Does Islam allow poetry?
Poetry is a type of speech, what is good in it is good and what is bad in it is bad, so poetry is not blamed for it essence, but it is its content that matters. Many companions may Allaah be pleased with them recited poetry before the Prophet(p.b.u.h.) this is indeed mentioned in many narrations reported by Al-Bukhaari and Muslim and mentioned by other reporters of Prophetic narrations. It is confirmed that the Muhammad (P.b.u.h.) ordered Hassaan may Allaah be pleased with him to recite poetry for him. The texts in the Quran did not dispraise poets and the Prophet (p.b.u.h. ) did not defame the poets. It is only the poets who lied and exaggerated who were dispraised. Usually, the poets tell lies, slander chaste women and defame innocents, so that is why they are dispraised in their totality, but those who did not do so, were not dispraised. Allaah Says (which means): {And the poets - [only] the deviators follow them. Do you not see that in every valley they roam? And that they say what they do not do? Except those [poets] who believe and do righteous deeds and remember Allaah often and defend [the Muslims] after they were wronged.}[Quran 26:222-227]. Moreover, the Sunnah did not dispraise poetry as a whole but it only dispraised reciting too much of it to an extent that it prevents someone from reading the Quran, following the Sunnah and seeking religious knowledge, or when it is erotic poetry that include courting women and so forth. Rest Allah knows the best~!
Poetry and islam?
Thank you for your question, but I am afraid you have misunderstood the meaning here. When ever you quote verses from the Quran you should include the others around it. It can be misleading by not showing the ones around it, to give the full meaning of what the Quran is saying. 220. Verily! He, only He, is the All-Hearer, the All-Knower. 221. Shall I inform you (O people!) upon whom the Shayâtin (devils) descend? 222. They descend on every lying (one who tells lies), sinful person. 223. Who gives ear (to the devils and they pour what they may have heard of the unseen from the angels), and most of them are liars. 224. As for the poets, the erring follow them, 225. See you not that they speak about every subject (praising others right or wrong) in their poetry? 226. And that they say what they do not do. 227. Except those who believe (in the Oneness of Allâh Islâmic Monotheism), and do righteous deeds, and remember Allâh much, and reply back (in poetry) to the unjust poetry (which the pagan poets utter against the Muslims). And those who do wrong will come to know by what overturning they will be overturned. Poetry is not forbidden in Islam. Singing, humming, or reciting a few (poetic) verses in which there is praise of Allaah(God) or commending some good characteristics and other good meanings, the basic principle is that poetry is words; if the words are good it is good and if they are bad it is bad. So if the words are free of any bid’ah(inovations) or exaggeration that is condemned by sharee’ah(Gods Law), and it is free of any bad or ugly words that are inappropriate and should not be said of Allaah(God), then it is acceptable to sing or recite such things occasionally, on condition that it is not done in the manner of singers and promiscuous people, because that is imitating people of immorality and sin (“and whoever imitates a people is one of them”). And as far as Muslims reading and enjoying things that go agaist Islam, that is their choice. Not every Muslim does as he or she should, just like in any religion.
Can poetry be used as a tool to spread Islam?
In the early days of Islam, poetry played the great rule of present-day media. Even though the Quran was not poetry, it came in a style that overcame the poetry of that time. The Prophet encouraged poets who wrote poems for the sake of Islam.It is safe to say that one of the factors that has helped to promote the message of Islam is the various styles of literature. To name a few, there are prominent Persian poets like Rumi, Hafiz whose works are replete with Islamic teachings.In today's world, we should not expect much from poetry to spread a message because the number of people who spend time reading poems are not that high, but the effects of poetry on many people are undeniable. A line of poetry can change the life of people. A line of poetry can make the tears srtroll on their cheeks and speak their hearts out. Some might find the cure for the pain of their heart in a line of a poem. Poems can stimulate the feeling and fantasy in order to inspire men to do things. however, comparing to media and music, poetry can do less, but it is still a cheap and effective way to spread a message.
What do most modern day Muslims think of Islamic wine poetry? Many of the most influential poets (especially in the Persian tradition) like Abu Nuwas and Hafez wrote wine poems, how is this reconciled with the prohibition of alcohol in modern Islam?
I have heard two common schools of thought on this subject:a) These poets lived in a time when the prohibition on intoxicants was not aggressively enforced, and being artists they flouted convention and indulged in wine.b) The wine is metaphorical, standing for the intoxication meditation on the divine and ecstatic prayer can induce. These poets were Sufis, who have a reputation for using chants and dance to achieve states of mind beyond normal consciousness, so it seems possible.I’ve personally always suspected a bit of both explanations might be closest to the truth.These poets are still revered by many, but doubtless some conservative Sunnis are righteously appalled.
If poetry is haraam (unlawful) according to Islam, then why are there so many Muslim poets?
Wallahi, the shariah /hadiths were written 200 years after the Prophet died. It is an old book of laws written for an Islamic constitution about 1500 years ago. The Ummah was supposed to change these laws according to time. Instead they used it to put their ideologies of power.Call it blasphemous, but Quran itself is itself what would be called today a poetic ballad. It has structure and rhyming verses.Prophet should have been alive today. If he saw the stupidity that is being used in the name of the religion, we could have taken his word for it. Ironically, if he was alive, he would be most likely be persecuted by people like you.
Is it true that Alexander Pope said something bad about Islam?
Strange thing, it even makes a difference in this world whether Alexander Pope said it, or Benedict Pope, or Bob Pope. (You know, Bob Pope from Columbus, Ohio) But yes, it's probably true, almost anybody in this world has, at some point, said something bad about Islam. Alexander Pope was better at commenting the sillyness of the reactions world-wide, to what some silly old man says: "What dire offence from am'rous causes springs, What mighty contests rise from trivial things"
Why would writing poetry be haram?
Yes your correct, poetry is deemed haram only if it encompasses the inappropriate. There are verses and hadith that do seem 'militant' toward poets but contextual information need to be considered by those who use this as supposed 'evidence'. The Arab pagans thought the Prophet (saw) was a poet so they employed poets to work against him and these poets would compose poetry that advocated paganism. This is solely the reason behind those verses and Hadith. There were many poets in the Golden Age of Islamic civilisation. Poetry is an intellectual form of expression; its not haram. http://www.islamonline.net/servlet/Satel...
Why did Allah reveal Qur’an in poetry?
The Qur’an does not compose merely as poetry nor prose. The Qur’an has its own style.Even the Arabs were so astonished by the Qur’an and its distinguishing style. (Tafsir Ibn Jarir Tabari, Jame al-Bayan, vol.29, p.98; Muhsen Rajabi Qodsi, Rituals of recitation and writing the Qur’an, Bustan Kitab, p.151; Muhammad Baqir Majlesi, Bihar al-Anwar, vol.18, p186 and so many other historical evidence in this regard).When we observe Qur’anic Chapters/Suras it would become clear that Allah use various types of discourse in the Holy Qur’an, e.g. Meccan Chapters are more like Musical as Muslims were in Mecca and also the theme of Meccan Chapters is so related to the time and place.From another side, in the chronology of revelation, the Medinian Chapters are revealed late, and the types of speech and topics in these Chapters are more related to prepare Islamic Civilization.Sometimes the Qur’an tells a complete story as a theater and play (chapter 12), another time the Qur’an looks like a poetry (Chapter 81) and so many other different style of speech.So all in all, the Qur’an does not reveal solely in poetry.