Books...HARAAAAAAAAAM??

Sumaiya —

Look what ive just come across on a website:

13) Is it haram to write a book, or read one for that matter, if is a scary book, or a fiction? If you want to write fiction does it have to be clean of any non islamic ideas or values or beliefs? It seems that when I try to write fiction I am afraid of leading someone astray even though they know its a fiction.

Your concerns are well founded. One should avoid writing, distributing, or reading materials which contain non-Islamic concepts such as draculas, ghosts, etc. Such writings are lies, lead to deviant beliefs, and cause deviant behavior -- especially writings (even worse, movies) of violent nature that are used by the non-Muslims to produce thrill in their sick souls.

This is freaking me out coz i love scary books, what do you think?

Forum

Ya'qub — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 - 13:24

I think you should avoid Sheikh google from now on.

There are lots of 'Islamic websites', some of which are very good. But there are others which are made by people with absolutely no qualifications, or even (so I have heard) made by non-Muslims trying to send us astray.

Of course I am not qualified to say whether Goosebumps is haram or not, but if you are looking for fatawa, then you can't go to someone who lives abroad.

A sheikh can only give rulings for a society/country where he has a deep understanding of the culture. If he is based in South Africa or Oman, then he can make rulings for those countries, but not here.

Sumaiya — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 - 13:36

But i dont understand, ive heard this from other people as well because they say it makes you believe and make you fear things that arnt real.

Seraphim — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 - 13:41

[quote=Sumaiya]But i dont understand, ive heard this from other people as well because they say it makes you believe and make you fear things that arnt real.[/quote]

After reading horror books etc did you start believing in vampires, zombies etc? Or did you realise this was a ficitional book written for the purposes of entertaining alone?

Ya'qub — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 - 13:43

[quote=Sumaiya]But i dont understand, ive heard this from other people as well because they say it makes you believe and make you fear things that arnt real.[/quote]

If reading a book about ghosts makes you believe in ghosts, then whatever you do, DON'T read the Bible/ Hindu Scriptures.

I don't think there's anything wrong with fiction, it can make you learn about yourself and ither people. It can make you in touch with your emotions or it can make you understand a deep political point.

If you're addicted to books and read all day, and then miss your prayer, then that would be different.

Sumaiya — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 - 13:50

I think that youd find, judging by my forum topics, that i wouldnt skip my prayers. But wouldnt this be like music though, it can makes you react in a certain way...

Seraphim — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 - 14:01

[quote=Sumaiya]I think that youd find, judging by my forum topics, that i wouldnt skip my prayers. But wouldnt this be like music though, it can makes you react in a certain way... [/quote]

If you feel you cant distinguish fiction from reality, then by all means stop reading books.

Ya'qub — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 - 14:02

I wasn't suggesting that you missed your prayers, I meant IF you did, then....etc.

There are some people who it seems take pleasure in making sure other people can't enjoy themselves.

If someone stops listening to music, reading books, celebrating birthdays etc etc etc... and does it ALL for the sake of Allah (swt)...the congratulations to them, may Allah (swt) reward them with good.

But saying something is 'haram' when its not...that is a grave sin in itself.

My understanding of Islam, the reason I chose to become Muslim in the first place, was because Islam was such a pure, simple way of life.

We should not be scared to commit small sins, but we should always be aware that it is Allah (swt) alone Who forgives every sin. There is a hadith that says that if we all stopped committing sins altogether, then Allah (swt) would destroy us and replace us with a race of people who DID commit sins. Why would He do this? So that He could FORGIVE them.

Allah's (swt) Mercy/Rahmah, is His greatest of attributes. If we want a taste of that Rahmah, then we have to commit sins from time to time.

There is a hadith where a man asked the Prophet ﷺ what he should do, because following all the rulings of Islam was too difficult for him. The prophet ﷺ replied that he should avoid the big sins.

Sumaiya — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 - 14:04

[quote=Seraphim][quote=Sumaiya]I think that youd find, judging by my forum topics, that i wouldnt skip my prayers. But wouldnt this be like music though, it can makes you react in a certain way... [/quote]

If you feel you cant distinguish fiction from reality, then by all means stop reading books.[/quote]

Youre not supposed to say that! youre supposed to find a logical reason why i should read scary book! :evil:

Omrow — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 - 16:25

Salam

[quote=Sumaiya]
Books...HARAAAAAAAAAM!
[/quote]

Yes, but only porn. Pictures or no pictures.

Omrow

Courage — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 - 17:00

[quote=Sumaiya]I think that youd find, judging by my forum topics, that i wouldnt skip my prayers. But wouldnt this be like music though, it can makes you react in a certain way... [/quote]

So what if you read a fictional book about the plight of people in say Palestine?
Is that haram? One of the things I learnt was that some scholars don't know what they're chatting about and some are over zealous, so question everything. 😉

Sumaiya — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 - 17:05

yeah but we cant be sure and in one of my hadith lessons hey said that if you doubt something then leave it because you will be sinfulfor doing it anyways

Courage — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 - 17:15

That's if it is a proper grey area, not something which there is very little proof of being haram.
Shaytan will put many doubts in your mind, so don't jump the gun, mate.

Ya'qub — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 - 17:33

[quote=Sumaiya]yeah but what about the hadith 'leave that which you doubt for that which you do not doubt'?[/quote]

That means that things there are doubt about.

There is NO DOUBT that books are halal!

Sumaiya — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 - 18:00

Good point...

but is there anything that says ' you shouldnt freak yourself out by reading creepy books'?

Ya'qub — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 - 18:06

I'm sure things like ghost stories/horror stories existed at the time of the Prophet (saw). I am not aware of any ahadith that forbid them. If there are...then that would change everything.

I personally wouldn't follow a scholar who says fictional books are haram ONLY because they 'might make you believe in vampires'. That is just silly.

To be honest, I haven't given this a moment's thought in my whole life... I think there are FAR more important things to worry about. SO MANY things that we have to struggle through with in life, that worrying about whether Goosebumps or Point Horror are halal or not is a complete waste of time.

Courage — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 - 18:10

That doesn't make it true, you here Islam=terrorism so many times by the media, it doesn't mean it's true. Look, Sumeya, you're building a reputation for being a "Haram Police" I don't want that and I don't think you do either.

Sumaiya — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 - 18:35

[quote=Courage]That doesn't make it true, you here Islam=terrorism so many times by the media, it doesn't mean it's true. Look, Sumeya, you're building a reputation for being a "Haram Police" I don't want that and I don't think you do either.[/quote]

thanks, but the names sumaiya

Sajid Iqbal — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 - 20:44

[quote=Sumaiya]
14[/quote]

should a 14 year old be debating on issues such as haram, kufr, shirk, bidah?

no.

rather ask, read, learn, question, speak to learnerd ppl etc...not assume you master the subject and accuse ppl of the above.

1R4M — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 - 21:11

You must have a really boring life is u think EVERYTHING is hram!
omg!
chill!
eat a cookie!
read a book!
listen to a cheesy pop song n dance in ur room n relieve urself of the tension woman!

or is that haraaaaammmmm?!?!?!?!

Sumaiya — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 - 21:15

actually all pop songs are haram (this is my opinion so dont take this as an invitation to have a go at me) let alone cheesy ones

Seraphim — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 - 21:23

Why is everyone having a go at Sumaiya?

Let the poor girl ask what she wants. Im sure she has loads of unsupervised-crazy-fun. Shes just got an inquisitive mind. That aint a crime, let the poor girl speak.

This means you Ed... shame on you. Bad, bad Ed... go to your room lol.

Sumaiya — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 - 21:57

[quote=Seraphim]Why is everyone having a go at Sumaiya?

Let the poor girl ask what she wants. Im sure she has loads of unsupervised-crazy-fun. Shes just got an inquisitive mind. That aint a crime, let the poor girl speak.

This means you Ed... shame on you. Bad, bad Ed... go to your room lol.[/quote]

youre too kind

1R4M — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 - 13:35

[quote=Sumaiya]actually all pop songs are haram (this is my opinion so dont take this as an invitation to have a go at me) let alone cheesy ones[/quote]

I was being sarcastic

xSmurfy786x — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 - 14:40

[quote=Sumaiya][quote=Seraphim]Why is everyone having a go at Sumaiya?

Let the poor girl ask what she wants. Im sure she has loads of unsupervised-crazy-fun. Shes just got an inquisitive mind. That aint a crime, let the poor girl speak.

This means you Ed... shame on you. Bad, bad Ed... go to your room lol.[/quote]

youre too kind[/quote]

LMAO!!!