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Is it advisable to read the book "Al-Mustatraf fi kull fann mustazraf" (The Exquisite in Every Artful Form), and what is the author's status in terms of creed?

1 min readAlso available in العربية

The book "Al-Mustatraf fi kulli fannin mustazraf" (The Entertaining in Every Art That is Delightful) is one of the later literary works. It was influenced by predecessors like Al-Jahiz. Its language is weak, and it frequently cites Isra'iliyyat (Judeo-Christian traditions) without verification. It praises Persian kings from before Islam. It extensively details concubines and women and accounts of their encounters in an obscene style. It contains bad poetry that praises and beautifies wine, and it permits singing and musical instruments. Other books, such as those by Imam Ibn Qutaybah, suffice in its place. As for the author's creed, it was not possible to ascertain it.

Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026

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