THE FORBIDDANCE OF TRANSGRESSING THE BOUNDS

Since shaitan is calling people, during these two types of situations, to transgress the bounds established by Islam with their hearts, voices, and hands, the Prophet (sas) has interdicted that as in the following hadith:

It was said to the Prophet when he was seen to shed tears when he saw his son Ibrahim prepared for burial: “Do you weep, though you have forbidden the weeping and wailing over the dead?” The Prophet said: “That which I have forbidden is none other than two idiotic, obscene voices: one voice in times of plenty and ease: frivolity, playing of games, and the pipes of Satan (i.e. music); and another voice in times of calamity: beating of (one’s own) cheeks, and tearing of clothes, and invoking the invocations of the jahiliyah (i.e. cries for revenge or asking for evil to befall someone based on nationalism or tribalism).

in which the Prophet has mentioned both of them in the same hadith. In another hadith, he forbids that in relation to calamities only:

“Whoever hits his cheeks and tears his clothes, and calls out with the invocations of the jahiliyah is not one of us.”

And, in another hadith:

“I am innocent of (the sins of) the one who shaves his head, and the one who wails, and the one who tears his clothes (i.e. the one who does these things when afflicted with calamity.”

“Verily, Allah does not hold anyone to account for the tear of an eye, nor the grief of the heart, rather, He punishes or has mercy based on this. (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 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 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?] Qur’an 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).] Qur’an 53/1-2

And, for this reason, the Prophet (sas) 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, 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.] Qur’an 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.] Qur’an 2/194