Hi,
I would like to know what the first muslims, during the Prophet era and right after it, thought about pre-islamic poetry. I know poetry is considered halal as long as it did not take all your time and as long as you don't memorize more poetry than Quranic verses for example.
But I also know that, according to the beliefs, pre-Islamic poetry, and especially all works of Imru Al-Qays, is inspired by djinns. The djinn of Imru Al-Qays was called لافظ بن لاحظ (the one who Articulates, son of the one who Sees) and he used to met him in Wadi Abqar.
(Well, I'm also aware that there's a theory that Imru Al-Qays was a Christian, but I don't know if that's true).
I also know that pre-Islamic poetry often talks about erotic things, alcool, etc.
So what the first Muslims thought about it ?
I would just like to point out that the opinion you linked to is just that - an opinion. Questions regarding poetry, music and other forms of art are still contentious and you'd be hard-pressed to find a consensus on what constitutes haram engagement with it. In my very religous home country of Mauritania, for example, memorizing more poetry than Quran is rather common and not seen as particularly haram.