"Well," said Mr. Herman, "if you've reached this point, it means you're one step closer to understanding the real world."
Marlon sat back on the sofa with a serious expression. He looked at Romo, who seemed calm, then raised his hand slightly, as if asking a question in class.
"Romo, I once heard that in Islam, if we want to correct or refute someone, it should be done privately, not in public. Is that true?"
Romo nodded slowly. "Yes, in Islam, there's etiquette when it comes to correcting or advising someone. The Prophet taught that advice should be given in private, not in front of others. The goal is to avoid humiliating the person, because that could make them defensive and reject the truth."
Marlon nodded in understanding, but his expression showed there was more on his mind. He glanced at Riri and Mr. Herman, then looked back at Romo.
"But Romo, what if it's a public speaker, like an ustaz or an academic, who makes a factual or logical mistake during a talk?" Marlon asked with a critical tone.
Romo listened quietly.
"If we're not allowed to correct them publicly and can only do it privately, what about the people who are misled and believe the incorrect information?" Marlon continued, his tone more serious. "In the name of ethics and politeness, we end up letting hundreds or thousands of people be misinformed. Just to preserve the speaker's dignity, we let false information spread. Is that fair?"
Mr. Herman, who had been sipping his tea while listening, smiled slightly. "Now this is interesting," he murmured.
Romo took a deep breath, then answered carefully.
"In Islam, there's a principle that says preventing harm takes precedence over gaining benefit." Romo looked calmly at Marlon. "If correcting someone publicly would cause greater conflict, make the person more stubborn, or even create hostility, then Islam encourages us to correct them in private."
Marlon still looked unconvinced. "But Romo, isn't letting false information spread also a kind of harm?"
Riri added, "Yes, Romo. If a lot of people hear the incorrect message, the damage can be more widespread."
Romo gave a slight smile. "You're right, and this is where wisdom is needed. Not every mistake has to be corrected publicly, but not every mistake should be left unaddressed either. There are more subtle ways to offer correction without making someone feel embarrassed."
Mr. Herman crossed his arms. "Such as?"
Romo explained, "For example, if an ustaz makes a factual error during a sermon, we could ask a non-confrontational question. We might raise our hand and say, 'Ustaz, I read a different source that says otherwise—what's your take on that?' That way, we show respect while also opening a space for discussion."
Marlon listened carefully, then said, "But Romo, doesn't that mean this is less about etiquette, and more about communication strategy?"
Romo chuckled lightly. "You could say that. Islamic etiquette isn't meant to suppress truth—it's there to help truth be better received. If your intention in correcting someone is just to embarrass them, then you're not standing up for the truth, you're just trying to win an argument."
Marlon paused to reflect, then said, "So the key is in the intention and the delivery?"
Romo nodded. "Exactly. If your intention is to help, and your delivery is respectful, then correcting someone publicly can be acceptable. But if it can be done more wisely in a way that preserves their dignity, that's even better."
Mr. Herman smiled in satisfaction. "Now that's what you call balance. Not everything has to be said bluntly, but not everything should be kept inside just to avoid hurting feelings either."
Riri sighed and smiled faintly. "The world really is grey, isn't it?"
Marlon looked at each of them, then said, "So in the end, when we want to correct something, we need to consider the situation, our intention, and how we express it. Not just follow the rules blindly."
Romo smiled. "Exactly. Religion and values aren't just rigid rules—they're about how we apply them in real life."
Marlon leaned back on the sofa, feeling a bit more at ease. He still had many questions in his mind, but at least tonight, he got one answer that made sense.
Mr. Herman got up from his chair. "Alright, alright, enough philosophy for tonight. If we keep going, we'll end up talking until morning."
They all laughed lightly, and the mood eased a bit. Still, deep inside, each of them knew the conversation wasn't truly over.
Marlon looked at Romo seriously, his hands clasped over his knees. He leaned slightly forward, signaling that this next question wasn't just a casual inquiry.
"Alright then, Romo. If you were in that situation, what would you do?"
Romo raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"
Marlon took a breath, then clarified, "If an ustaz was giving a sermon in front of a crowd, and he made a mistake in logic or facts, would you interrupt him on the spot? Or would you wait until everyone left?"
Romo paused for a moment, considering the question. "...