Muslims can relate to this very well. Particularly if/when anyone is being challenged, corrected, etc. & they want not to accept it…they’ll attack anyone whom challenges/corrects them by accusing them of “not having Adab”.
Oftentimes, there’s Persons whom deem to deflect any/all Opposition to what they state, posture, etc. And, if/when anyone disagrees with them or what they advocate, they claim anyone whom doesn’t Dick-Ride them as having “No Adab”. This is especially uttered, as a Statement/Slogan, to impose “Pulling-Rank” on Others via Ageism. Ageism, of course, being a Sifah/Manifestation of al-`Asabiyyah/Xenophobia. Certain-People really think/feel that they’re supposed to be listened/adhered to exclusively because they older than Others. Well…as I always tell People: There’s a Difference between an Elder & a Ole-Nigga.
Chronology literally has nothing to do with: Correctness, Principle, Integrity, Morality, Knowledge, Wisdom, etc. Being older/younger than someone isn’t Merit-Based, rather it’s exclusively predicated upon what Allah imposes upon Humans via al-Qadr wal-Qadhā’/Decree&Providence. Allah alone decides who gets to be Older vs. Younger, just as who gets to be Tall vs. Short…born to This-Family vs. That-Family…born to This-Tribe vs. That-Tribe…born speaking This-Language vs. That-Language…etc.
Furthermore, this also affects how People approach Persons-Of-Knowledge via Shaykh-Culture. As per Shaykh-Culture: it imposes a “They know everything & you know nothing.” Cultlike-Mindset/Mentality, realistically, just as negative/toxic as Ageism. Shaykh-Culture & Ageism ironically intersect very often, via Countless-Ways, ironically…they’re both 2-Sides of the Same-Coin more than Most-Muslims are willing to admit.
At This-Point, let’s explore the Defininitions of what Adab actually is & what it isn’t. al-Adab is Linguistically-Synonymous with al-Khuluq. al Khuluq means “Character”…al-Adab means “Behavior”.
There’s a Difference between being an Adīb (Person-Of-Adab) & being an Imma`ah (Groupie, Lackey, Dick-Rider, etc.). Most-Muslims sadly end-up falling into the Imna`ah-Category. This occurs because of the Fear of: Alienation, Ostracism, Peer-Pressure, etc.
“Long-Story Short”…no one is Islāmically-Entitled/Justified to pontificate/claim to be the “Adab-Police”, if we equally lack the Same-Adab we audaciously/arrogantly expect from Others.
Gareth Bryant
Gareth Bryant 