Question
Is the following statement correctly attributed to Imam Qurtubi (rahimahullah)? Please provide the reference.
“A person should be gentle in speech and cheerful in countenance, whether towards a righteous person or a sinful one, a Sunni or an innovator, without flattery and without uttering words that might give the impression that he condones their evil.”
Answer
Yes. Imam Qurtubi (rahimahullah) mentions this in his Tafsir under the verse: “Speak in a good manner to people.” (Surah Al-Baqarah, Verse: 83).
He writes: “A person should speak gently to people and meet them with a cheerful face, whether they are righteous or sinful, followers of the Sunnah or innovators. He should do so without compromising [his Din] or saying anything that might give the impression that he approves of their beliefs.Allah Ta‘ala said to Musa and Harun (‘alayhimas salam): ‘Speak to him [Fir’awn] gently.’ [Surah Taha: 44].
The person speaking is no better than Musa and Harun (‘alayhimas salam), and the sinful person is not more wicked than Fir’awn. Yet Allah Ta‘ala instructed them both to be gentle with him.”
(Tafsir Qurtubi, Surah Al Baqarah, Verse: 83)
And Allah Ta’ala knows best.
Answered by: Mawlana Suhail Motala
Approved by: Mawlana Muhammad Abasoomar,
The Sunnah of Nabi (sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam) has many examples of this. ( «منها حديث: «بئس أخو العشيرة)
Arabic References
التخريج من المصادر العربية:
الجامع لأحكام القرآن=تفسير القرطبي، (سورة البقرة، الآية:83 ): (2/ 233)
فينبغي للإنسان أن يكون قوله للناس لينا ووجهه منبسطا طلقا مع البر والفاجر ، والسني والمبتدع ، من غير مداهنة ، ومن غير أن يتكلم معه بكلام يظن أنه يرضي مذهبه ، لأن الله تعالى قال لموسى وهارون : { فَقُولا لَهُ قَوْلاً لَيِّناً} [طه : 44]. فالقائل ليس بأفضل من موسى وهارون ، والفاجر ليس بأخبث من فرعون ، وقد أمرهما الله تعالى باللين معه.