What to do when an idiot talks to you

فخير من إجابته السكوت	إذا نطق السفيه فلا تجبه
وإن خليته كـمدا يمـوت	فإن كلمته فـرّجت عنـه

If a foolish person speaks then don’t answer him,

For verily silence is better than answering him.

And if you were to talk to him he would be happy,

And if you were to leave him then he would die sad.

The Imam continues to argue that silence in the face of those who are foolish or ignorant is the best way to respond. Often people who are arguing without knowledge and manners don’t have any credibility or following, but by the well-respected and followed leader responding to them, they suddenly get far more attention than they merit.
This teaching is also found in the Qur’an where Allah says “And the (faithful) slaves of the Most Gracious (Allah) are those who walk on the earth in humility and sedateness, and when the foolish address them (with bad words) they reply back with mild words of gentleness.” (25:63).

This doesn’t mean one never speaks the truth, but rather, that one should not persist in arguing with someone who is clearly not interested about the truth, but in point scoring and pettiness.