“Allah’s Messenger said (Allah bless him and give him peace): ‘The most truthful saying spoken by a poet is the saying of Labid: Everything but Allah is surely futile,’ and[the poet] Umayya ibn Abi’s-Salt almost embraced Islam.’”
Commentary on the Hadith of Poetry
This noble hadith from Ash-Shama'il Al-Muhammadiyah 241 demonstrates the Prophet's balanced approach to poetry, distinguishing between beneficial and harmful verse.
The Excellence of Labid's Verse
Labid's statement "Everything but Allah is surely futile" contains profound tawhid, echoing Quranic themes of worldly transience and divine permanence.
Scholars note this line affirms the ultimate reality: all creation perishes except Allah's Face, making it the most truthful poetic expression.
Umayya ibn Abi's-Salt's Near Conversion
Umayya's poetry contained monotheistic themes from previous scriptures, bringing him close to Islam, yet he ultimately withheld full submission.
This illustrates how divine truths can appear in various forms, but complete faith requires sincere acceptance of Muhammad's prophethood.
Islamic Perspective on Poetry
The Prophet recognized poetry containing wisdom and truth, unlike the satirical or immoral verse he prohibited.
This hadith establishes the principle that beneficial speech, even in poetic form, holds value in Islamic tradition when aligned with divine guidance.