What did Mu’awiyah mean when he said, “I never use my sword when my whip will do, nor my whip when my tongue will do”?

Mu'awiyah was trying to say that, in some situation that demands diplomacy, he would apply such rather than use show of force. On the other-hand, a  situation that demands show of force to register his authority and control, he would definitely apply such power rather than trying to be diplomatic about the situation thereby losing his grip on the situation.

Explanation:

e. all of em

~courtney

it would have to be gasioline