The Arabic proverb 'Jawab al-ahmaq sukut' (The answer to a fool is silence) represents a key ethical and philosophical principle in Islamic and Persian literature. It teaches that engaging with ignorance, foolishness, or unwarranted provocation is counterproductive and only amplifies the conflict. By intentionally withholding a reply, one deprives the foolish person of the argument they seek, making the silence itself a profound and unmistakable response.

In Book Four of the Masnavi, Rumi explicitly explores this concept through the story of a king who cuts the allowance of a greedy, foolish slave and ignores his subsequent complaining letters, practically demonstrating that 'leaving the answer unanswered is the established answer.'