and boastful, and the sound that provokes despair in sorrow, until a person becomes fretful and distraught. As for sounds that stir anger for Allah’s sake, such as poetry chanted during jihad, these were not accompanied by instruments. Likewise, among the sounds that publicly announce rejoicing, permission was granted for what the Sunnah allows: beating the tambourine at weddings and celebrations for women and children.

Most poetry recited melodiously to stir people’s souls falls into these four categories: poems of love, namely amorous verse; poems of anger and ardour, namely martial verse and satire; poems of calamity, such as elegies; and poems of blessings and joy, namely praise poetry.

Poets habitually follow their natural inclinations, as Allah Most High said:
“Do you not see that they wander in every valley, and that they say what they do not do?”
Surah al-Shuʿarā’, 225–226

For this reason, He stated that those who go astray follow them. One who goes astray is someone who follows his desires without knowledge. This is