Allah revealed to Muhammad (peace be upon him) the miraculous, eloquent Qur’an that astonished the minds with its accurate composition. It was neither like poetry nor prose; it was something unique the like of which the Arabs never knew or could keep pace with. Following is a simple example from the Qur’an in which Allah says, “So when they had despaired of him, they secluded themselves in private consultation!’ (Yusuf: 80)
This verse may be translated in many words, but in Arabic, in the Qur’an only five words of twenty four letters are used. The text represents four complete situations which the Qur’an put in five words.
Joseph (peace be upon him) wanted to keep his brother with him, so he devised a plan to make his brother look like a thief, who, according to their law, was to be kept by the one from when he stole. Joseph decided to keep his brother there while his brothers begged for a pardon, not knowing that the king was their brother who they threw into the well years ago. The verse narrates four situations.
First, Joseph’s brothers tried to convince the king to take one instead but in vain. Second, some of them were driven to despair, with others still trying. Those who despaired told the others it was useless, the king wouldn’t be convinced, and they demanded them to stop useless attempts.
Third, they agreed to meet secretly in a place after their departure from the king. Fourth, they met in a distant spot, whispering lest they should be heard while consulting.
These situations are that which the Qur’an briefly expressed in a five – word sentence. Therefore, historians mentioned that an eloquent Bedouin heard the verse, not yet a Muslim, so he prostrated himself to Allah.
When asked about that, he replied. I prostrated myself because of its eloquence and fluency. In another situation the Qur’an mentions two commands, two prohibitions and two pieces of good news. The verse runs, “And We inspired to the mother of Moses, ‘Suckle him; but when you fear for him, cast him into the river and do not fear and do not grieve. Indeed, We will return him to you and will make him (one) of the messengers:” (Al-Qasas: 7)
One day, the Messenger (peace be upon him) sat in the yard of the Kaaba, reciting the Qur’an with the polytheists listening, who were captivated till He recited the verse, “So prostrate to Allah and worship (Him):’ (Al-Najm: 62)
The Prophet (peace be upon him) prostrated, and so did the Muslims and the polytheists in acknowledgement of Allah’s greatness and the miracle of the Qur’an. Ibn Abbas (may Allah bless them both) narrated that, “The Prophet (peace be upon him) prostrated while reciting Al-Najm; and with Him, so prostrated the Muslims, the pagans, the jinns, and all human beings.”
Many masters of Arabic bore witness to the Qur’an at the epoch of Muhammad (peace be upon him) and after like Al-Waleed bin Al-Mugheira, who went to Him and was impressed by what he heard, saying, “I am one of the Quraysh who knows the poetry of the Arabs the most. The speech of Muhammad is not poetry. By God, His speech is sweet, His root is deep and His branches are fruitful. It is not that of human beings.”
Like Al-Waleed, many did the same. That was why the polytheists of Makkah were keen on not allowing any of them to listen to the Qur’an. They also recommended each other to abide by this, as they knew that some statements are enchanting – and that the Qur’an is the best statement that charms and captivates them even though they do not believe in Muhammad. They said as the Qur’an reported, “And those who disbelieve say, ‘Do not listen to this Qur’an and speak noisily during (the recitation of) it that perhaps you will overcome’:‘(Fussilat: 26)
That is, do not expose yourselves to the Qur’an, and order your subjects to do so, if you hear it in passing, confuse it so as not to be affected by it; thereby you will have the upper hand, or otherwise you will be conquered by the Qur’an’s exposition and style.
Jubair bin Mutt’am said, I heard the Prophet (peace be upon him) reciting the Qur’anic surah of Al-Tur at evening prayer till He reached the verse, “Or were they created by nothing, or were they the creators (of themselves)?”(Al-Tur 35)
And that was at a time when belief was first planted in my heart, Mutt’am added.
Moreover, the polytheists recommended any visitor to Makkah not to listen to Muhammad (peace be upon him) so as not to be impressed. Attufail bin Amr Addousi reported that he came to Makkah while the Messenger was there.
There came to Attufail who was a noble gifted poet, saying, “You came to us while Muhammad was amongst us conquering and dispersing us, His words are so enchanting that they divide man and father, brother and brother, husband and wife. We admonish you and your community for listening to Him.
Attufail said they continued till decided not to listen or talk to Him to the extent that I crammed my ears with cotton lest they should catch His words.
I went to the mosque where the Messenger (peace be upon him) was praying at the Kaaba, and I stood close to Him and Allah wished but to let me hear His utterance was good.
I murmured, “May my mother be bereaved of me, by Allah, I am a gifted poet who distinguishes good from bad, so what prevents me from listening to this man, and if His utterance is good, I will accept it, if not, I will reject it.”
Attufail added, “I stayed till Allah’s Apostle (peace be upon him) left, heading to His house, and then I followed Him. After He entered His house I followed him in. I told him, ‘O Muhammad! Your people (Quraysh) told me so-and-so. But it was Allah’s wish that I listen to your speech. I found what I heard from you to be good speech. Tell me about what it is that you are saying.’
Then, the Prophet (peace be upon him) suggested I embrace Islam, and He recited verses from the Qur’an. Hearing the verses, I said,’By Allah, I have never heard speech better than this, nor words that are more fair than these.
So I accepted His invitation and became a Muslim.”
A man, named Damaad AI-Azdy from Yemen, used to cure the ill by incantation. He heard the fools of Makkah say that Muhammad is mad, so he said to himself, I treat people by incantation, so perhaps Allah will cure Him by my hand. The man actually lighted upon the Messenger (peace be upon him) and said,”O Muhammad, I cure people of such diseases with the help of Allah. May I read you something?”
The Messenger (peace be upon him) said, “Praise and thanks be to Allah, we thank Him and seek His help and His forgiveness. We seek Allah’s refuge from the evil of our own souls and from our bad deeds.
Whomsoever Allah guides will never be led astray, and whomsoever Allah leaves astray, no one can guide him. I bear witness that there is no god but Allah, the One, having no partner. And I bear witness that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger.”
These words were introductory words, which the Messenger used to start His speech; that is, He does not hit on the main topic yet, it was just a preface that amazed the man who murmured, “Is that the insane one I have come to treat?”
Then he asked the Prophet to repeat these words and the latter did. The man asked for a third and the Prophet did, the former said, “I have heard the words of soothsayers and the words of magicians, and the words of poets, but I have never heard such words as yours, and they reach the depth (of the ocean of eloquence); bring forth your hand so that I should take oath of fealty to you on Islam. So he took an oath of allegiance to him.”
The style of the Prophet’s speeches and sermons was characterized by simplicity and eloquence; His words were simple and fluent. He always renounced obsolete and strange words, so much so that any listener could grasp what He says; and anyone who has difficulty in memorizing could learn His speech by heart. Therefore, the Prophet’s speeches, due to grand meanings contained, were considered by Arabs as proverbs.
Take for example in a brief speech, He said, “There should be neither harming (darar) nor reciprocating harm (dirar).”
This hadith took pages when explained by scholars, and became a rule for Muslims, from which they deduced the following:
The rulings of Islam were for the benefit of individual and society; there is no harm. Any harmful legislation has nothing to do with Islam.
Islam does not allow men to harm themselves, nor others willingly or erroneously; if he errs, then compensation is due.
It is not allowed to cause harm to animals or others except for food or to dispel harm.
In the case of evil, one must do one’s best to repel it from oneself or others if possible. Society must participate in driving harm away, which is a lawful right.
Harm is severe for yourself but not for others; that is, you cannot drive it away from yourself and cause it to anybody else, even non-Muslims.
Personal and individual harm can be stood to avoid public harm.
These are but some of the rules and canons, which scholars inferred from the simple words of the Prophet, which are mentioned above.
Muhammad (peace be upon him) spoke in poetry and rhymed prose.
Despite Muhammad being the most eloquent of Arabs, and despite His purity of soul and lively mind, He did not compose one line of poetry, which is amazing.
The one possessed of these faculties, must be a poet, especially if one tended towards seclusion even during His work as a shepherd before the mission, or during His devoutness in the cave of Hiraa in Makkah.
The Glorious Qur’an gives us the reason for this saying, “And We did not give the Prophet Muhammad, knowledge of poetry, nor is it befitting for Him. It is not but a message and a clear Qur’an.” (Ya-Sin: 69)
Did the Prophet (peace be upon him) hate poetry? The answer here is: no; but He rather liked Poetry, listening to it and demanded it sometimes.
One day a companion of His rode behind Him, the Prophet asked, “Do you know something of Umayah bin Abi Assalt?”
The man answered, “Yes.”
The Messenger of Allah said, “Recite some of his poetry for me.”
So the man recited a poetic line. The Prophet then urged him to say more, until he completed one hundred rhymes. Umayyah died a disbeliever, but his poetry glorified good manners, therefore the Prophet liked hearing it.
Muhammad (peace be upon him) had poets who defended Islam and Muslims exposing the merits of Islam using the only medium available.
As the sword had its men, poetry had its men who fought with words. Amongst them was Hassan bin Thabet (may Allah bless him) who could not bear arms due to his old age; but he mastered composing poetry and defending Islam. He documented in his poetry, Muhammad’s actions and attitudes. His volume of poetry comprised some of Muhammad’s biography, attitudes, conquests and life. It contained further praise of the Prophet as well as an elegy after His death.
Another poet, who distinguished himself as he spent most of his life satirizing the Prophet (peace be upon him), then embraced Islam and praised the Prophet in a poem, which he recited to the Prophet; and in which he praised the migrants and the supporters. The poet was Ka’b bin Zuhair. A third poet, from the supporters, who also distinguished himself, was Abdullah bin Rawaha. His poetry was sweet and tender, and in which he defended Muhammad (peace be upon him) till the former was martyred at the Battle of Mu’tah.
The Messenger (peace be upon him) did forbid hearing some poetry; He listened to virtuous poetry, as no one dared to recite insolent poetry before Him, and He did not allow that.
Perhaps the Prophet made supplication to Allah on behalf of the believing poets who act for the sake of Allah. Hassan bin Thabet asked Abu Hurairah (may Allah bless them both), “I adjure you by Allah if you had not heard Allah’s Apostle (may peace be upon him) saying/Hassan, give a reply on behalf of the Messenger of Allah. O Allah, help him with
Ruh-ul-Qudus.’
Abu Hurairah said, ‘Yes, it is so.”
Muhammad (peace be upon him) did not recite poetry so that it might not be said Qur’an is a type of poetry or a new model or a developed school of it.
Muhammad (peace be upon him) hated the rhymed prose of priests, and with which they deceived the listener and made him believe it was the charms of magicians and devils. However, the Prophet did not completely deny rhymed prose as His speech was not devoid of some unpretentious amount of that type mainly in collective recommendations. The Prophet said, “Allah has forbidden you
1. to be undutiful to your mothers,
2. to withhold (what you should give), or
3. demand (what you do not deserve), and
4. to bury your daughters alive. And Allah has disliked that
5. you talk too much about others,
6. ask too many questions (in religion), or
7. waste your property.”
