Let me explain the example of Anti-Vaxxers, Covid-deniers and 'Plandemic' fans in usul al-fiqh terms. It's known in the field as the 'two types of ignorance': simple ignorance, and compound ignorance. Simple ignorance is basically not being aware of the facts, but you *know* that you're not aware. So you say 'I don't know'. You understand your limits, you realise that you don't have the answer and so you stay silent, or you keep your opinion to yourself. Complex ignorance however is the absolute disaster that you are all witnessing on your Whatsapp and social media from all your Anti-Vaxxer friends. This is where a person doesn't know the facts, but they think they *do*. So they wallow in their ignorance and promote it. They speak and spread that which they don't understand, whilst thinking they do. They will selectively choose and find 'evidence' that will support their ignorance and actually cause harm and misguidance. And this isn't even an Islamic issue. This is a tragedy just at the human level; Socrates used to speak about this all the time even back then. Now it's an incredibly serious problem in society. But if you're a Muslim, the problem is a million times worse. That's because Muslims are obligated to follow supremely high standards when it comes to knowledge, sources, the handling of evidence, the understanding of one's limits, the continual dependency upon authorities in the respected field etc etc. These Islamic principles are not just applied to divine scripture, but to secular knowledge too, like the field of medicine etc. That is why these cults who spread lies and fabrications, or try to mislead the public to their own opinion through selective or edited versions of the facts, are indeed the worst of people and do not deserve a single moment of your time other than condemnation and a warning of impending punishment from Allah jalla wa 'ala. We're often far too generous and kind with 'complex ignorant' people when it comes to dealing with their misguidance, hoping the best for them, trying to win their hearts, trying to be gentle etc. And frankly that's understandable because people are worth it. It's very difficult to do sometimes, but people are generally deserving of that effort from you, because as Allah says about this 'Stage One' of combatting misguidance: 'Call to the way of your Lord with wisdom and good teaching. Argue with them in the most courteous way.' (16:125) The Sunnah is always to start here first. Nicely. But the Sunnah is *not* to carry on this way until the very end. Because when you don't see the same respect being shown, and your kindness not being reciprocated, then you don't need to play ball anymore. Because 'Stage Two' is to hit back with the same force as they hit you, whilst still hoping or even trying to take the more compassionate path as Allah says: 'And if you have to respond to an attack, attack only with an equivalent of that which *you* were attacked. But if you stand fast, it is better for those who are patient.' (16:126) Don't for one SECOND think that you have to play the puddy cat all the time. Don't let ignorant folks and fabricators take you for a ride. Being nice to them, or even just fair to them and hearing their false arguments out and then wasting your time to try and educate them, is a *charity* for them and a charity for you. But it's *not* an obligation. It's a charity. And once it becomes clear that they're not interested in having a serious discussion or understanding Islamic principles, they're just happy to copy and paste the same nonsense repeatedly, they're continuing to spread misguidance, despite all your best efforts, then you move to 'Stage Three' which gives you two options: (3a) completely ignore them, cut off their oxygen of publicity (as Allah says, 'When the foolish address them, they simply say 'Peace'' (25:63)) and sometimes they'll just die out, or (3b) go at them with the same vigour they have or even harsher, exposing the utter stupidity and intellectual ineptitude in whatever way that works, even if that means mocking and humiliating their idea or group Actually, mocking the puerility of a group of people and their ideas is sometimes very effective. Prophet Ibrahim (upon whom be peace) was a master of this method as is all over the Qur'an. Of course, one starts in a reasonable way, in a nice way, but when folks go full stupid then don't hesitate for a moment if you know the only way left is to shame or denigrate the idea or cult in such a devastating way, that suddenly common sense becomes common again. This is effectively Stage Three as Allah illustrates with a fascinating example: 'No, it was done by the biggest of them - this one. Ask them, if they can talk!' (21:63) Ibrahim (peace be upon him) wanted to shame and humiliate those idol-worshipping fools after showing so much patience with them; it was the last avenue remaining. He mocked them telling them to ask a statue for an answer. He even rubbed it in further, by saying 'Ask this big one here!' Sometimes, that's the only way to either guide a miscreant, or at the very least show those innocent masses who are confused and sitting on the fence and who might be influenced by the liars, that they would be insane to consider these cultish masters of complex ignorance who make up their own narratives, and spread the resulting lies in public. And so you can now apply all the above to those folks who are Covid-denying and accusing victims of being crisis-actors as our loved ones die alone and in agony, and spreading lies about vaccines and health workers etc etc. In my own personal example, I was very gentle on these folks for the longest time, despite their vitriol from the very get-go. You can follow the timeline with my detailed lectures or posts on this very FB page over the last year, and more so in the last three-four months. I would even give *them* valid arguments to use for themselves that came from a proper basis as opposed to their own fabrications. All they needed to say was, 'Ok I don't know to be honest, so I'm going to ask my local Doctor/Pharmacist/Expert that I would normally ask about such things' or 'Ok fair enough, to you yours and to me mine' and stay silent and not spread lies. But as you have all witnessed, complex ignorance took over and their disgraceful actions have been taken to such a level that now the general public have been left deceived and lies are becoming widespread. All that is left now is to mock their stupidity and to not give them a single second of your precious time or soul space. The irony of course is that I have *for years* publicly taught and stated here many times: I'm not a big fan of our dependency upon conventional medicines, I have been forcing alternative meds and stuff like high doses of Vitamin D upon all those who I feel I can force, I'm *more* than happy for folks to personally refuse taking a Covid vaccine for *whatever* reason they believe or follow. There's plenty of good reasons for people to be worried, or decide it's not for them etc. But I will never ever again accept the spreading of lies, misguidance, and harm from these ignorant fools, that cause so much harm and confusion to the masses. Never. I genuinely regret that I was so pragmatic and tolerant for so long. I answered all their questions, refuted all their claims, taught them their options. Instead I should have just steamrollered through them from the get-go, but then this is what happens when you get old and soft. This is what happens when I try to use a populist *cultural* form of 'adab' which is to be inappropriately nice to everyone, as opposed to using the correct *Islamic* definition of adab which is to treat people like they *deserve*. Now, they won't see jack squat kindness from me. And neither should they from you. And as long as you don't do/say anything haram, I will be your witness on the Final Day that when you mock their lies then you indeed responded in an appropriate way. May Allah give us all the tawfeeq to that which is right. Ameen