Ruling Concerning Writing Fictitious Novels

Question: Is it permissible in Islam to write fictitious novels and stories (i.e. stories that are not true), using made up examples and stories for children for educational reasons (i.e. to take lessons from them)?

 The Permanent Committee of Iftaa’ answered with the following:

“It is forbidden upon the Muslim to write untrue stories. The stories that are narrated in the Qur’an and Sunnah are sufficient to be related for the sake of admonition and good advice.” [Fatawa Al-Lajnah Ad-Da’imah no. 12/187]

Shaikh Ibn ‘Uthaimeen (Rahimahullaah) said: “If the stories are for the sake of reformation and giving remedy to a problem that the people suffer from, this is permissible with the condition that one write it by giving examples and setting forth parables to make the people believe in and take lessons from, while stating that in the introduction. However, relating the stories in a way that gives the impression that they are true is not permissible because it is a kind of telling lies and telling lies is forbidden (in Islam).

It is also not permissible to take the religious matters as means of earning a livelihood, rather, they should be performed solely for Allaah’s sake.” [Islamqa no.174829]

Shaikh Saalih al-Luhaidaan said: “It is incumbent not to tell lies to attain good. Man should not speak except the truth, even if he attributes the story to someone else from among the people.

Telling lies is of different kinds. There are lies that destroy the religion of the person and perhaps his worldly life as well. And there is a lie, which is of a lesser degree. The sins are minor and major; however, if the minor sins increase, they could destroy the person as the Prophet (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said: “Beware of minor sins, for if they gather upon the person they will destroy him. This is like the example of group of people in an open area, and everyone brought a stick. When they gathered a pile of sticks they kindled a fire out of it and cooked their food.” [Saheeh al-Jamie no. 2687]