43 بابُ ذِكرِ ما أَنشَدَ الرِّضا عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ...

They have told me a lot.” He said, “Then recite to us the best poem that they have recited to you about patience.” He (a.s.) said, Whenever I face someone lower than me hurt me out of ignorance I honor myself and do not treat him out of ignorance, too. If he equals me in terms of intelligence I treat him with patience so as to be nobler than him. And if he is higher than me in terms of nobility and sagacity Then I recognize his right of superiority and nobility.

Then Al-Ma’mun said, “How excellent! Who said it?” He (a.s.) replied, “One of our youth.” Al-Ma’mun said, “Please recite for us the best poem you have heard regarding remaining silent in the presence of the ignorant and not fighting with friends. He (a.s.) said, My friend stays away from me to break up I show him that there are means to break up. I see that if I treat him with reproach I have pushed him to break up Then I consider to abandon reproach.

When I face an ignorant, selfish friend Who believes in the feasibility of the unfeasible I prefer to remain silent, perhaps Silence is itself a form of response! Al-Ma’mun said, “How excellent!