Surah 26. Ash-Shuara, Ayah 227

Thus the Qur'an makes it clear that a true believer may fight only in self-defence: cf. {22:39-40}, the earliest reference to war as such, and {2:190-194}, where the circumstances making war fully justified are further elaborated.

Lit., "by what [kind of] turning they will turn".

Poetry and the fine arts which are to be commended are those which emanate from minds steeped in Faith, which try to carry out in life the fine sentiments they express in their artistic work, aim at the glory of Allah rather than at self-glorification or the fulsome praise of men with feet of clay, and do not (as in Jihad) attack anything except aggressive evil. In this sense a perfect artist should be a perfect man. Perfection may not be attainable in this life, but it should be the aim of every man, and especially of one who wishes to become a supreme artist, not only in technique but in spirit and essentials. Among the commendable poets contemporary with the holy Prophet may be mentioned Hassan and Labid: the latter had the honour of being one of the seven whose poems were selected for "hanging" (the Mu'allaqat) in the Days of Ignorance.

These were the scurrilous rhymesters, who were doomed to come to an evil end.