Ruling on earning money by publishing poetry
Question

                Is it permissible to puclish a fictional poem in order to earn money.
Praise be to Allah.
      Firstly: 

    The ruling on poetry is the same as the ruling on speech or 
    words, of which it is a part. The well known, general principle is that 
    which is narrated in Mursal ‘Urwah ibn al-Zubayr: “Poetry is like 
    speech: what is good is good, and what is bad is bad.” 

    If the poetry involves words of love to a specific woman who 
    is not permissible for the poet, or encourages sin, then it is haraam 
    poetry. 

    But if it includes remembrance of Allah, blessings upon the 
    Messenger of Allah, encouraging good qualities and good conduct, then it is 
    poetry that is mustahabb and recommended. 

    If it includes material that is neither makrooh nor 
    mustahabb, rather it includes permissible matters, then it is permissible 
    poetry, and this is the basic, original ruling concerning it, that it is 
    permissible. 

    Ibn Qudaamah (may Allah have mercy on him) said: 

    There is no difference of opinion concerning the 
    permissibility of poetry. This was stated by the Sahaabah and the scholars. 
    End quote. 

    Al-Mughni (10/176).  

    For more quotations from the scholars on the ruling on 
    poetry, please see al-Mawsoo‘ah al-Fiqhiyyah, 26/113-117 

    Secondly: 

    Based on the above, it is possible to learn the ruling on 
    earning money by writing poetry. If an action is basically permissible, it 
    is basically permissible to earn money from it, and the ruling does not 
    change to it being haraam or makrooh except for a reason. 

    The fuqaha’ (may Allah have mercy on them) stated that the 
    ruling on earning money through poetry is subject to further discussion: 

    1.If the poet is earning money 
    from his poetry because the people are scared that he will lampoon them or 
    slander their honour, and they only give him money so as to ward off his 
    evil and make him hold his tongue, this wealth is undoubtedly ill-gotten and 
    is haraam.

    2.If the poetry is permissible or 
    mustahabb, and the poet acquires some money because of his poetry, there is 
    nothing wrong with this at all.

    It says in Radd al-Muhtaar (5/272), which is a Hanafi 
    book: 

    Ill-gotten wealth includes that which a poet receives for his 
    poetry -- because he is usually only given money to make him hold his 
    tongue. 

    But if he is a person from whose evil people are safe, then 
    it seems that what he is given is halaal, based on the fact that the Prophet 
    (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) gave his cloak to Ka‘b when he 
    praised him in his famous qaseedah (ode). End quote. 

    Shaykh ‘Abd al-‘Azeez ibn Baaz (may Allah have mercy on him) 
    was asked the following question: 

    Is it permissible to earn money through poetry? 

    He replied: 

    If the poetry is permissible and good, and is in the 
    interests of the Muslims, and the author sells it and earns from it, such as 
    poetry about Islamic etiquette, poetry about rulings or poetry about 
    permissible matters, and then he sells them (his poems), there is nothing 
    wrong with it, as in the case of books which are written by people and sold. 
    End quote. 

    Quoted from the Shaykh’s website:


    http://www.binbaz.org.sa/mat/20638

    And Allah knows best.