The Manner of the Messenger of God's Encounter with Poetry; The Transition from Disapproved Pre-Islamic Poetry to Praiseworthy Islamic Poetry

Poetry, as one of the most prominent and effective socio-cultural elements, held a distinguished and central position in the pre-Islamic era (Jāhiliyyah) and played a decisive role in the dynamism, reflection of values, and shaping of public opinion. This artistic phenomenon and powerful medium, which before [the commencement of] the Prophet Muhammad’s Prophetic mission was largely monopolized by the elite and tribes and reflected the specific values of the Jāhili period—including tribal prejudices, material boasts, purely lyrical descriptions, and, in some cases, satirical (hijāʾ) themes contrary to human dignity—was reconsidered and redefined with the emergence of Islam and the beginning of the Prophetic mission as a potent and influential tool for advancing humanity's sublime and spiritual goals. Hence, the Messenger of God (SAWA), throughout his prophetic mission, possessing a deep and strategic understanding of poetry's extensive influence and impact in Muslim society, consistently endeavored to employ this cultural instrument and the resulting social atmosphere most effectively and intelligently to institutionalize the nascent Islamic culture, disseminate spirituality, ethically cultivate society, and, in sum, to advance the lofty religious objectives.  From this perspective, a comprehensive, precise, and profound investigation into the place of poetry in the Prophetic era, and particularly an analysis of the measured and wise manner in which the Holy Prophet (SAWA) encountered the long-standing tradition of Jāhili poetry and its complex associated culture, is a subject that, due to its historical richness and profound socio-cultural implications, merits independent and in-depth research.Adopting a descriptive-analytical approach and relying on authentic historical and narrative sources, the present research elucidates two main axes: first, an analysis of the characteristics, functions, and elevated status of poetry in the Jāhiliyyah; and second, an analysis of the strategies and methods employed by the Messenger of God (SAWA) for the purposeful utilization of this important and institutionalized cultural component to advance the fundamental principles of Islamic culture, which paved the way for guiding Muslims toward sublime divine values. In this regard, the research examines primary historical, narrative, and literary sources related to the poetry of the Prophetic era and analyzes the Prophet's direct and indirect encounters with various poets and poems. The fundamental and key findings of this research confirm and indicate that the reformist, guiding, and entirely purposeful approach of the Messenger of God (SAWA) towards the phenomenon of poetry and poets facilitated and brought about fundamental and lasting transformations in the components, content, and orientations of Jāhili poetry. Consequently, this powerful artistic form, despite retaining some of its formal and literary features from the past, as well as the legacy of some reprehensible themes within it, gradually, under the influence of the Prophet's directives, evolved into an acceptable, constructive poetry that served to promote, elucidate, and establish authentic Islamic values during the era of the Messenger of God's mission.
This profound and historical transformation resulted from a series of wise measures and directions by the Prophet (SAWA), the most significant of which can be summarized in the following axes: positively orienting and encouraging poets to create artistic works aligned with Islamic norms and values; precisely elucidating the status of sublime, valuable, and committed poetry from an Islamic perspective and distinguishing between beneficial and harmful poetry; practically utilizing elevated and meaningful poetry to disseminate Islamic teachings, address doubts, and defend the Muslim community; and also confirming, strengthening, and elevating the social standing of poets committed to Islam, which itself served as a factor attracting other poetic talents toward Islam. However, in specific and limited cases, reports found in authentic historical and Sīrah sources indicate critical or negative stances adopted by the Prophet (SAWA) against certain poems or particular poets. The causes and roots of these critical stances are to be found primarily in factors such as: the extremist, exaggerated, and harmful tendencies of some poets in their composition; the conscious efforts of certain poets to weaken the nascent Islamic society and its fundamental values through satire and defamation; and also the undesirable, immoral, and harmful content of some verses, which stood in clear contradiction to Islamic teachings.