The Issue of Fiction:
In the Name of Allah, Master Fard Muhammad, to Whom Praise is due forever for raising our Divine Messenger, the Honorable Elijah Muhammad...
As-salaam alaikum,
If asked to name a dominant recurring theme in our religion, I would probably choose "Truth and Falsehood." This dichotomy is spoken of consistently throughout books, articles, and speeches by the Honorable Elijah Muhammad. We should keep this in mind when choosing materials to improve our children's language skills. The stories we tell serve to root children in our culture. They indoctrinate our children with specific values and behaviors. Storytelling presents an opportunity to favor truth over falsehood. Fiction stories are, by definition, rooted in falsehood. Allah came in Person to teach us the reality of Allah (God) and the seriousness of our condition. We must be earnest in learning to live as Muslims. We must teach our children to be equally focused on internalizing Islam. We do not have the luxury of allowing our children to exist in a fantasy world. Our orders are to avoid "that devil's bedtime story" and read ENGLISH LESSON NO. C1. These instructions offer a clear guidance about what is appropriate and best for our children. |
Another aspect to ponder is: what morals do we expose our children to when we present most fiction stories? Lies, deceit, sneakiness, betrayal, magic, cruelty, and fornication (kissing). Most fiction (especially fairy tales) introduces the European mindset that one can be sinful and expect a happy ending. Symbolism runs rampant throughout children's fiction genres. The symbols and themes usually revolve around sex (fornication, rape, bestiality, and pedophilia) and violence. African-centered lecturers have covered this topic in-depth, so there is no need for me to delve too far into it. We know they are the devil. Therefore we know anything they produce will be devilish.
Some Muslims have attempted to salvage European fairy tales by introducing hijab, fasting, prayer, Quran recitation, and even changing the gender of the seven dwarfs. Still, we must question what benefits our children gain by reading such silly stories. ROMANtic fairy tales poison girls into believing their goal in life is to be saved by "Prince Charming" and live happily ever after. This ignorance breeds shallowness and fosters an unrealistic expectation of the role of a husband and the purpose of marriage. Our goal as Muslims is to please Allah. Completing one's faith is the intent behind a righteous marriage and any other sound decisions we make. That nuance is critical. It would be better to produce a book teaching the duties and responsibilities of a wife or considerations for selecting a potential husband. |
As parents, we must accept responsibility for the truth that our children only know what we teach them. A child cannot miss anything they have not been exposed to. A child who only wants to eat chips and soda-pop must have been introduced to the consumption of chips and soda-pop. Children reared in a How to Eat to Live compliant household are happy with milk and fruit because it's what they know. The same goes for literature. If we begin choosing books filled with truth and substance, our children will become attracted to those qualities. Have you ever seen a child break an object and then make up a wild story about a monster who damaged the item and then magically disappeared? Where did they learn about monsters? How do they know about the ability to vanish? What made lying fair-seeming? We mold our children's brains.
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I do not hold a hardline stance that all fiction is horrible. I have personally written fiction books to fill what I used to perceive as a gap. I no longer waste my time writing fiction. Still, there are some very well-executed fiction books by Black or Muslim authors teaching solid moral values. Be that as it may, I have found that a true story is better than an imagined one in nearly every circumstance. True stories are naturally more relatable, inspiring, and relevant than the stories constructed in a stranger's (often corrupt) imagination.
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Some people may argue that reading and writing fiction promotes creativity and imagination. I say we can accomplish this with realism. If we intend to expose children to eloquence and symbolism, reality-based poetry is a simple solution. Poetry is a celebrated aspect of Islamic culture which the American educational system tends to gloss over. Children love poetry, especially when we make the connection between poetry and clean rap music. We can create fun, engaging lessons that analyze the themes of classic poems like Phenomenal Woman or Mother to Son through the lens of Islam. We can take it a step further and have children rewrite them in an Islamic voice.
If we aim to develop creative writing skills in children, we can easily do this within the context of non-fiction. Challenge them to use symbolism and describe real-life scenes as beautifully and intricately as they would an imaginary one. Vivid, accurate descriptions may have the added benefit of requiring the student to research geography, architecture, culture, and more. We soon see that fiction, although celebrated by the Christian world, is not essential to Muslims. |
When using parables, I would suggest including a thorough explanation and meaning. Parables can lead people astray if they misinterpret them. Even in this instance, we can include true, relevant stories to enhance learning. Our lives fulfill the parables. We should commit ourselves to develop our children's bent towards reality from the cradle through childhood. Let's encourage them to learn the lessons of life through biographies. Unlike fairy tales, decent biographies show how to succeed and overcome the odds. The dramatic history of the Golden Age of Islam can easily replace European mythology. Asiatic sultans and emirs replace the philandering princes of children's fiction. European history can replace the entire horror genre. If we fill our libraries with superior non-fiction learning materials, we reduce the space for others - without our children feeling deprived. And Allah knows best. |
May Allah Bless you and your family.
As-salaam alaikum,
Sister Sanaa
As-salaam alaikum,
Sister Sanaa
"Lying cannot be avoided if one is to write in an attractive and compelling manner about things that do not exist.."
- islamqa.info
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