Q: Is it permissible for a Muslim man of letters to produce literature that brings about pessimism? What if it is not done on purpose?

A: As far as this point is concerned, there is quite a difference between two types of pessimism. One type of pessimistic literature depicts reality focusing on its complicated problems, suggesting the impossibility of finding any solution through the present elements even at the level of Godly prompt interference. This type of literature concurs with the intellectual deviation that questions the omnipotence of God.

The following Quranic verse on Jacob’s speech to his children about Yusuf’s absence exemplifies the above mentioned notion: {O my sons! Go and inquire respecting Yusuf and his brother, and despair not of Allah’s mercy; surely non despairs of Allah’s mercy except the unbelieving people} 12:87.

This verse associates despairing of God’s mercy, which means ruling out any solution through God’s interference, with disbelieving in God, through denying His omnipotence.

In this respect, the Muslim man of Letters must be aware of the Islamic concepts pertaining to God, universe, life and God’s omnipotence, so that he would employ them whether in stories, images, prose or poetry, whose events serve the ultimate aim of strengthening faith. .

On the other hand, there is another type of pessimistic literature which reveals the complexity and impossibility of the plot within the limits of the objective circumstances related to God’s laws in universe, man, and history, where the artistic movement in a story or a poem is based on the plot of the objective reality. A clear indication to this is the text about how God (S.W.T) tried man with somewhat of fear, hunger and loss of property, lives and fruits. This is permissible because it concurs with the lively reality, represented by fatalism and causation in virtue, {Allah indeed has appointed a measure for everything} 65:53 {Corruption has appeared in the land and the sea on account of what the hands of men have wrought, that He may make them taste a part of that which they have done, so that they may return} 30:41 {And Allah sets forth a parable: (Consider) a town safe and secure to which it means of subsistence come in abundance from every quarter: but it became ungrateful for Allah’s favors, therefore, Allah made it to test the utmost degree of huger and fear because of what they wrought} 16:112.

These verses and others show the negative impact of developments on man’s virtual movement through the nature of causes that are related to his will and choice or to the existential objective reality.

But the Muslim man of letters must emphasize whether in poetry or prose, the bright side of the picture through depicting God’s command of the existence, and His care and Mercy for man.  God gives him solutions in critical times and he would be sustained from sources he never expected, and guarded in unguarded situations. If he relies on God, he would be saved from calamities, and his invocations for sustenance would be answered, and eased after difficulty. Thus, this image expands to emphasize optimism and to reject pessimism, knowing that prophet Muhammad (p.) was optimistic, not pessimistic.

Within its particular and general horizons, reality may be dark sometimes, but the role  of the Muslim man of letters is to denote the reality’s illuminated spots, which can be compared to the spots of light spread in the sky (planets), suggesting amidst deep darkness- the light that the universe awaits by sunrise.

The Islamic equation asserts the belief that lively hope which is open on God (S.W.T), must not abandon the believers hearts. The blocked horizons before him should be considered only a limited and temporary stage which is likely to open by God’s will in the future. This is what makes the artistic literary experience a suggestive element leading to God through the coordinates of a story, an idea, or a poem; consequently, the man of letters will be inviting to Allah (S.W.T) in a distinctive literary style.

Q: Is it lawful for a Muslim novelist or narrator to conclude his realistic novels with tragic endings, such as suicide?

A: This is lawful if it depicts reality, but this must be accompanied with a suggested indication to the negative circumstances which have led to such endings, and to the lack of faith on the part of the one who commits suicide. The novelist or the narrator should also suggest a rejection to such an attitude in confronting emotional, materialistic or psychological shocks. This can be done through inciting self-power to rebel against shortcomings in reality, so that the novel becomes an artistic image that depicts the natural reality and artistically suggests the importance of overcoming such obstacles. The novel should not turn to be a call for suicide by evoking the emotional aspect which renders those who commit suicide as martyr men worth of respect.

In short, the man of letters must not fall before tragedy, but he has to show its causes and denote its negative consequences in order to open the conscience to the positive means, by which obstacles can be overcome.

Q: Is it permissible for a narrator to portray sexual scenes? What are the legal limitations of such a topic?

A: Depicting such scenes or describing their sensual details isn’t permissible if it is based on the elements of excitement that lead to moral corruption, especially if this is expressed through a candid style which doesn’t comprise any benefit or any suggestive idea in the line of the positive orientation.

But it’s permissible if a guided story needs some signs or suggestions that are necessary for the completion of a specific event, as in the story of Yusuf (p.) when the ruler’s wife tried to tempt him but he held back, or when the women of the city tried to lure him, but he appealed to God (S.W.T) for help. Such scenes highlight the Islamic value by depicting the faithful will to rebel against temptation amidst the passion of lust and the domination of instinct. This requires a realistic depiction of a sexual scene or sexual incident, which serves values and doesn’t oppose them. In short, a man of letters must exploit all his artistic and creative imagery in order to rid the style of the elements of excitement and make it closer to moral awareness.

Q: It’s reported that reciting poetry in the month of Ramadan is dislikable. How do you assess such reports?

A: Perhaps, such reports relate to the musical element of poetry, which may not conform to the spirituality of the one who fasts or to the general atmosphere in the month of Ramadan, in which openness to the spiritual content of the word is preferable without any other influence that may affect the utterance of the word. For instance: “Hammad” quoted from Imam Jaa’far al-Sadiq (a.s.) the following speech: “Reciting poetry is dislikable during fasting and during Ihram in Mecca and in the evening of Friday. Then Hammad asked the Imam whether this applies to the righteous poetry, the Imam answered that it does”.

Q: It is lawful to manipulate a realistic narrative by adding or eliminating a part to create an atmosphere of suspense and diversity? Or is it a must to preserve the authenticity of the narrative?

A: It is lawful if there is evidence that the narrative maintains its suggestive content that is related to reality through its movement in conscience, and not through the subjectivity of its private details. Perhaps many Quranic parables approach the mentioned conditions. Thus, the same parable is repeated but in different styles for the sake of the suggestive imagery in the intellectual, ideological, and moral guidance.

Q: What is the legal stand towards the poems that are meant to praise and magnify the fair ruler? The unfair ruler?

A: Praise must not exceed what the one praised is worthy of, in accordance with his traits and his virtual deeds. This has been mentioned in the context of the believer’s traits when it said that a “believer’s satisfaction never leads him to offence or injustice”. Moreover, exaggerating the praise is associated with telling lies, and it may lead to negative consequences, where he loses people’s trust. This is not permissible if poetry suggests the words of glorification, but it’s permissible if the words suggest glorification only, and if the one praised is worthy of praise.

On the other hand, poems that are meant to praise the unfair ruler are illegal on the basis of their being false and that they support to him. This is mentioned in Hadith that “he who praises an unjust ruler or humiliate oneself to acquire his approval and to profiteer will inevitably accompany the ruler to Hell.”

Q: What are the legal limitations concerning the poems of dispraise, satire, scolding and insinuation?

A: defaming a believer by enumerating his defects, by insulting, scolding or insinuating him is not permissible because it offends his dignity and results in slander, defamation, insult and disgrace, which are forbidden by both Quran and Sunnah. Moreover, the Holy Quran utters the illegality of slander and defamation in several verses like, {Woe to every slanderer, defamer} 104:01.

On the other hand, if satire and dispraise conform to the reality of the dispraised or satirized person, this will be considered backbiting, disgrace, insult, slander and humiliation, which are also illegal. But if the information set forth disagrees with reality, this will be regarded as falsification, calumny, insult, and oppression, which too are illegal. But it is permissible to satire those who deserve satire, such as oppressors, heretics and deviants in order to fight such patterns and prevent them from influencing in a negative way through their deviant course of action. On the other hand, it is not lawful to defame those who don’t deserve such description even if they disagree with religion or ideology or they show comity towards us personally, because this is considered oppression, as represented in God’s say, {And let not hatred of a people incite you not to act equitably; act equitably, that is nearer to piety} 05:08. Also Hadith maintains a similar concept in describing the believer, “A believer’s resentment never deters him from uttering the right... ”. The prayers of Imam Ali Bin El Hussein (Zein Al-Abedien) (a.s.) include similar evidence: “O’ God, grant me guard against errors and shield against sin whether in time of satisfaction or wrath so that I maintain your obedience and prefer your satisfaction to that of supporters and opponents when I am tested, so that my enemy will feel secure from my injustice, and my supporter will despair of observing inclination and the means of my caprice”.

Q: Is it permissible to court a pretty woman, known to the listeners through a poem? What if she is not known? What if her name is not mentioned?

A: Whether in poetry or prose, courting a pretty woman is permissible, in principle, even if she is known to the listeners unless the mentioned act leads to disgracing the sanctity of the faithful woman, as in some conservative societies, where courting a woman is associated with shame, disgrace and malediction. Then, this will be legally unlawful because the act disgraces the purity of the believer.

In the light of this, courting a pretty woman whose name is not mentioned and whose identity is not revealed in the poem is permissible. Also, if the poet doesn’t specify the woman in question, and if the society doesn’t consider courting a source of disgrace, shame and insult, courting will be lawful.

It’s worth mentioning that in some societies courting is highly appreciated as a means to encourage men to marry a woman...

But, it should be asserted that legalizing courting a pretty woman excludes any implication to any desired indecent relation with the specified woman.

Q: Is it lawful to praise wine in poetry? Is it considered a means to encourage others to do what God has forbidden?

A: This is lawful in itself, especially if it comprises a symbolic representation of some “ascetic” notions. But, if it leads to encouraging others to desire wine, it will be unlawful since it praises the wrong. Anyway, Islam doesn’t embrace symbolic representation. Because when God disallows something due to its potential disadvantages, He aims at discouraging it by all means, which makes the mention of wine in poetry or prose as a lovely thing a forbidden act.

Thus, the faithful man of letters should pay a special attention to such a matter, so that he keeps wine away form his poetry and prose whether symbolically or explicitly, simply because the believer’s style of expression must harmonize with the line of his beliefs.

Q: In love poetry, in particular, there are some descriptive terms that promote the lover to the level of the worshipped. What is your comment on this type of description?

A: At the expressive level, this is impermissible because God (S.W.T) wants man to believe in the oneness of God regarding both the intellectual content and the expressive style, where expression, doesn’t contradict the concept of monotheism, even if it doesn’t mean associating anything with God. In his exegesis of the verse {And most of them do not believe in Allah without associating others (with Him)}. Imam Jaa’far al -Sadiq (a.s.) says: This means when a man says, “I would have been perished and my family would have been lost and so - and – so if this or that person hadn’t been there, he associates with God a partner who provides him with the means of subsistence and protects him from danger. Instead, he must say, “I would have perished if God hadn’t sent someone to my help”. Also, Zara quoted Imam Jaa’far (a.s.) as saying, “I asked Imam Muhammad el Baqir (A.S.) about the meaning of the Quranic verse, {And most of them do not believe in Allah without associating others with Him}, and he told me that it takes place when a man says: (for example) “I swear by your life.”

Here we inspire that expressions that suggest polytheism are rejected in Quran, even if they are not meant to be. Thus, directing worship toward anything other than God by exaggeration doesn’t harmonize with the purity of monotheism in Islam. Maybe, this is based on the fact that people are accustomed to expressions open to the pagan mentality. So, in their cultural background they may be influenced by such expressions due to the expressive familiarity, where they unconsciously adopt the pagan way. Therefore the Muslim poet and man of letters must abandon this style.

Q: Is fiction a kind of lying? What about the didactic and the preaching fiction?

A: Yes it is, because lying is giving information that doesn’t conform to reality. This doesn’t apply to  the fiction  that aims to depict an idea and deepen it to reform a situation by suggesting some of the disgusting active sides or to preach religiously and morally to approach people to God and to the spiritual, moral and social Islamic values.

Q: People are accustomed to listening to a man courting a woman. Are women equal to men in this respect? It is normal for a woman to court a man in a poetic celebration?

A: The common styles of courting in Arabic literature, which extend to reach intimate relations, may make courting a means to an indecent relationship, which is unlawful due to special secondary considerations, if not due to primary considerations, under the title of obscenity. On the other hand, if courting through pretty words abandons these illegal terms, it is not bad.

In principle, a woman courting a man is as legal as a man courting a woman, if no contingent illegality is brought about by the surroundings. Maybe, a woman’s recital of love poetry is somehow exciting before an audience of males or mixed sexes in the eastern society, which may turn unlawful in some cases.

Q: Is it permissible to take part in literary contests organized by the enemies of Islam?

A: ­ This is permissible if it doesn’t contradict the Islamic plan that necessitates boycotting some enemies and giving up social, literary, political and economic moralization with them, as in the case of Zionists, who are the most antagonistic in their enmity to the believers. Participation in such contests should not also violate the moral values and the Islamic ideology. In the light of this, it’s impermissible to take part in any literary contest organized by Israeli cultural party because dealing with Israel is legally unlawful.

Q: In Surah As-Saff (the Ranks), God says: {It is most hateful to Allah that you should say that which you do not do} 03:61. And in Surah Ash-Shuara (The poets), {And that they say that which they do not} 26:226. Does this mean that some poets are hateful? If So, Who among poets are hateful?

A: What is rejected in the mentioned verses is poetry that expresses neither reality nor faith, but it moves in the line of false claims and expresses the separation between saying and doing, which leads to encouraging falsification in life. Also, in the Poets Suarh, God excluded some poets from the verse: { And as to the poets, those who go a stray follow them. Do you not see that they wander about bewildered in every valley? And that they say that which they do not do.} 26:224 He excluded poets that are purposeful and message –followers, who commit themselves, to honesty, right and justice, {Except those who believe and do good and remember Allah much, and defend themselves after they are oppressed}26:227. This means that Islam rejects neither poets nor poetry, but it rejects those who are perverted.

Q: Has Islam defined specific qualities for Islamic literature whether in poetry or prose? What are they?

A: Terminologically speaking, Islam hasn’t introduced any specific qualities for Islamic literature, but the Islamic literature must represent the characters of the Islamic intellect, the Islamic values, the Islamic concepts, and the Islamic styles in man’s movement in life, which inspire the Islamic man of letters and rid him of duality between his art and his identity, not to be a Muslim in his life of worshipping and a non-Muslim in his art and literature.