like that could tarnish his good manners by hobnobbing with a bad mannered person? If he starts teaching manners to every uneducated and foolish person, then his life will become a bundle of troubles, For this reason, the holy Quran, while listing the qualities of Allah's slaves, has first mentioned this tolerance of theirs:

"And the slaves of (Allah) Most Gracious are those who walk on the earth in humility, and when the ignorant address them, they say.. 'Salam." {Peace)",
(AI-Furqan.. 63)

Man swallows his anger once, twice, but later on he bursts.

But a well-behaved Muslim is expected by Islam to tolerate more troubles and adversities, so that consequently the evil should not be able to stand firmly on its ground.

Sa'eed bin Musayyeb says: "When the Prophet was sitting with his companions one person used insulting words against Hazrat Abu Bakr, causing him pain, but Abu Bakr was silent, For the second time also he used the bitter words against him, and still Abu Bakr was silent. When for the third time he hurt him with his tongue, Abu Bakr tried to answer him, The Messenger of Allah got up. Abu Bakr asked him: 'Are you displeased with me, O Messenger of Allah ?' The Prophet replied: 'No, but from the heaven an angel had come down and he was denying that man's talk, and when you started to answer that man, the angel went away and the devil sat down. And I cannot sit where the devil is sitting"
(Abu Daud)

To pay respect to the foolish and unintelligent people does not mean that their low and superficial acts should also be accepted. In these two conditions there is a very great difference.

The first thing means that man should have control over his self in the presence of folly and unintelligence, and he should not give them a chance to show their true I nature which is the bearer of anger and wrath, and be provoked to take revenge.

While the second aspect has quite the contrary sense.

In that condition it amounts to allow the self to submit to folly, meanness and disrepute, and to accept those low things which no wise and decent man would be ready to accept.

The holy Quran has treated the subject of respect to ! the unintelligent people and the hatred of their low and mean acts in this manner :

“ Allah does not like that evil should be noised t abroad in public speech, except where injustice ha; been done; for Allah is He Who hears and knows all things. Whether you express a good deed or conceal it or cover evil with pardon, verily Allah does blot out (sins) and has power (in the judgment of values)"
( An-Nissa.. 148-149)