Question:
What does Islam say about poetry?
Answer:
From the Islamic perspective, most poetry tends to involve exaggeration and imagination.
Allahﷻ says in the Qur’an that poets are often followed by those who go astray (Surah Ash-Shu‘ara 26:227).
Allahﷻ also says that He did not teach poetry to the Prophetﷺ, and it was not suitable for him (Surah Ya-Sin 36:70).
This indicates that poetry is not a great virtue.
If poetry is free from falsehood and harmful ideas, it may be permissible. But it is not a distinguished quality. The Prophetﷺ said that it is better for a man’s stomach to be filled with pus than to be filled with poetry.
Why? Because poetry often encourages people to speak about things that do not exist or exaggerate reality.
In the past, court poets praised kings with false flattery just to receive rewards. Today similar behavior exists.
One day a poet may praise a political leader. The next day he may insult that same leader and praise someone else. The principle is simple: whoever pays will be praised. Such poetry has no moral foundation. However, poetry that speaks truth and supports justice can be good.
For example, some companions of the Prophetﷺ composed truthful poetry, and the Prophetﷺ appreciated it.
We went out with Allahﷻ ‘s Messengerﷺ (ﷺ) to Khaibar and we travelled during the night. A man amongst the people said to ‘Amir bin Al-Aqwa’, “Won’t you let us hear your poetry?” ‘Amir was a poet, and so he got down and started (chanting Huda) reciting for the people, poetry that keep pace with the camel’s footsteps, saying, “O Allahﷻ ! Without You we would not have been guided on the right path, neither would we have given in charity, nor would we have prayed. So please forgive us what we have committed.”
Another Example is that some of the enemies of Islam, fabricated a poetry to scold against Prophetﷺ. The Prophetﷺ asked a companion to rebuke them in poetic way and appreciated him for his eloquent manner.
Another example – Sahih Bukhari 6151; “A Muslim brother of yours who does not say dirty words.” and by that he meant Ibn Rawaha, “said (in verse): ‘We have Allahﷻ ‘s Messengerﷺ (ﷺ) with us who recites the Holy Qur’an in the early morning time. He gave us guidance and light while we were blind and astray, so our hearts are sure that whatever he says, will certainly happen. He does not touch his bed at night, being busy in worshipping Allahﷻ while the pagans are sound asleep in their beds.’ “
Another Example of Umaya bin AbuSalth, a good poet who didn’t mix falsehood or fabrication, as his poem based on monotheism and against evil hood. The Prophetﷺ asked one of his companions about Umaya bin Abusalth’s poetry, when he uttered his poem, Prophetﷺ asked him another one, then again, another one, then another poem. The Prophetﷺ adored the poems one by one.
Therefore, poetry itself is not entirely forbidden. But poetry that spreads falsehood or glorifies wrongdoing has no value in Islam.