That which we mentioned about the attention of the Holy Imams (a.s.) to the
poets, is supported by their chief, the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.); because His
Eminence was the first of those, who showered praise on the verses of poets
regarding him and his honorable family.
The Prophet himself recited couplets and urged others to do the same. He
rewarded and recompensed them and also expressed joy at that. And when he
noticed this singular aim in the poetry of a poet, he accorded respect and honor to
him; like his pleasure and satisfaction at the couplets of his uncle, Shaykhul
Abtah, Abu Talib peace be on him, when His Eminence prayed for rain and it
rained; he said:
“For the sake of Allah are the good acts of Abu Talib, if he were alive, he
would have been pleased. Which of you can recite his couplets?”
Umar bin Khattab stood up and said: “Your implication is as follows:
‘No camel has ever carried anyone better than Muhammad (s.a.w.a.).’
The Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a.) said: “This is not the couplet of Abu
Talib; it was composed by Hassan bin Thabit.”
Ali Ibne Abi Talib (a.s.) stood up and said: “O Messenger of Allah
(s.a.w.a.), it seems that you imply the following couplets:
‘And a white-faced one, with whose face it is prayed,
So that the clouds bring goodness.
He is the shelter of the orphans and guardian of widows.’”
“Yes,” said the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.).
Also, the expression of pleasure by the Prophet at the couplet of his uncle,
Abbas bin Abdul Muttalib, who said: “O Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a.) I wish to
praise you.” The Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a.) said: “Recite, may Allah never
tire your mouth.” Then he recited couplets.1
Like the expression of joy from the poem of Hassan bin Thabit on the day of
Ghadeer Khum and the supplication of Prophet for him:
“O Hassan, as long as you support us through your tongue, you will continue
to be helped by Ruhul Quds.”
The Prophet arranged a pulpit for Hassan in the Masjid and he ascended it
and recited couplets in praise of the Prophet and the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a.)
said: “O Allah, as long Hassan continues to support the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a.) and recites poems for him, help him through Ruhul Quds.”2
The Prophet always encouraged poets in this regard and commanded that
their poems should be memorized, and also encouraged them to compose poems
ridiculing the enemies; as the Holy Quran has encouraged this and regarded it to
be support of Islam and Jihad for defending the upright religion.
He described the Jihad of the poet and clarified about it saying: Satirize the
enemy through poetry and expose his defect; because a believer fights Jihad
through his life and property. By the one in whose hand is the life of Muhammad,
(through this act) it is as if you have made them target of your arrows.3
He also motivated poets to cast arrows and drawn swords of poetry and
verses, to march forward in confrontations and created in them an eagerness to
confront idolaters as their statements were in fact ridicule of divine source of the
statements of the Prophet.
The Prophet spread the spirit of religious fervor and strengthened divine
fervor and modesty against ignorant prejudice and created among them a
freshness of spirit and an eagerness to defend the base of Islam and created in
them inclination for composing verses through his statements.
So he addressed the poets, saying: “Ridicule the polytheists through your
couplets, because as long as you ridicule them, Ruhul Quds would support you.”4
And: “Ridicule them through your couplets as Jibraeel is with you.”5
And the verse:
إِلَّا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّلِحَتِ وَذَكَرُوا اللَّهَ كَثِيرًا وَانْتَصَرُوا مِنْ بَعْدِ مَا ظلِمُوا
“Nay! surely it is an admonishment. So let him who “Except those who believe and do good and remember Allah much, and defend themselves after they are oppressed.mind it. In honored books,”6
Also, he commented about this group of poets and they are clearly exceptedfrom the poets mentioned in the following verse:
وَالشُّعَرَاءُ يَتَّبِعُهُمُ الْغَاوَنَ
“And as to the poets, those who go astray follow them.”7
When this verse was revealed, some poets came weeping to the Prophet and said:
“We are poets and Almighty Allah has revealed this verse for us.” At that time the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) recited this verse and said:
إِلَّا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّلِحَتِ
“Except those who believe and do good.”8
You are these.
وَذَكَرُوا اللهَ كَثِيرًا
“And remember Allah much.”9
…you are them
وَانْتَصَرُوا مِنْ بَعْدِ مَا ظُلِمُوا
“And defend themselves after they are oppressed.”10
…you are them. That is you are the implication of this verse.
In Tafseer Ayyashi,11 it is narrated from Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a.s.) that it implies ignorant poets, who preached things and expressed views without having
knowledge and in this way they are deviated and they misguide others.
On the basis of this, the verse does not completely render poetry valueless,
on the contrary poetry comprising of invalid issues and nonsense is degraded.
And through Shia and Ahle Sunnat channels, it is narrated from the Messenger of
Allah (s.a.w.a.) that:
“Some are couplets of wisdom and some are accounts of sorcery.”12