Part 24

(While saying this, he pointed to his tongue." "Whoever people weep and wail for is punished because of their weeping and wailing." (This hadith, and all before it in this section are from al-Bukhari) One of the conditions demanded of the women in the first Oath of Allegiance was that they must agree never to weep and wail over the dead, and he said: "Verily, the woman who weeps over the dead, if she does not repent before her death, will be dressed on the day of Qiyama in a vest of sores, and a dress of molten tar." The Prophet mentioned the two idiotic and obscene voices: a voice which brings about transgression in joy such that the person becomes "joyous and arrogant" (farihun Enjoining Right & Forbidding Wrong - 49 Translated by Salim Abdallah ibn Morgan fakhuur), and another voice in times of grief which brings about impatience and despair, such that the person becomes "discontent and impatient" (haluu'an jazuu'an). As for the voice which arouses anger for the sake of Allah, such as the battle cries and the poetry which is composed for jihad, this was never done with musical instruments. Similarly, the voices of spreading the word at wedding celebrations. These two have been permitted, and exempted from the general ruling by the Sunnah of the Prophet: cries and poems of battle, and the beating of the daff (a bangle-less tambourine) at wedding parties, and festivities for women and young children. Most of the poems which are read aloud to arouse feelings in people are of these four types: i.e. love poetry and descriptions of the beloved one, poems of anger and fervor (nationalistic or other), poems of lamentation over calamities, and poems of ease, plenty, and joy, which are the poems of flattery. The norm of the poets is that they follow human nature, as Allah said: [Did you not see that they are in every valley, wandering aimlessly? * And that they say that which they do not do?] Quran 26/225-226 For this reason, Allah informs us that the poets are followed by the ghaawoon (singular: ghaawi). The ghaawi is one who follows his hawaa without knowledge and without guidance, and this is referred to as ghayy. Such a person is not guided (muhtadiy). Just as one who is astray or "lost" (dhaall) is the one who does not know that which is in his own benefit, again in contrast to the one on the guidance. Allah said: [By the star as it sinks * Your companion is not lost (dhaall), nor is he misgiuded (from ghayy).] Quran 53/1-2 And, for this reason, the Prophet (sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam) said: "What is upon is (to follow) whatever you come to know of my tradition (sunnah), and the tradition of the early, rightlyguided successors, clamp down on this with your molars!" Thus we find them (the poets) praising all types of bravery and forbearance, since the lack of these traits is blameworthy in any situation whatsoever. As for the presence of these traits, it will bring about the achievement of what the self desires whatever that may be, Enjoining Right & Forbidding Wrong - 50 Translated by Salim Abdallah ibn Morgan but the final benefit is only for the pious. As for the impious, they will have benefits in the short run (i.e. this life), but not in the long run (i.e. in the hereafter). The "final benefit", though it is ultimately in the hereafter, can also be in this life, as Allah said after mentioning the story of Nuh, and his being saved in the ark: [It was said: O, Nuh, come down (from the ark) with peace from us and blessings upon you and upon other peoples (which will spring) from you. And to other peoples we will grant pleasures (for a time) then touch them with a painful punishment * These are some of the stories of the unseen which we have revealed to you. Neither you nor your people knew them before this. So, have patience, verily the final benefit is for the pious.] Quran 11/48-49 [And so whoever transgresses against you, transgress against them to the same degree in which they transgressed against you, and have fear (taqwa) of Allah, verily, Allah is with those who fear Him.] Quran 2/194 Fervor And Courage Which Is Praiseworthy The criterion here is that the only fervor or courage which is praiseworthy is that which has been praised by Allah and His Prophet (sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam). Allah is the one whose praise is beauty and whose censure is dishonor, and this is to no one other than Allah, neither poet, nor orator, nor anyone else. Thus, when an Arab from the tribe of Bani Tameem said to the Prophet (sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam) "My praise is beautification, and my censure is disgrace", the Prophet said to him: "That is Allah!". Allah has praised courage and forbearance in His path, as in the sahih, narrated by Abu Musa Al-Ash'ariy (may Allah be pleased with him): It was said to the Prophet: A man may fight out of courage, and he may fight out of fervor and excitement, and he may fight to be seen by others, so which of those are (truly) in the path of Allah?