Is it permissible to write fictional books in Islam, or is that considered lying?
It is narrated in the noble Hadith: "Narrate from the Children of Israel, there is no harm in it," with the addition, "for indeed there were wonders among them," which Al-Albani authenticated. This indicates the permissibility of hearing wonders for the purpose of recreation, not for using them as evidence. Some scholars have used this Hadith to argue for the permissibility of listening to strange tales and fictional stories whose falsehood is not certain, or which are intended to provide parables, admonitions, and instill virtues, provided the reader knows they are fictional stories. However, Hanafi scholars disliked stories that have no basis or that contain additions and deletions to embellish them. Nevertheless, some later scholars among them, like Ibn Abidin, did not definitively rule them as disliked if the intention was good.
Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026
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