This ḥadith points to the principle that truth is to be accepted even if it comes from poets. In fact, truth is welcome from anyone who brings it: even should a disbeliever speak the truth, it is taken from him; and if a poet or an openly sinful person voices what is true, it is likewise accepted.

By contrast, whatever is false is rejected, even if the one who utters it is a Muslim. The decisive factor, therefore, is the content of the statement, not the identity of the speaker. For this reason a person ought to judge others on the basis of their actions, not their mere person.