I am really hoping you can help me out.
Currently I am a uni student graduating next year and I suffer from generalized anxiety disorder.
Everytime I try to figure out what career to go into I can never decide or make up my mind because I am worried I won’t choose the right choice.
I pray Istikhara all the time but my anxiety makes my brain feel foggy and my emotions skewed.
That being said, I was considering getting a masters and phd in english because I love stories but I saw online that it is “haram” to write fantasy, sci-fi, etc stories because you write about things that don’t exist. Is it really haram if you don’t add concepts like haram relationships etc.
My genre is usually adventurous, time travel, fictional lands, or just psychological thrillers. It will either be to entertain or to help people through morals/adventures. Even if I do teach English and there is haram in the book, I won’t be focusing on that small scene but the larger picture.
I have been feeling anxious about this because literature and writing fiction has always helped with my anxiety but I do not want to be doing something haram or getting haram money.
Please help me! Thank you for the response.
Answer
Salam Alaikom Wa Rahmatullah Wa Barakatuhu Dear Sister,
I am sorry about your mental health struggle with GAD, may Allah ease your case! Generalized Anxiety Disorder indeed is a mental health disorder, with physical and psychological symptoms of constant anxiety, worries and nervousness that inhibit everyday functioning, therefore necessitates both pharmaco- and psychotherapy.
Seek Treatment for GAD
So my first question is: Do you receive any treatment regarding this condition? Either medication or therapeutic intervention, like for example cognitive behavior therapy?
In case you are not under treatment yet, I strongly encourage you to seek professional help, because proper medication and therapy would reduce your symptoms, therefore would improve your quality of life.
You mention that every time you pray Istikhara, your “anxiety makes your brain feel foggy and your emotions skewed.” My dear sister, in your condition this is completely normal, that is why therapy and medication would be very important.
While we can’t control our thoughts, we can learn to respond to them in a more neutral way, minimizing the appearance of negative emotions around them. A therapist could help you to trace back the core beliefs behind your anxiety, and assist you to modify them into healthier beliefs about yourself.
Writing, as a Therapy
You mention that writing helps you to relieve stress and anxiety. That is great, and actually writing is very much recommended for therapeutic purposes. This could be either a journal, poetry, or just letting your feelings out through words and stories.
Writing can reduce stress and anxiety. When you are feeling overwhelmed because of your thoughts, writing them down would lead to clarification and relief. Also, being able to “write out” your negative experiences, and identifying the roots of your anxiety would help to overcome them.
I encourage you to continue this habit. You can establish a practice of reading back your lines later, and analyze whether there are any patterns around your worries and fears. Recognizing the core elements of your negative emotions and the thoughts behind them would help you in the healing process.
Writing about Muslims, (not only) for Muslims
If you want to make sure about the exact boundaries of science fiction literature from an Islamic perspective, please don’t hesitate to write to our section Ask the Scholar. What I can say from a counseling point of view, that as long as your whole focus, your stories, the plot, the context, etc. is not against the Islamic principles and theology, there is nothing wrong with writing.
Actually, writing and publishing books for Muslim audience is a growing and much required field, as we Muslims are in need of both fiction and non-fiction books about Muslim characters and stories with Islamic morals, to be able to give a halal alternative for our Ummah.
There is a wide spectrum where you can find your own Muslim identity and voice using your talent: childrenꞌs books, teen-novels for Muslim youth, Islamic educational stories, etc. You can use your vivid imagination and fantasy, especially when it is about fiction; just make sure that you do not cross the limits of Islamic stance on magic, supernatural forces, shirk, etc.
Check the site of Sr. Naima B. Robert here, for inspiration and Islamic storytelling guidelines.
Halal Earnings
I can see in your letter that your intention is to keep yourself away from haram career path and money. Mashallah, just keep staying on this path!
You will see if your intentions are clear, Allah will guide you to the right opportunities. I can recommend you to expand your knowledge on Islam, to make sure where are the limits of fantasy, magic, and sci-fi in arts and literature.
Also, there are plenty of opportunities of staying away from haram, even in this context: you can consider self – publishing or Muslim publishers instead of others.
Learn to Trust in Allah
I wish you ease and success sister, may Allah guide you towards your goals! I am closing my response with a quote from the Quran; as my last but most important advice is: trust in Allah that He will guide you, as long as you turn to him for guidance:
“When My servants ask you ˹O Prophet˺ about Me: I am truly near. I respond to one’s prayer when they call upon Me. So let them respond ˹with obedience˺ to Me and believe in Me, perhaps they will be guided ˹to the Right Way˺.” (Quran 2:186)
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