Quote by Al-Jahiz: “Remain silent on that which you do not know, for silence is the mark of knowledge.”

Admitting what you don't know is itself a form of intelligence. Speaking confidently about things you are ignorant of is not impressive — it exposes the limits of your understanding. Real knowledge includes knowing when to stop talking.

Al-Jahiz wrote under the Abbasid Caliphs al-Mutasim and al-Mutawakkil in Baghdad, the intellectual capital of the medieval world, where scholars from across the Islamic world debated philosophy, theology, and science. His sharp wit and wide curiosity made him a celebrated and sometimes controversial figure.

Arab prose writer and intellectual born around 776 CE in Basra, whose prolific output on zoology, theology, linguistics, and social observation made him one of the most versatile writers of the Abbasid Golden Age. His Kitab al-Hayawan (Book of Animals) is a landmark of Arabic prose.