The Method & Manners of Storytelling

Sacred Stories vs. Soulless Screens
Chapter 3: The Method & Manners of Storytelling — A classical Islamic framework for truthful, purposeful, and transformative religious narration.
Chapter 3
Sacred Stories Series
The Foundation
The Urgent Need for a Truthful Storyteller
"How desperately people need a truthful storyteller."
— Imām Aḥmad (d. 241 AH)
"In the earliest generations, the public storyteller once possessed a stature of great learning and righteous action."
— Al-Dhahabī (d. 748 AH)
The Role of the Qāṣṣ
The role of the qāṣṣ (preacher or exhorter) is not merely to narrate wondrous tales, but to do so with sincerity and veracity. Great care must be taken to ensure that storytelling remains firmly aligned with the principles of Islam, enabling it to fulfill its transformative role as a means of education and moral guidance.
Ibn al-Jawzī clarified: storytellers were only censured because most neglected beneficial knowledge, intermixed truth with falsehood, and relied upon implausible accounts. "But if the storytelling is truthful and brings about admonition, then it is praiseworthy."
The Prophetic Model
Gatherings of Remembrance
Ibn Rajab (d. 795 AH) described the gatherings of the Prophet ﷺ with his Companions as assemblies of remembrance of Allah — through Qur'ān recitation, wisdom, and goodly admonition — leading to softened hearts, detachment from the world, and desire for the Hereafter.
Admonitions as Whips
Ibn Rajab: "Admonitions are like whips with which hearts are struck… The stronger the blow, the longer the pain lasts."
Effect on the Salaf
Many righteous predecessors left gatherings of remembrance with tranquility and solemn dignity — some could not eat food immediately afterward.
Best Charity
"The best form of charity is to teach an ignorant person or awaken a heedless one." — Ibn Rajab
Purpose of Storytelling
Why We Spread Sacred Stories
Imām al-Saʿdī (d. 1376 AH) enumerates the profound benefits of mentioning the traits of the righteous and the wicked in storytelling and admonition:
1
Reveal Divine Pleasure & Displeasure
Traits of the virtuous reflect Allah's love; traits of the wicked reflect His disapproval — both are made manifest through narrative.
2
Expedited Reward & Punishment
Allah grants good repute to His allies and debases His enemies through their descriptions — a hastened consequence in this world.
3
Inspire Emulation
Stories of the righteous motivate souls to emulate their virtue and strive to match them in noble deeds.
4
Deter from Evil
Recounting the fate of the wicked instills loathing of sin and warns against the lasting stains left upon those who commit it.
5
Cultivate Self-Humility
Seeing the deeds of the righteous while recognizing one's own shortcomings leads to contempt for the self — the very essence of rectification.
The Power of Remembrance
"At the Mention of the Righteous, Mercy Descends"
"I have seen nothing more beneficial for the heart than the remembrance of the righteous."
— Muḥammad ibn Yūnus
"There are people who are dead, yet hearts come to life by remembering them — and people who are alive, yet hearts grow hard merely by looking at them."
— Bishr ibn al-Ḥārith
"Whoever desires to embark on this journey must keep company with the dead… for through their companionship, he will reach his intended destination."
— Ibn al-Qayyim (d. 751 AH)
Ibn Taymiyyah explained that hearts are stirred toward love of goodness, desire for it, joy in it, and spiritual delight through the remembrance of the Prophets and the righteous — hence the saying: "When the righteous are mentioned, mercy descends."
A Warning from History
Empty Storytelling Ruined the Israelites
The Prophet ﷺ said: "Indeed, when the Children of Israel were destroyed, they indulged in storytelling (qaṣṣū)."
What Went Wrong
Ibn al-Jawzī: "The blame placed upon these individuals was because they abandoned the Book of Allah and occupied themselves with storytelling instead."
Ibn al-Athīr: "They relied on mere words and abandoned action, which was the cause of their destruction."
Al-Albānī's Warning
Their destruction stemmed from preachers focusing on tales and anecdotes rather than jurisprudence and beneficial knowledge. "This is similar to many preachers of our time, whose speeches primarily revolve around Isrāʾīliyyāt, emotional stories, and mysticism. May Allah protect us."
Abū Qilābah said: "Nothing has caused knowledge to perish more than the storytellers. A man may sit with a storyteller for an entire year and not gain a single thing from him, whereas he may sit with a scholar and not rise without having grasped something of substance."
Historical Context
The Early Rise of Storytelling: A Brief History
Abū Bakr al-Ṭurṭūshī (d. 520 AH) records that storytelling was not practiced during the time of the Prophet ﷺ, nor during the times of Abū Bakr and ʿUmar, until the emergence of tribulations (fitnah), at which point it became widespread.
1
Era of the Prophet ﷺ
No public storytelling — gatherings were of Qur'ān, wisdom, and direct prophetic teaching.
2
Abū Bakr & ʿUmar
Storytelling still absent. ʿUmar expelled storytellers from the mosque, saying: "No storytelling in our mosque."
3
ʿAlī's Discernment
ʿAlī expelled storytellers but permitted al-Ḥasan al-Baṣrī, who taught knowledge of virtuous deeds and spiritual states.
4
Spread & Corruption
Storytelling spread widely, often mixing truth with falsehood, fabricating narrations, and neglecting sound knowledge.
Al-Shāṭibī distinguished between innovated storytelling and true gatherings of remembrance: those where a teacher clarifies the Qur'ān, teaches the Sunnah, and warns against misguided innovations — "These are the true gatherings of remembrance."
Seven Pitfalls
Seven Common Pitfalls to Avoid
Najm al-Dīn al-Ghazzī (d. 1061 AH) summarizes the main harms of storytelling as expressed by early scholars. Maymūn ibn Mihrān warned: "The preacher awaits the wrath of Allah, while the listener awaits His mercy" — revealing the serious spiritual danger of superficial or pretentious storytelling.
1. Distraction from Knowledge
Diverts from learning the Qur'ān, authentic ḥadīth, and deepening religious understanding.
2. Qur'ān & Sunnah Suffice
The Qur'ān and Sunnah contain exhortations that make anything beyond them unnecessary.
3. Inaccuracy
Storytellers often fail to maintain accuracy and do not guard against error in narration.
4. Corrupting Hearts
Surrounded only by commoners, a storyteller may insert elements that corrupt their hearts.
5. Isrāʾīliyyāt
Drawing from the People of the Book regarding the Prophets in ways unbefitting their status.
6. Fabrication
Seeking to win hearts by indulging in emotional tales, leading to fabrications attributed to the Prophet ﷺ.
7. Self-Admiration
Observing crowds flocking to them, storytellers begin to see themselves as superior — leading to their ruin.
Twenty Guidelines
Part 1 of 4
Twenty Essential Guidelines for the Storyteller
Scholars have established numerous principles governing storytelling and religious admonition. Presented here are twenty guidelines drawn primarily from Najm al-Dīn al-Ghazzī, supplemented by insights from other sources. Al-Ghazzī said: "Know that I have elaborated on this discussion due to the dire need for it."
1
Seek Permission from Relevant Authority
The preacher must have approval from the ruler or his deputy. The Prophet ﷺ said: "No one may narrate except an amīr, a maʾmūr (authorized person), or a self-conceited individual." ʿAbd al-Muḥsin al-ʿAbbād: not just anyone may preach — unauthorized preaching leads to chaos and corruption of beliefs.
2
Sincerity of Intention
The act of admonition must be grounded in pure intention, free from ostentation or desire for fame. Al-Ghazzī: "The sincerity of intention in the one who reminds is a cause of his felicity and that of those who take heed through him." Ibn al-Jawzī: whenever purified from these afflictions, preaching becomes praiseworthy.
3
Sound Knowledge of Sharīʿah
One must have a solid foundation in religious knowledge. ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib expelled a preacher who did not know the abrogating from the abrogated: "You have destroyed yourself and others." Ibn al-Jawzī: if the preacher is knowledgeable, he will distinguish between innovation and Sunnah.
4
Include Fiqh and Legal Guidance
Sessions must not lack fiqh and legal instruction. Ibn al-Jawzī criticized preachers who speak of Mūsā, Zuleikha, and Yūsuf yet "scarcely mention the obligations, nor forbid any sin." Truth is heavy, while falsehood is light — hence the popularity of empty speech.
5
Understand Human Nature
Strike a balance between fear and hope. Al-Ḥasan al-Baṣrī: "He who instills fear in you until you meet with safety is better than one who assures you that you are safe until you meet with dread." Al-Dhahabī: piety and asceticism are the preacher's essential provision.
Twenty Guidelines
Part 2 of 4
Guidelines 6–10: Accuracy, Audience & Authenticity
6. Adhere to Qurʾān and Sunnah
Stories must be grounded in revelation, not unreliable books of tales. ʿAbdullāh ibn Masʿūd erased a scroll of stories, saying: "These hearts are vessels, so fill them with the Qur'ān and do not occupy them with anything else." Imām al-Saʿdī warned against supplementing Qur'ānic stories with Isrāʾīliyyāt — doing so is "attempting to amend Allah's words."
7. Speak According to the Audience's Level
Avoid discussing matters beyond listeners' understanding. Al-ʿIrāqī: "Among their afflictions is that they relate to many of the common folk that which their minds cannot grasp, thus leading them into grievous errors in belief." Al-Shāṭibī: not every truth is meant to be publicized — one should nurture beginners with foundational knowledge before advanced matters.
8. Avoid False Reports
He must scrupulously avoid lying in prophetic narrations. The Prophet ﷺ warned: "Whoever fabricates a saying and falsely ascribes it to me — let him take his seat in the Fire." Imām Aḥmad: "The most deceitful of people are the storytellers and the beggars." Ibn Ḥibbān documented how storytellers boldly fabricated narrations even before prominent scholars.
9. Say "Or as He ﷺ Said" When Uncertain
If unsure of the exact wording of a report, he should say: "or as he ﷺ said." This was the practice of Anas ibn Mālik, Abū al-Dardāʾ, and Ibn Masʿūd — reflecting humility, precision, and preservation of the Prophet's words.
10. Do Not Rely on Unverified Books
Reports must not be taken from books without verification through qualified scholars. Al-ʿIrāqī: "Even if it so happens that he transmits a sound ḥadīth, he is still sinful for doing so, because he is transmitting what he does not know."
Twenty Guidelines
Part 3 of 4
Guidelines 11–15: Manner, Brevity & Integrity
1
Be Brief Yet Clear
ʿUmar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb warned: "One of you sits as a storyteller and speaks at such length that the people grow weary and detest what they were once inclined toward." ʿĀʾishah advised: "Be brief, for indeed the remembrance of Allah is weighty." Ibn Masʿūd: "Speak to the people as long as their hearts are inclined toward you. But if their hearts turn away, then do not continue."
2
Maintain Humility
ʿUmar warned al-Ḥārith: "I fear that when you begin storytelling, you will elevate yourself above them in your mind… until you seem above them like the stars in the sky. Consequently, Allah will proportionately bring you down beneath their feet on the Day of Judgment." The Prophet ﷺ warned against seeking the head positions in assemblies.
3
Avoid Pretense
No pretentiousness in dress, voice, or display of emotion. ʿĀʾishah cautioned: "Beware of rhymed prose (sajʿ). Do not compose it, for the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and his Companions did not engage in it." Abū Ḥafṣ al-Naysābūrī: "When you sit before the people, be an admonisher to your own heart — they observe your outward appearance, whereas Allah watches your inward reality."
4
Encourage Tranquility
The preacher must not incite the crowd to raise their voices or be emotionally unruly. Al-Ḥasan al-Baṣrī considered raising voices in supplication, extending hands in supplication, and disorderly storytelling gatherings all to be innovations. The goal is to instill awe, humility, and attentiveness — not commotion.
5
Renounce Material Gain
Religious counsel is not a commodity to be sold. Abū Zurʿah rejected a preacher who traveled city to city for his lamentation: "This is the behavior of those who eat off the religion, those seeking dirhams and dinars." It was said: "Whoever speaks about asceticism yet desires people's wealth — Allah removes the love of the Hereafter from his heart."
Twenty Guidelines
Part 4 of 4
Guidelines 16–20: Presence, Timing & Conclusion
1
16. Sit Facing the Qibla with Awe
Speak with sincerity and vigilance before Allah. The Prophet ﷺ: when he delivered a sermon, "his eyes would redden, his voice would rise, and his anger would intensify — as if he were a warner to an army." Sufyān al-Thawrī wept profusely upon hearing Ṣāliḥ al-Murrī, saying: "This is not a sinful one — this is a warner to his people."
2
17. Choose Thursday or Friday
Ibn Masʿūd exhorted only every Thursday: "I dislike causing you to grow weary. I engage you with reminders selectively, just as the Messenger of Allah ﷺ would engage us." ʿĀʾishah advised: "Tell stories once every Jumuʿah. If you must, twice. If you insist, three times — but do not bore the people."
3
18. Choose Early Morning or Late Afternoon
These times are free of worldly distractions and more conducive to reflection. Early morning allows repentance over what was missed the previous night; late afternoon provides reflection on the day's actions. Hearts are most receptive at these hours.
4
19. Attend in Purity and Humility
He should be in physical and spiritual purity — having repented sincerely, approaching with humility. Begin with praise of Allah, the shahādatayn, and ṣalāt upon the Prophet ﷺ. Dharr asked his father why people wept when he spoke. His father replied: "The hired mourner is not like the one who mourns her own dead."
Guideline 20 — Conclude with Fearfulness and Istighfār: Upon concluding, fear lest something was said for which one is accountable. Seek forgiveness and ask Allah to accept the gathering. Jundub al-Balkhī: "The likeness of the one who admonishes others while forgetting himself is like that of a lamp: it gives light to others while burning itself." Ibrāhīm al-Taymī: "By Allah, I have never compared my actions to my words except that I feared I was a liar."
The Definitions
The Qāṣṣ, the Wāʿiẓ, and the Mudhakkir
Najm al-Dīn al-Ghazzī clarifies the closely related roles of Islamic public speech:
The Wāʿiẓ
Holds the station of admonition — instilling fear that softens the heart.
The Mudhakkir
Serves as a reminder — informing people of Allah's blessings and the obligations they owe.
The Qāṣṣ
Shares accounts of those who came before. If done for admonition and remembrance — commendable. If for other purposes — blameworthy.
Al-Ghazzī: "Mentioning fabrications, myths, and forged ḥadīths is not storytelling at all — calling it lying and indulging in falsehood is more appropriate. Both narrating such material and listening to it are categorically ḥarām by scholarly consensus." Among the commendable forms is the storytelling of the Noble Qur'ān itself: {And all that We relate to you of the news of the messengers is that by which We make firm your heart.}
The Digital Age
The New Minbar: Unauthorized Preaching in the Digital Age
In the digital age, the prophetic and scholarly prohibition against unauthorized preaching has become more urgent than ever. Social media has transformed into the new minbar, where self-appointed speakers — often motivated by ego or popularity — bypass traditional vetting, spreading confusion and sometimes misguidance to vast audiences.
The classical rule that only those authorized by qualified leadership may publicly exhort ensures that teaching arises from sound knowledge, sincere intention, and communal trust. Without this safeguard, the fragmentation of religious authority and the rise of spectacle-driven daʿwah pose a threat to the spiritual clarity and cohesion of the Muslim community.
Al-ʿIrāqī's Conclusion
"It is incumbent upon the leaders of the Muslims to forbid such individuals from addressing the people until their qualification is verified by the firmly rooted scholars. That is part of the sincere advice owed to Allah, to His Messenger, and the leaders of the Muslims."
— Al-Ḥāfiẓ al-ʿIrāqī (d. 806 AH)
Conclusion
Reclaim the Sacred Stories
The journey through Sacred Stories versus Soulless Screens is a deliberate effort to reorient our vision toward that which is real, eternal, and divinely ordained. An urgent question looms: whose stories are we absorbing? And what are they doing to our hearts?
Transformative, Not Merely Instructive
The stories Allah revealed speak across generations, penetrate every soul, and respond to every crisis — guaranteed in truth, unmatched in eloquence, and pure in effect.
What Soulless Screens Cannot Do
Modern entertainment rewards the shallow, glamorizes disobedience, and drowns the soul in distraction. Qur'ānic stories summon us to tawḥīd, purpose, and salvation.
The Challenge Before Us
Not merely abstaining from the harmful, but embracing the most beneficial — immersing ourselves and our communities in sacred stories that mold the heart and protect the soul.
"These are not tales of forgotten men. They are the fountain of life. They are āyāt — divine signs. And in an age of spiritual famine, they are radiant light."
وَالْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ