Tafsir of Ash-Shu`ara' 26:226

Meaning, they engage in actions without concern for the blame that follows them. How, then, could it be imagined that he [the Prophet] would follow their path, join them, or be organized in their ranks, when his sacred presence is far removed from having any trace of the aforementioned matters hovering near it? He is characterized by the most excellent and majestic traits, adorned with the most noble and beautiful moral qualities, and has attained all sacred perfections and won the entirety of the sublime, humanistic virtues. He is firmly established upon the most upright methodology, continuing upon a straight path for which a sound mind can perceive no deviation. He speaks of every guided matter, calling to the path of Allah, the Exalted, the Almighty, the Praiseworthy. He is supported by overwhelming miracles and manifest signs, pregnant with various forms of dazzling wisdom and types of stunning knowledge, possessing a fluent structure and a superior style that has rendered every skilled orator incapable and silenced every eloquent sorcerer.

Regarding his—may Allah the Exalted grant him peace—exoneration from being among the poets, it has been said: "The followers of the poets are the straying ones, whereas his followers—upon him be peace and prayer—are not as such." This was countered by the claim that there is no doubt that justifying his—upon him be peace and prayer—not being one of them by the fact that his followers are not straying is something that does not befit his lofty status. It was also said: "The plural pronoun refers to the 'straying ones'." This was countered by the fact that the ones being discussed are the poets.

From Ibn Abbas—may Allah the Exalted be pleased with them both—it is narrated that the "straying ones" are the narrators who memorize the poetry of the poets and recite it on their behalf, delighting in it. In another narration from him, they are those who deem their poetry beautiful, even if they do not memorize it. From Mujahid and Qatada, it is narrated that they are the devils.

It is also narrated from Ibn Abbas that the verse was revealed concerning the poets of the polytheists: Abdullah ibn al-Ziba'ra, Hubayra ibn Wahb al-Makhzumi, Musafi' ibn Abd Manaf, Abu Azza al-Jumahi, and Umayya ibn Abi al-Salt. They said, "We say the like of what Muhammad says," and they would satirize him, and the Bedouin of their people would gather around them to listen to their poetry and satires; they, and the straying ones who follow them.

Ibn Jarir, Ibn Abi Hatim, and Ibn Marduyah also recorded from him that he said: Two men satirized one another during the time of the Messenger of Allah—may Allah grant him peace—one from the Ansar and the other from another tribe. Each of them had "strayers" from his own people, who were the fools, so Allah the Exalted revealed: "And the poets..." [to the end of the verses]. There is some doubt in the heart regarding the authenticity of this report, and the apparent meaning of the context is that it was revealed to refute the disbelievers who said about the Quran what they said.

Isa ibn Amr read "al-Shu'ara'a" (the poets) in the accusative case (nasb) based on the grammar of al-ishtighal (preoccupation). Al-Sulami and al-Hasan (with a different narration from him) read "yatba'uhum" (follow them) with a lightened (non-doubled) consonant. Al-Hasan and Abd al-Warith from Abu Amr read "yatba'uhum" with the doubling (tashdid) and the sukun on the 'ayn as a form of lightening. They have said "adud" (upper arm) with the sukun on the dad, so they changed the damma that occurred after a fatha; therefore, changing it when it occurs after a kasra is even more appropriate. Harun narrated the fath (vocalization with a) of the 'ayn from some, and Abu Hayyan found this problematic. It was said: "It is also for the sake of lightening, and its preference over the sukun is because the objective is achieved by it, while also maintaining the root in general, due to the homogeneous participation between the two vowel sounds—which is not the case between the damma and the sukun." This is strange, as is not hidden.