The Wise Response — Answering a Question with Something Else
balagha
Level: advanced
khitab
blg-020
يَسۡـَٔلُونَكَ عَنِ ٱلۡأَهِلَّةِ ۖ قُلۡ هِيَ مَوَٰقِيتُ لِلنَّاسِ وَٱلۡحَجِّ
— البقرة 189
Definition: Answering a question with something drawing the asker's attention to what is more important than what was asked.
Quranic examples: "They ask about new moons — say they are time-markers for people and Hajj" (2:189) — asked about why the crescent changes, answered with its wisdom not its astronomy. "They ask what to spend — say good spent is for parents and relatives" (2:215) — asked about amount, answered about recipients.
Lesson: Don't always answer a question literally — the real answer sometimes lies beyond the question itself.
Source: Al-Zarkashi (2/347); Al-Suyuti (3/195); Al-Zamakhshari
Question: What is the "wise response" style and what is its example with the new moons?
Answer: Answering with what is more important — they asked about why the crescent changes; they were answered with its wisdom (timekeeping for life and Hajj) because that wisdom is more beneficial than astronomical explanation.