Returning Abuse for Abuse

Question

If the recompense of evil is evil, is it permissible (ja’iz) to return abuse for abuse or not?

Answer

In return, there is latitude for a word that does not entail a hadd (fixed penalty of the Shariʿa), but forgiving is a higher station: [ar]وَأَن تَعْفُوٓا۟ أَقْرَبُ لِلتَّقْوَىٰ[/ar] “And to forgive is nearer to God-consciousness” (Surah al-Baqara, 2:237).

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

Preview. The full text opens with JavaScript enabled.