What is the ruling on reading illustrated stories on the phone that contain forbidden elements, such as pictures that cannot be removed except by viewing them? And is it permissible to remove the forbidden words and replace them with other words?

The prohibition against reading novels and stories applies if they advocate disbelief (kufr), immorality (fujur), or beautify evil (munkar), coupled with a fear that the reader may be influenced. However, perusing them for a legitimate purpose, such as refuting them or benefiting from the truth within them, is permissible if the reader is confident that they will not be influenced by falsehood. The mere casual mention of some forbidden things does not necessitate prohibition. The criterion for prohibition is not simply the mention of the word "magician" or "magic," but rather whether the story advocates and beautifies evil, along with a fear that the reader may be influenced by it. Therefore, deleting or retaining these words does not affect the prohibition, as the criterion lies in the content and the advocacy of evil.