What is the ruling on poetry and elegies for the deceased?
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The questioner:
If it is required of the Muslim, as you have mentioned, to restrain oneself from this, does that include the prohibition of composing poetry and tearful elegies for the deceased? Because that may serve to encourage crying.
The Shaykh:
No, elegies existed in the time of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and the time of the Companions, and Hassan ibn Thabit (may Allah be pleased with him) composed an elegy for the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). So, elegies that contain no exaggeration and no praise are permissible.
The questioner:
Even if they bring about crying. Yes. Even if they bring about crying.
The Shaykh:
Crying is not prohibited. Crying, mere crying over the deceased, yes, this is not prohibited. What is prohibited is wailing and despair. As for crying, it is not by the person's choice, and its source is mercy. Yes, and the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) cried when his son Ibrahim died, and he cried when his daughter’s son died. Yes, and he said (peace and blessings be upon him) Sahih Ibn Hibban 11:272 (peace and blessings be upon him). (peace and blessings be upon him).
The presenter:
May Allah reward you.
If it is required of the Muslim, as you have mentioned, to restrain oneself from this, does that include the prohibition of composing poetry and tearful elegies for the deceased? Because that may serve to encourage crying.
The Shaykh:
No, elegies existed in the time of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and the time of the Companions, and Hassan ibn Thabit (may Allah be pleased with him) composed an elegy for the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). So, elegies that contain no exaggeration and no praise are permissible.
The questioner:
Even if they bring about crying. Yes. Even if they bring about crying.
The Shaykh:
Crying is not prohibited. Crying, mere crying over the deceased, yes, this is not prohibited. What is prohibited is wailing and despair. As for crying, it is not by the person's choice, and its source is mercy. Yes, and the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) cried when his son Ibrahim died, and he cried when his daughter’s son died. Yes, and he said (peace and blessings be upon him)
Indeed, Allah does not punish for the sadness of the eye’s tears
ان الله لا يعذب بحزن بدمع العينnor for the sadness of the heart, but He punishes with this, or shows mercy, and he pointed to his tongue
ولا بحزن القلب، وإنما يعذب بهذا أو يرحم، وأشار إلى لسانهThe presenter:
May Allah reward you.
Source
قناة «العلامة الدكتور صالح الفوزان»، ما حكم الأشعار والمراثي في الموتى؟ الشيخ صالح بن فوزان الفوزان — youtube.com
The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.