What is the ruling on reading literary novels, especially foreign ones that may contain some minor Sharia-违背 (violations), given that the reader is not influenced by them and is careful to avoid reading passages that mention these violations? And what is the general principle when selecting any novel to read?
Source: FtawySummary from Ftawy's records · added here Sep 2, 2026
There is no objection to reading Arab and foreign novels and books on the histories of other nations for entertainment or reflection, as long as they do not contain prohibitions such as intellectual deviations or the embellishment of behavioral transgressions. The reader should also avoid any violations if they are present. Despite this, it is better to abstain from all of that in order to utilize one's time for what benefits them in their religion and worldly life.
Summary from Ftawy's records · added here
Reviewed by El Fatwa's sharia committee.
Read the full answer on Ftawyhttps://ftawy.com/en/questions/108864
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- Ftawy
- Original fatwa ID
- 108864
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- . This is when the answer was added to El Fatwa, not the fatwa's date.
- Text
- Summary from Ftawy's records, reviewed by El Fatwa's sharia committee.
- Read the full ruling
- Read the full answer on Ftawy