Transliteration:( Wa maa 'allamnaahush shi'ra wa maa yambaghee lah; in huwa illaa zikrunw-wa Qur-aanum mubeen )
"And We have neither taught him (Muhammad) poetry, nor is it befitting for his dignity [102]. It is but a reminder and a clearly Luminous Qur’an [103]."
The disbelievers of Makkah falsely claimed that the Holy Qur’an was the work of poets and accused the Holy Prophet ﷺ of being a poet.
Allah refuted their baseless claim in this verse, using an Arabic idiomatic expression. In Arabic, false yet eloquent speech is often referred to as poetry. Similarly, novelists and storytellers are also called poets—not for truth, but for style and charm.
The verse does not imply a lack of knowledge in the Prophet ﷺ. It is like a father saying, “I have not taught my children to swear,” meaning he has not trained them in indecency, not that he is unable to recognise it.
Thus, the verse affirms the purity of the Prophet ﷺ and not any deficiency in knowledge. (Tafseer: Tabeer, Khazain, Ruhul Ma’ani, Mudarik, Jumal)
This means reciting poetry or being trained in poetic expression does not befit the lofty station of the Prophet ﷺ.
However, this does not mean the Prophet ﷺ lacked understanding of poetry. The knowledge of poetry is not against the status of the Prophet or of Allah Almighty—if it were evil, neither would the Prophet ﷺ understand it, nor would Allah mention it.
What the disbelievers falsely called poetry was in fact the Holy Qur’an—a clear and radiant reminder.
They did not mean rhythmic verses, because there are no poems in the Qur’an. What they meant was that it resembled fiction or pleasant tales.
Although some verses in the Qur’an may reflect poetic metre, this is purely incidental, not intentional (e.g., S3:92, S61:13, S109:1).
Even statements of the Holy Prophet ﷺ, like “Ana Nabiyyu la kazib, Ana ibn ‘Abdil Muttalib,” have rhyme and rhythm, but are not poetry, as they lack the structure and rules of formal poetic verse.
The Prophet ﷺ had no inclination toward reciting poetry in tune, yet he had the knowledge to distinguish between sound and empty poetic content. Therefore, the verse negates poetic ability, not poetic awareness.
The tafsir of Surah Yaseen verse 69 by Ibn Kathir is unavailable here.
Please refer to Surah Yaseen ayat 68 which provides the complete commentary from verse 68 through 70.
(36:69) We did not teach him (to wit, the Messenger) poetry and it does not behove him.[58] This is none but an Admonition, and a Clear Book
58. This is a rejoinder to the disbelievers, who slighted the Prophet (peace be upon him) and his message by branding him a poet when he preached Tauhid and talked of the Hereafter, life-after-death, and Hell and Heaven. For further explanation, see (Surah Ash-Shuara, Ayat 224-227) and the E.Ns thereof.
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