What is the ruling on a message that includes a rumor of the death by burning of the cartoonist who insulted the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, and claims of dream visions recommending the dissemination of the news, promising great joy to those who spread it and sorrow to those who do not, and considering it a trust?

This is cheap deception and charlatanism prevalent in promoting trivial messages, where it is said: "Whoever publishes it will get such and such, and whoever does not publish it will be punished with such and such." This is an obligation with no basis in Islamic law. Those who fabricate such messages might be individuals who do not profess Islam, or they might be ignorant people who deem lying permissible. There are indeed Hadiths that warn against lying in dreams and fabricating things against the Prophet, peace be upon him. Among them are: "Whoever claims to have had a dream he did not see will be tasked to tie two barley grains together, and he will never be able to do so," and "Indeed, among the greatest fabrications is for a man to claim to be the son of someone other than his father, or to claim his eye saw what it did not see, or to say about the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, what he did not say." As for the news of the abusive cartoonist dying by fire, it has not been confirmed, and even if it were true, there is no obligation to spread it along with threats to those who do not. Caution and warning against this method are necessary.