As for the poet, his role is to stir people’s souls; thus his speech belongs to the particular kind of exhortation that arouses desire. For this reason, it is said of them:

“Those who go astray follow them.”

Their harm therefore concerns actions, not beliefs, whereas the harm of the soothsayers concerns beliefs, with actions following from them. Hence Allah says:

“Every sinful liar.”

The substance of soothsaying and poetry is found among many who engage in philosophy, Sufism, speculative theology, and jurisprudence, as well as among ordinary people and those who profess spiritual poverty, who depart from the Sharia. They speak of unseen matters through soothsaying and stir people’s souls through poetry and the like. They are followers of the lying claimants to prophethood and receive support from devils. We have often witnessed this among various groups belonging to these categories and others; it is discernible to those whose breasts Allah has illuminated and into whose hearts He has cast some of His light.