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Is Reading Romantic Novels Haram?

05 March, 2024
Q What is the ruling on reading romantic novels that include descriptions of love scenes?

Answer

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.

All praise and thanks are due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger.


In this fatwa:

If romantic novels or poems call for social reform, express noble feelings and call for love among people and the like, it is then permissible to read such novels. It is not permissible to read romantic novels if they incite the reader to immorality or contain anything that contradicts the Islamic creed.


Answering your question, Dar Al-Ifta Al-Misriyyah, states:

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Love is an innate involuntary feeling for which no one can be blamed. It is one of the most sublime feelings that all beings share.

A Muslim is free to read whatever genres of books s/he likes; however, they must avoid anything that arouses unlawful sexual desire.

In Islam, prose and poetry are considered an expression of feelings and emotions that reflect tenderness and sensitivity. Islam does not suppress feelings and emotions. Prose and poetry can be, in many cases, an influential means toward psychological and social reform. It is worthy to mention that the means takes the same rulings as their objectives.

Therefore, if the content of these novels or poems are composed with the purpose of social reform, they express noble feelings and call for love among people and the like, it is then permissible. However, it is prohibited if it incites the reader to immorality or contains anything that contradicts the Islamic creed.

Almighty Allah knows best.

Source: Dar al-Ifta al-Misriyyah