He can either forgive him and remain silent or answer his...

He can either forgive him and remain silent or answer his bad language with good language, or if he cannot do any of these he can swear at the person just like the latter swore at him. For example if someone called him stupid he can reply: “You're the stupid one.” But, he does not have the right to say anything against his father, mother or brother. The Qurān says: “..Should anyone aggress against you, assail him in the manner he assailed you.

” ^1 One is unable to oppress the oppressor to a higher degree of oppression than he was oppressed himself. If one swears twice responding to one swear, he has crossed the limits. There is no eye for an eye regarding false accusations. The accused cannot claim that the accuser committed the crime that he says was committed. For example, the accused cannot accuse the accuser of committing adultery in return for a false accusation.

What the accused can do is charge the accuser of making false accusations and if it is confirmed he will be punished Islamically.[^2] The danger here is one losing control of one’s tongue in the state of anger and saying more than one is allowed to say which results in becoming divinely responsible. But, in any case, one may respond with bad language, if it is not a false accusation, lie or slander and not outside the limits.

One's tongue easily goes out of control and the only thing there is to control it is the fear of Allah. Dignity And Comfort In Front Of Tribalism Here we will mention a verse from Surah al- Fath : “When the faithless nourished bigotry in their hearts, the bigotry of pagan ignorance, Allah sent down His composure upon the Apostle and upon the faithful, and made them abide by the word of God-wariness, for they were the worthiest of it and deserved it, and Allah has knowledge of all things”.

^3 The Arabs in the age of Ignorance, in addition to having satanic and animalistic anger, were more racist and more tribalistic than other nations. According to a prophetic tradition, tribalism was the cause of their fall. Their tribalism made them arrogant, and because of it they continued to accept the false slogans that their fellow tribesmen would say.

The unbelievers had this spirit of ignorant tribalism while Allah gave his Prophet and those who followed him peace and comfort so that they had dignity in front of the unbelievers.