Caution: Translations of Quran and Ḥadīth may lead to possible misapplications and misinterpretations. This site is intended for students of sacred knowledge that are proficient in comprehending classical Arabic and have a strong foundation in Islamic sciences. Also note that religious injunctions rely on several aspects beyond what one may glean through reading individual aḥādīth.
ahmad:15796ʿAlī b. Baḥr > ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz b. Muḥammad al-Darāwardī > Muḥammad b. ʿAbdullāh from my cousin Ibn Shihāb > Ibn Shihāb > ʿAbd al-Raḥman b. ʿAbdullāh b. Kaʿb > Kaʿb b. Mālik

[Machine] The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "Exalt [Allah] through poetry, for indeed, the believer strives with his own self and wealth. By the One in whose hand is the soul of Muhammad, it is as if they are being adorned with elegance."  

أحمد:١٥٧٩٦حَدَّثَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ بَحْرٍ حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْعَزِيزِ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ الدَّرَاوَرْدِيُّ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللهِ ابْنِ أَخِي ابْنِ شِهَابٍ عَنْ ابْنِ شِهَابٍ عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللهِ بْنِ كَعْبٍ عَنْ كَعْبِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ قَالَ

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ اهْجُوا بِالشِّعْرِ إِنَّ الْمُؤْمِنَ يُجَاهِدُ بِنَفْسِهِ وَمَالِهِ وَالَّذِي نَفْسُ مُحَمَّدٍ بِيَدِهِ كَأَنَّمَا يَنْضَحُونَهُمْ بِالنَّبْلِ  


See similar narrations below:

Collected by Ibn Ḥibbān, Ṭabarānī

ذِكْرُ الْإِبَاحَةِ لِلْمُسْلِمِ أَنْ يُهَاجِيَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ إِذْ هُوَ أَحَدُ الْجِهَادَيْنِ

ibnhibban:4707Abū Yaʿlá > Aḥmad b. ʿĪsá al-Miṣrī > Ibn Wahb > Yūnus > Ibn Shihāb > ʿAbd al-Raḥman b. Kaʿb b. Mālik from his father

[Machine] He said, "O Messenger of Allah, what do you think about poetry?" He replied, "Verily, the believer strives with his sword and his tongue, and I swear by the One in whose hand is my soul, it is as if you are showering them with nobility."  

ابن حبّان:٤٧٠٧أَخْبَرَنَا أَبُو يَعْلَى حَدَّثَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ عِيسَى الْمِصْرِيُّ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ وَهْبٍ قَالَ أَخْبَرَنِي يُونُسُ عَنِ ابْنِ شِهَابٍ عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ كَعْبِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ عَنْ أَبِيهِ

أَنَّهُ قَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ مَا تَرَى فِي الشِّعْرِ قَالَ «إِنَّ الْمُؤْمِنَ يُجَاهِدُ بِسَيْفِهِ وَلِسَانِهِ وَالَّذِي نَفْسِي بِيَدِهِ لَكَأَنَّمَا تَنْضَحُونَهُمْ بِالنَّبْلِ»  

tabarani:16263Ismāʿīl b. al-Ḥasan al-Khaffāf al-Miṣrī > Aḥmad b. Ṣāliḥ > Ibn Wahb > Yūnus > Ibn Shihāb > ʿAbd al-Raḥman b. Kaʿb b. Mālik from his father

[Machine] He said, "O Messenger of Allah, what do you think of poetry?" The Messenger of Allah ﷺ replied, "Indeed, the believer strives with his sword and his tongue, and by Him in whose hand is my soul, it is as if you sprinkle them with nobility."  

الطبراني:١٦٢٦٣حَدَّثَنَا إِسْمَاعِيلُ بْنُ الْحَسَنِ الْخَفَّافُ الْمِصْرِيُّ ثنا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ صَالِحٍ ثنا ابْنُ وَهْبٍ أَخْبَرَنِي يُونُسُ عَنِ ابْنِ شِهَابٍ عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ كَعْبِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ عَنْ أَبِيهِ

أَنَّهُ قَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ مَاذَا تَرَى فِي الشَّعْرَ؟ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ «إِنَّ الْمُؤْمِنَ يُجَاهِدُ بِسَيْفِهِ وَلِسَانِهِ وَالَّذِي نَفْسِي بِيَدِهِ لَكَأَنَّمَا تَنْضَحُونَهُمْ بِالنَّبْلِ»  

tabarani:16264Muḥammad b. Aḥmad b. Muḥammad b. Abū Bakr al-Muqaddamī > ʿAbdullāh b. Shabīb > Ismāʿīl b. Abū Ūways > Akhī > Sulaymān b. Bilāl > Muḥammad b. Abū ʿAtīq > Ibn Shihāb

[Machine] The prophet of Allah ﷺ said, "By the one in whose hand is my soul, it is as if you are sprinkling them with nobility in what he says to them in poetry."  

الطبراني:١٦٢٦٤حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ أَبِي بَكْرٍ الْمُقَدَّمِيُّ ثنا عَبْدُ اللهِ بْنُ شَبِيبٍ ثنا إِسْمَاعِيلُ بْنُ أَبِي أُوَيْسٍ حَدَّثَنِي أَخِي عَنْ سُلَيْمَانَ بْنِ بِلَالٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ أَبِي عَتِيقٍ عَنِ ابْنِ شِهَابٍ قَالَ قَالَ بَشِيرُ بْنُ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ كَعْبِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ إِنَّ كَعْبَ بْنَ مَالِكٍ كَانَ يُحَدِّثُ

أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ قَالَ «وَالَّذِي نَفْسِي بِيَدِهِ لَكَأَنَّمَا تَنْضَحُونَهُمْ بِالنَّبْلِ فِيمَا يَقُولُ لَهُمُ مِنَ الشَّعْرِ»