Fictional writing

[Sayf Udeen]

:salam2:

I have a question, my brothers and sisters.
What is the Islamic ruling on fiction. As in writing text involving fictional characters.

JazakhAllahu kheyr.

Wa'Salam.
Sayf.

 

[~Ali_]

Walaikumasalam brother - I think this can neatly come under "Movies and Games" and "useless tales and legends" no? its all a big distraction to take you awwwwwwwwwaaaaaayyyyyy from what we are all seriously meant to be learning - Why would you want to read about fictional characters when you got so many Sahabas and other great personalities in the history of Islam to learn about - all in all - learn more about Islam and you will be slowly driven away from all the distractions - whenever you feel like readying some lame book pick up a book about Islam and read that - or read a book that teaches you something productive

(and no dont say fictional tales have a "moral" at the end lol)

to learn right and wrong isnt the Quran and Sunnah of the Prophet (pbuh) enough?

sorry for the rant brother

 

[ShyHijabi]

How about we use some daleel as opposed to giving our own fatwas, no? It seems everyone is saying everything is haraam if you aren't sitting on a prayer mat, reading, Quran, or reciting. We are allowed leisure time in Islam, and until I am provided with some sound daleel I wouldn't be harking that reading/writing about fiction is forbidden.

 

[massi]

Reading and writing fantasy stories
​

Is it permissible in Islam to read and write fantasy novels and stories? Fantasy here refers to princesses, castles, magic and things you would find in a fairy tale, for instance.

Praise be to Allaah.

1. With regard to reading these stories, this is a waste of time. People are deceived by the idea of “free” time, for it is one of the things about which they will be questioned on the Day of Resurrection.

It was narrated that Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “There are two blessings which many people do not make the most of: good health and free time.”

(Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 6049)

Abu Barzah al-Aslami said: the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “A person will not be let go on the Day of Resurrection until he has been asked about his life and how he spent it, his knowledge and what he did with it, his wealth and from where he earned it and where he spent it, and his body and how he used it.”

(Narrated and classed as saheeh by al-Tirmidhi, 2417)

2. As for writing these stories, in addition to the above point that it is a waste of time, it also involves a second forbidden matter, which is lying; lying cannot be avoided if one is to write in an attractive and compelling manner about things that do not exist.

If a person has to write, then let him write about something that is real and happens in the lives of people nowadays, writing about things that really happened to him or to others, from which lessons can be drawn. Or let him write by way of giving examples and allegories, stating that in an introduction. Even better than that, let him write about the real and saheeh stories that have been narrated in the Qur’aan and Sunnah, or about the lives and biographies of great Islamic personalities such as the Prophets, scholars and righteous people, or

​

Islam Q&A
Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid