«هُوَّ طَق إِلَّا مِنْ حَق»

The saying holds that a complaint does not arise out of nothing. Its key word imitates a sharp sound, used figuratively for an audible complaint or outcry rather than a literal noise. When someone protests, the outburst is taken as a sign that a genuine grievance lies behind it.

Its word for the cause also suggests a rightful claim, so the saying stresses the legitimacy of a grievance, not mere causation. It pushes listeners to treat an objection as evidence worth investigating rather than noise to ignore, assuming people rarely speak up unless truly wronged.

Say it when someone dismisses another's complaint as fuss, to insist the protest must stem from a real wrong. Its question-like form is rhetorical, asserting the outcry comes only from a just cause. It suits casual talk, defending a complainer or prompting listeners to seek the underlying cause.