You are not entitled to give a worse blow than is given to you. But those who have reaced a higher spiritual level standard do not even do that. They restrain themselves and are patient. Lest you should think that such patience only gives an advantage to the adversary you are told that the contrary is the case. The advantage is with the patient, the self possessed, those who do not lose their temper or forget their own principles of conduct. (Abdullah Yusuf Ali Qur'an Tafsir, n.2163)
Allah (swt) states in the Qur'an
"And if ye catch them out, catch them out, catch them out no worse than if they catch you out but if ye show patience that is indeed the best course for those who are patient. And do thou be patient for thy patience is but from Allah; nor grieve over them and distress not thyself because of their plots for Allah is with those who restrain themselves and those who do good.
All good people should be patient with what seems to them evil around them. That does not mean that they should sit still and do nothing to destroy evil. For the fight against evil is one of the cardinal points of islam. What they are told is that they must not be impatient. They must pray to Allah and commune with Him so that their patience and faith may be strenghthened and they may be able the better to grapple with evil. For they thus not only get strength but inward spiritual joy.
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