Is the use of imagination and exaggeration in poetry considered a lie, especially with the prevalence of the saying, "The sweetest poetry is that which is most mendacious"?
Poetry is speech; its beauty is like the beauty of speech, and its ugliness is like its ugliness. There is no harm in using imagination and exaggeration as long as they do not reach outright lying. The saying "The sweetest poetry is that which is most untruthful" is interpreted as referring to non-deceptive exaggeration. However, if it reaches the point of lying, it becomes forbidden. The jurists have explicitly stated that poetry is forbidden if it contains outright lies, and if one frequently lies in it, their testimony will be rejected. It is unanimously agreed that the beauty of poetry lies in the truthfulness of its meaning and the beauty of its expressive imagery, not in lying and excessive indulgence in it.
Summary from Ftawy's records · added here
Reviewed by El Fatwa's sharia committee.
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- Original fatwa ID
- 27838
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- Summary from Ftawy's records, reviewed by El Fatwa's sharia committee.
- Read the full ruling
- Read the full answer on Ftawy