From the Connotations of Guidance Poetry in the Early Islamic Period

Abstract

The first is the connotation of joy in Islam, in which the poet expresses profound happiness because God has guided him to true faith and the true religion. He supplicates to God Almighty and affirms with certainty that guidance is not achieved through imitation of ancestors, but rather through adherence to truth, reflection upon God’s signs and blessings, and following His righteous law. The second is the connotation of advice, in which the poet offers counsel to his people and loved ones, urging them to abandon enmity, disbelief, and tyranny, and to believe in the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and follow him. His path is the path of righteousness, and no one who opposes or contradicts him will succeed. This connotation also reveals a strong emotional dimension characterized by compassion and affection, intended to encourage acceptance of his advice, using poetry as a means of reform and recognition of moral obligations. The third is the connotation of apology, in which the poet employs apology as a means of entering Islam and seeking forgiveness from the Prophet (peace be upon him). His expressions are sincere and gentle, free from artificiality and exaggeration, reflecting regret for his previous actions and expressing a desire for noble forgiveness from the Prophet, as well as seeking repentance and divine mercy from God. In all of this, poetry is employed with simple, unforced language, sincere emotions, and intense feeling.