The Shari`ah commands the preservation of the tongue and the protection of honor. It instructs the Muslim not to respond to evil with evil, nor to transgress with obscene or offensive speech against anyone.In this Hadith, some of these meanings are clarified. `A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) narrated: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “The gravest slander among people ” meaning: the most extreme form of injustice and lying. “is that of a man who satirizes another man” Meaning: he reviles him and exchanges insults with him. “and thus satirizes the entire tribe,” Meaning: the second man retaliates by insulting the first man’s entire tribe—he cursed and vilified all of them, thereby transgressing and acting unjustly by extending his abuse to an entire group over the wrongdoing of one. “And a man who disowns his father” Meaning: he attributes himself to someone other than his real father. “And accuses his mother of fornication (Zina),” Meaning: he attributes Zina to her, for a child belonging to another man cannot be born unless his mother committed such an act. This is from the gravest forms of slander, false accusation, and lying against one’s parents because the child is attributed to the marital bed.The Arabs were known for various forms of indecent poetry, including satirical poetry (Hija’), which is among the reprehensible types of poetry. Thus, this Hadith serves as a moral instruction for Muslims to abandon such speech. Poetry may be either good or evil. Thus, the Muslim is commanded to take what is good and leave what is evil. As for what Hassan ibn Thabit and Ka`b ibn Malik (may Allah have mercy on them) did in composing (Hija’) against the polytheists, they did so for a valid purpose which the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) approved: defending Islam and protecting the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). This is because the Arabs were deeply affected by speech and poetry, just as they were by war, combat, arrows, and spears. Their Hija’ functioned as psychological warfare against the polytheists—and this is permissible..