Is a person sinful for remaining silent about slander that defames the honor of scholars in preaching gatherings filled with bigots, out of consideration for kinship and the advanced age of the preacher, or is it incumbent upon him to defend the truth with words regardless of the consequences?

If a Muslim brother is slandered in one's presence, it is obligatory to rebuke the slanderer. If one is unable to do so, then one should leave the gathering. If one has a need to remain and is unable to rebuke with the tongue, then one should condemn it in one's heart, and is not obligated to leave. The conditions for silence are the necessity of remaining and the inability to rebuke with the tongue.