Lions Answering Dogs

Imaam Shafi’ii said in a poem:

قل بما شئت في مسبة عرضي *** فسكوتي عن اللئيم جواب
ما أنا عادم الجواب ولكن *** ما من الأسد أن تجيب الكلاب

“Say what you wish in abuse of me,
For my silence towards the fool is indeed an answer.
It is not that I do not have a response,
Rather, it is not befitting for a lion to answer the dogs.”

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Once, a Dog challenged a Lion for a fight…

The Lion declined to fight, considering him an unworthy opponent.
The Dog said: “If you refuse, I will tell all the dogs that the lion is scared of me!”
The Lion said: “You DOGS can bark all you want, but I can’t stand other LIONS saying to me: “You had a fight with a dog???”

Moral of the story: some fights are not worth fighting. Sometimes, mere participation rises them and lowers you – making you both equal.