Turning away from ignorance

Turning away from ignorance

I turn away from the ignorant foolish one,

for everything he says he is in it too;

and the Euphrates river will not be harmed even one day,

if some dogs were to plunge into it.

Ignorant people have foolishness and ignorance already built in to whatever they say. Imam Shafii is saying that there is no point arguing with these people as they are not arguing based on logic, but rather lack of knowledge. It does not befit someone of knowledge (i.e. a scholar) to argue with someone who is clearly arguing for the sake of arguing and not to get to the correct opinion.

The example of the Euphrates river is very powerful. If dogs were to jump into the Euphrates, they would not make it impure. Similarly, however much shouting an ignorant person may do, he will never be able to destroy the truth at the end of the day.

Apologies for the lack of Arabic - I couldn't find the Arabic to go with the translation as I'm away from my copy of the Divan.

Please share.