Tashbib (amatory verse about women or boys)

التشبيب

Tashbib is the opening of a poem with amatory lines about women; the words nasib and ghazal mean the same. It is forbidden to write verse about a named woman who is unlawful to the poet, or about a beardless boy; describing the lascivious features of an unlawful non-mahram woman is forbidden. Verse about one's own wife or slave-girl is lawful unless it describes her private parts or what should stay hidden. Verse about an unnamed woman is lawful unless it is obscene or gives clues to identify her; names such as Layla and Su'ad do not identify anyone, as Ka'b ibn Zuhayr recited his poem before the Prophet ﷺ. ¹ ²

Overview

Tashbib is the opening of a poem with amatory lines about women, the same as nasib and ghazal. ¹

Ruling

It is forbidden to write verse about a woman who is unlawful to the poet, or about a beardless boy. ¹ There is no dispute that describing the lascivious physical or moral features of an unlawful non-mahram woman is forbidden. ¹

One's wife or slave-girl

Verse about one's wife or slave-girl is lawful unless it describes her private parts or what must be concealed; if it does, the poet loses his manliness, and the act is forbidden or disliked, by a disputed view. ¹

An unnamed woman

Verse about an unnamed woman is lawful unless it is obscene or sets a clue that identifies her; if it does, she is treated as named. ¹ Names such as Layla and Su'ad do not identify anyone, as shown by Ka'b ibn Zuhayr reciting his famous poem before the Messenger. ¹

A boy

Verse about a boy is forbidden if it says he is loved, even unnamed; some say an unnamed boy is treated like an unnamed woman. ²

Composing and reciting

Composing in verse or prose is governed by the above; reciting or narrating such verse is lawful when it is not meant to urge the unlawful, for example as evidence or to learn eloquence. ² The Hanafis limit the prohibition on verse about a woman to a living, identified woman; verse about a dead woman is not forbidden. ²

Ada' al-dayn (paying a debt: its ruling, the manner of payment, insolvency and the debts of the dead)

Paying a debt in the form owed is obligatory by consensus. A debt due now must be paid on demand when the debtor can pay; a deferred debt is not due before its term. Payment is made in like items, with value owed where there is no like; a better payment is allowed when unconditioned. Remission, gift, assignment, set-off and settlement take the place of payment. A solvent debtor who refuses is compelled, imprisoned and his apparent property sold; the majority hold that a bankrupt is put under interdiction and his property divided among creditors, against Abu Hanifa. The insolvent is given respite, and his debt may be paid from zakat if he borrowed for himself in a lawful matter. A dead person's debt attaches to his estate and takes precedence over bequests and inheritance.

Tashbib (amatory verse about women or boys)

At a glance