💎 [An essential cause of unity is disregarding & ignoring provocation and instigation]

Al-Hasan al Basri (رحمه الله) said,

ما استقصى كريم قط.

"A noble person never insists on exacting his full rights."

Amr ibn Uthman al-Makki ( رحمه الله) said,

"المروءة التغافل عن زلل الإخوان".

"True nobility is overlooking the faults of friends."

Al-Awza'i ( رحمه الله) said,

السلامة عشرة أجزاء؛ منها: تسعـة في التغافل.

"Well-being consists of ten parts; nine of them are in overlooking faults."

This is similarly reported from Imam Uthman ibn Zaidah, eliciting Imam Ahmad to respond,

العافية عشرة أجزاء كلها في التغافل

"Well-being consists of ten parts, all of them in overlooking faults."

Sufyan al-Thawri ( رحمه الله) said,

ما زال التغافل من فعل الكرام.

"Overlooking faults has always been the practice of the noble."

Al-A’mash ( رحمه الله) said,

: "التغافل يطفئ شرًا كثيرًا"

"Overlooking faults extinguishes much evil."

Al-Shafi’i ( رحمه الله) said,

"الكيّس العاقل هو الفطن المتغافل"

"The intelligent and wise person is the one who pretends not to notice."

The poet said:

ليس الغبي بسيد في قومه *** لكن سيد قومه المتغابي

"The fool is not the leader of his people, but the leader of his people is the one who pretends to be a fool."

Aktham ibn Saifi ( رحمه الله) said:

مَنْ شَدَّدَ نَفَّرَ، وَمَنْ تَرَاخَى تَأَلَّفَ، وَالشَّرَفُ فِي التَّغَافُلِ،

"Whoever is strict repels others, and whoever is lenient wins their affection. Nobility lies in overlooking faults."

He also said,

السَّخَاءُ حُسْنُ الْفَطِنَةِ وَاللُّؤْمُ سُـوءُ التَّغَافُـلِ.

"Generosity is good perception, and meanness is poor perception of what should be overlooked."

Salahuddin al-Ṣafadī said in his Lāmiyah poem:

واستشعرِ الحِلمَ في كلِّ الأمورِ ولا * * * تُسرع ببادرةٍ يوماً إلى رجلِ

Embrace wise-restraint in all matters,
And never hastily lash out at anyone.

وإنْ بُليتَ بشخصٍ لاَ خَلاقَ لهُ * * * فكُنْ كأنَّكَ لمْ تسمعْ ولمْ يَقُلِ

If you are afflicted with a person who lacks goodness,
Act as if you did not hear him and he did not speak.


Ibn al-Azraq said about kingly manners in "Bada'i' al-Silk fi Taba'i' al-Mulk":

إِن من السخاء وَالْكَرم ترك التجني وَترك الْبَحْث عَن بَاطِن الغيوب والإمساك عَن ذكر الْعُيُوب كَمَا أَن من تَمام الْفَضَائِل الصفح عَن التوبيخ وإكرام الْكَرِيم والبشر فِي اللِّقَاء ورد التَّحِيَّة والتغافل عَن خطأ الْجَاهِل، من شدد نفر وَمن ترَاخى تألف

"Generosity and nobility include refraining from seeking revenge, abstaining from probing into hidden matters, refraining from mentioning faults, and part of perfect virtues is forgiving reproach, honoring the noble, showing a cheerful countenance, reciprocating greetings, and overlooking the mistakes of the ignorant. Strictness repels people, and leniency wins their affection."