Fantasy and Faith is a podcast for writers, readers, and dreamers who crave more than just magic—they seek meaning. Each episode explores the spiritually uplifting, mentally enlightening, and imagination-expanding power of fantasy fiction. With a special focus on Muslim fantasy, we dive into stories rooted in Islamic tradition, faith-based worldbuilding, and mythical storytelling. We also journey through other cultural and spiritual landscapes—from Sufi symbolism to Christian allegory, folklore to metaphysical fiction. Whether you're crafting your own epic or searching for fantasy that resonates with your soul, Fantasy and Faith invites you to discover how belief and imagination intertwine. <br/><br/><a href="https://noorajahangir.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast">noorajahangir.substack.com</a>
Fantasy and Faith: Muslim Fantasy, Myth & Meaning
Claim This Podcastby Noor A Jahangir
Podcast Overview
Fantasy and Faith is a podcast for writers, readers, and dreamers who crave more than just magic—they seek meaning. Each episode explores the spiritually uplifting, mentally enlightening, and imagination-expanding power of fantasy fiction. With a special focus on Muslim fantasy, we dive into stories rooted in Islamic tradition, faith-based worldbuilding, and mythical storytelling. We also journey through other cultural and spiritual landscapes—from Sufi symbolism to Christian allegory, folklore to metaphysical fiction. Whether you're crafting your own epic or searching for fantasy that resonates with your soul, Fantasy and Faith invites you to discover how belief and imagination intertwine. <br/><br/><a href="https://noorajahangir.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast">noorajahangir.substack.com</a>
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June 26, 2026
Death and Submission
<p>10 Rules for Writing Muslim Fiction and Characters Part 4</p><p>Asslamu Alaikum, Hello and Welcome back to Fantasy and Faith, where we explore the magical, the mythical and the mystical. I am your host, Noor A Jahangir, author of The Changeling King and The Adventures of Some Kid, and also the forthcoming Arabian Dreams series which launches in October 2026. Today is the last episode of Season 3 and we are looking at the final part to my 10 Rules for Writing Muslim Fiction and Characters. The aim of this series of podcasts has been to provide viewers and listeners with an insight into the themes and drivers that should form the foundation of plots and character development in Muslim Fiction.</p><p>The rules covered so far are:</p><p>Rule 1: Enjoin Good and Forbid Evil</p><p>Rule 2: Do No Harm</p><p>Rule 3: Actions are According to Intentions</p><p>Rule 4: Ends to not justify the means</p><p>Rule 5: Actions are according to their endings</p><p>Rule 6: Patience is a Part of Faith</p><p>Rule 7: Muslims should live a Halal Life and Avoid Haraam</p><p>Rule 8: Struggle is a Test of Faith, But This Too Will Pass</p><p>We are going to end the series and the season with the last two rules</p><p>Rule 9: Ultimately, a Muslim should submit to the Will of God</p><p>Rule 10: Every soul must taste death</p><p>So lets get into it:</p><p><strong>Rule 9:</strong><strong> </strong><strong>A Muslim Should Submit to the Will of God</strong></p><p>“O you who believe, enter Islam completely, and do not follow the footsteps of Satan. Surely, he is an open enemy for you;” (Qur’an 2:208)</p><p>The word ‘Islam’ has two meanings to it. The literal meaning of Islam is peace, but in terms of a religious reading of the word, is complete submission to God. This is what is referred to in the aforementioned verse. To submit oneself completely to Islam means to fully accept all the Islamic injunctions with sincerity, irrespective of which part of one’s life an action may belong to, whether it is in regards to the mind, the heart, the body or the souls.</p><p>To unpack this further, it is not enough to complete acts of worship and to pay lip service to the five pillars of Islam: Belief in the Oneness of God, 5 prayers a day, Fasting during Ramadan, the giving of Compulsory Alms annually, and the performance of the Hajj pilgrimage once in your life. Complete submission means that one must fulfil all the social rights too. Meaning they must fulfil the rights of the parents, the rights of their children, the rights of family, of neighbourliness and of humanity. They must also conduct themselves in their personal, social and professional lives with the utmost care not to inconvenience someone else, or to cause them distress or suffering.</p><p>Complete submission goes even further than actions and rights. Complete submission is also complete acceptance of God’s Will. That’s not to say that Muslim’s don’t believe in Free Will. The famous philosopher and scholar, Imam Ghazali writes:</p><p>“The ink asked the paper, ‘Why have you become black?’ The paper replied, ‘Because of you.’ The ink responded, ‘But I am black because of the pen.’ The pen then said, ‘I am under the control of the hand.’ The hand explained, ‘The intellect directs me.’ Finally, the intellect stated, ‘I am guided by the will of God.’” Al Ghazali</p><p>In this parable, Imam Ghazali helps us understand the concept of Free Will that is contingent upon God’s Will. Meaning that an individual is accountable for their intentions and choices, but ultimately the outcome is governed by Divine Causation. Imam Ghazali writes in his celebrated book The Revival of the Religious Sciences (Ihya Ulum al-Din): “God has given you power and ability, and you are held accountable for how you use them. Do not say, ‘My fate is preordained’, for that is an excuse for the negligent. You must strive as if everything depends on you, while trusting in God as if everything depends on Him.”</p><p>Imam Ghazali rejects fatalistic ideas. He write that “If He (God) had forced you to act, He would not have commanded you, and if He had created your deeds without your choice, He would not have blamed you.” He challenges fatalism further by calling out determinism as selective. People only claim compulsion to justify sinful behaviour, but rarely do so in service of virtuous actions, therefore exposing the hypocrisy of fatalism. Imam Ghazali highlights conscious choice in moral and spiritual life, citing the hadith that is at the core of my third rule: Actions are according to intentions. Why would inner choice be put under the spotlight unless it had a significant bearing on the outcome? In Islam we believe a genuine intent to do good, even without an outcome is rewarded by God, though an evil intention without an action is overlooked through the Mercy of God. Furthermore, Divine Justice depends on accountability, as Imam Ghazali writes in The Deliverer from Error (Al-Munqidh min al-Dalal): “God does not punish a soul for what it cannot do. Punishment presupposes capability and choice. How could justice exist without free will?”</p><p>Everything in the universe is contingent on something else, making God a necessary being, a singular origin from where all action and causation occurs. In the same way, our free will is contingent on our ability to act, but we can only act within the framework set by the All-Mighty. Therefore, the ultimate form of submission is to accept that everything flows from God and despite our best and worst intentions, we are beholden to God for our every breath, every beat of our hearts, every pulse of blood in our veins and the very reality we exist in. Therefore, a Muslim character should strive to improve themselves and to better their lives, but should remain patient and trusting in the Will of God when things don’t go to plan, or something terrible happens.</p><p>There are lots of examples of this in fantasy fiction where the hero or the villain is bound by destiny or prophecy to either save the kingdom or to destroy it. The existence of a Prophecy doesn’t stop the hero or the villain from taking action or even from trying to prevent the outcome from coming about. One of those examples is found in the Star Wars saga. Anakin is prophesied to be ‘The one who will bring balance to the force”. He is burdened with this prophecy from a young age and the viewer is burdened with the knowledge that his actions are actually taking him towards the Dark Side. Spoiler alert: Anakin becomes Darth Vader. His closest friend and mentor, Obi Wan Kenobi, even goes as far as to say: “You were the Chosen One! It was said that you would destroy the Sith, not join them. Bring balance to the Force, not leave it in darkness!” Even the wise Master Yoda did not foresee this possibility. However, the Prophecy comes true in the sixth episode, Return of the Jedi, when Darth Vader kills the Emperor and dies himself from the injuries he sustains from doing it, thereby returning balance to the force.</p><p>There is a French proverb that captures this sentiment nicely, ‘One meets his destiny often in the road he takes to avoid it.’</p><p>This brings me to the final rule.</p><p><strong>Rule 10: Every Soul Must Taste Death</strong></p><p>This rule comes from a Qur’anic verse:</p><p>“Every soul has to taste death. It is on the Day of Judgement that you shall be paid your rewards in full. So, whoever has been kept away from the Fire and admitted to Paradise has really succeeded. The worldly life is nothing but an illusionary enjoyment.” (Quran, 3:185)</p><p>Every story has to come to an end. Is there a greater form of submission than to accept one’s mortality and face one’s end with a smile on your face instead of a cry of horror? For a Muslim there is comfort in this. The suffering and horrors of the world will come to an end. Evil and machinations of evil men and women will come to an end. It also makes every fleeting moment of happiness and joy more worthwhile, because we know that these too are passing things and therefore should be enjoyed when they are received, and we should give thanks and gratitude to God for them, as God says, “So, undoubtedly, along with the hardship there is ease.” Surely, with ‘that’ hardship comes ‘more’ ease.” (Quran, 94:5-6)</p><p>Combine this knowledge with the Hadith:</p><p>Narrated Mujahid: `Abdullah bin `Umar said, “Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) took hold of my shoulder and said, ‘Be in this world as if you were a stranger or a traveller.” The sub-narrator added: Ibn `Umar used to say, “If you survive till the evening, do not expect to be alive in the morning, and if you survive till the morning, do not expect to be alive in the evening, and take from your health for your sickness, and (take) from your life for your death.” (Sahih al-Bukhari, 8:76, Hadith 6416)</p><p>This should give you an insight into the mind of a Muslim. We love life and celebrate it like the gift that it is. The preservation of life is one of the highest causes there is. God states in the Qur’an:</p><p>Because of that, We decreed upon the Children of Israel that whoever kills a soul unless for a soul or for corruption [done] in the land - it is as if he had slain mankind entirely. And whoever saves one - it is as if he had saved mankind entirely. And our messengers had certainly come to them with clear proofs. Then indeed many of them, [even] after that, throughout the land, were transgressors. (Qur’an, 5:32)</p><p>But we also see this life as just one stage of existence amongst a number of stages. And whilst our earthly life is a crucial stage in our soul’s journey, it is not the final destination. There are several stages of existence according to Muslims.</p><p>Stage 1: Life before conception – our souls were created by God and exist in a place beyond this current reality</p><p>And remember when your Lord brought forth from the loins of the children of Adam their descendants and had them testify regarding themselves. Allah asked, “Am I not your Lord?” They replied, “Yes, You are! We testify.” He cautioned, “Now you have no right to say on Judgment Day, ‘We were not aware of this.’ (Qur’an, 7:172)</p><p>Stage 2: Life in the womb</p><p>“O People, if you should be in doubt about the Resurrection, then [consider that] indeed, We created you from dust, then from a sperm-drop, then from a clinging clot, and then from a lump of flesh, formed and unformed—that We may show you. And We settle in the wombs whom We will for a specified term, then We bring you out as a child, and then [We develop you] that you may reach your [time of] maturity. And among you is he who is taken in [early] death, and among you is he who is returned to the most decrepit [old] age so that he knows, after [once having] knowledge, nothing. And you see the earth barren, but when We send down upon it rain, it quivers and swells and grows [something] of every beautiful kind.” (Quran, 22:5)</p><p>Stage 3: Life in the World</p><p>This is a crucial stage where we prepare provision for the Hereafter. Our good deeds and submission to the Will of God and through the Mercy of God, will prepare our way for a life in Paradise, or our misdeeds, rebellion and the evil we commit will prepare the way for a life in Hell.</p><p>Stage 4: Life in the Grave</p><p>Abu Sa’eed narrated:</p><p>“ The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) entered his Musalla and saw the people who looked as if they were smiling. So he said: ‘Indeed, if you were to increase in remembrance of the severer of pleasures, then you would find yourselves too busy for what I see. So increase in remembrance of death, the severer of pleasures. For indeed there is no day that comes upon the grave except that it speaks, saying: “I am the house of the estranged, I am the house of the solitude, I am the house of dust, and I am the house of the worm-eaten.” When the believing worshipper is buried, the grave says to him: “Welcome, make yourself comfortable. Indeed, to me, you are the most beloved of those who walked upon me. Since you have been entrusted to me and delivered to me today, you shall see what I have arranged for you.” It will then widen for him so that his sight extends, and the door to Paradise is opened for him. And when the wicked worshipper or the disbeliever is buried , the grave says to him: “You are not welcome, do not get comfortable. Indeed, to me, you are the most hated of those who walked upon me. Since you have been entrusted to me and delivered to me today, you shall see what I have arranged for you.’” He said: ‘It will begin closing in on him(squeezing him) until his ribs are crushing each other.’” He said: “ The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) clasped some of his fingers between others and said: ‘Seventy giant serpents will constrict him, if even one of them were to hiss on the earth, nothing upon it would grow as long as it remained. They will chew on him and bite him until he is brought to the Reckoning.’” He said: “ The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: ‘The grave is but a garden from the gardens of Paradise, or a pit from the pits of the Fire.’” (Jami at-Tirmidhi, 37:46, Hadith 2460)</p><p>Stage 5: The Day of Judgement</p><p>“And the Horn will be blown; and at once from the graves to their Lord they will hasten.” (Quran 35:51)</p><p>Sulaim bin ‘Amir narrated from Al-Miqdad, a Companion of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) who said:</p><p>“I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) saying: ‘On the Day of Judgement, the sun will be drawn near the servants, until it has come a mile or two (away).’” Sulaim bin ‘Amir said: “ I do not know if it is miles that refer to distance on the land, or Al-Mil which is used to apply Kuhl for the eyes.” He (the Prophet (ﷺ): “The sun will melt them, until they will be in sweat according to their deeds. Among them one will be covered up to his ankles, and among them will be one who is covered up to his knees, and among them will be one who is covered up to his waist, and among them will be one who is bridled with it.’ I saw the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) indicating with his hand toward his mouth, meaning that one would be bridled with it.’” (Jami at-Tirmidhi, 37:7, Hadith 2421)</p><p>Stage 6: The Hereafter</p><p>A description of Heaven</p><p>Abu Sa’id al-Khudri and Abu Huraira both reported Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) as saying:</p><p>There would be an announcer (in Paradise) who would make this announcement: Verily I there is in store for you (everlasting) health and that you should never fall ill and that you live (for ever) and do not die at all. And that you would remain young and never grow old. And that you would always live in affluent circumstances and never become destitute, as words of Allah, the Exalted and Glorious, are:” And it would be announced to them: This is the Paradise. You have been made to inherit it for what you used to do”. (VII; 43) (Sahih Muslim, 53:26, Hadith 2837)</p><p>The Hadith refers to this verses:</p><p>We will remove whatever bitterness they had in their hearts. Rivers will flow under their feet. And they will say, “Praise be to Allah for guiding us to this. We would have never been guided if Allah had not guided us. The messengers of our Lord had certainly come with the truth.” It will be announced to them, “This is Paradise awarded to you for what you used to do.”</p><p>The residents of Paradise will call out to the residents of the Fire, “We have certainly found our Lord’s promise to be true. Have you too found your Lord’s promise to be true?” They will reply, “Yes, we have!” Then a caller will announce to both, “May Allah’s condemnation be upon the wrongdoers, those who hindered others from Allah’s Way, strived to make it appear crooked, and disbelieved in the Hereafter.” (Quran, 7:43-45)</p><p>The verses go on to describe how those waiting to enter Heaven and Hell will recognise each other and call out to each other.</p><p>But we have digressed. A Muslim does not fear death, because death isn’t the end of existence. It is merely the ending of the life in the world. When a person dies, we say, “To God we belong, and to Him we return.” The ultimate goal for a Muslim should be to prepare for a life eternal in the Hereafter by living a good life in this world. Resisting evil, enjoining good. Making good intentions and seeking good outcomes. Being patient in the face of adversity, acknowledging that struggle is a part of this worldly life and knowing that hard times will pass and that God will bring ease after hardship. Staying away from the things God has prohibited and taking part in things that God has made permissible for us. If we live our lives in such a manner, then death is not something to hate or fear, but a welcome rest and the start of the next stage in the souls journey.</p><p>Thank you for staying with me through Season 3 of Fantasy and Faith. Please do Subscribe to the Channel and if this is your first visit, please do explore the previous episodes as each provides a unique take on magic, myth and mysticism. I will continue to post videos and shorts sporadically whilst I finish off Alauddin and Ali Baba. The new season of Fantasy and Faith will start in September, Inshallah, God Willing. Until then, Keep Dreaming, Keep Writing and Let Your Stories Shine.</p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://noorajahangir.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1">noorajahangir.substack.com</a>
June 12, 2026
Patience and Struggle
<p>10 Rule for Writing Muslim Fiction and Characters Part 3</p><p>Welcome back to Fantasy and Faith, where we explore the Magical, the Mythical and the Mystical. I am your host Noor A Jahangir, author of The Changeling King and the Adventures of Some Kid. My new series The Arabian Dreams will be launching this October at FantasyCon 2026. In this episode, I will be exploring some more of my 10 rules for writing Muslim Fiction and Characters. The idea behind these episodes is to equip writers with some background into understanding the Muslim psyche, which should help you understand the themes that are important to Muslim fiction and writing Muslim characters.</p><p>A central theme in the Islamic religion is Patience and Struggle. Each of us has faced numerous trials and tribulations throughout our lives and have handled them in different ways. Some of us get really depressed, some of us complain to whoever will listen and others grit their teeth and continue moving forward.</p><p></p><p><strong>Rule 6: Patience is a Part of Faith (Muslim, Hadith 9083)</strong></p><p>O believers! Seek comfort in patience and prayer. Allah is truly with those who are patient. (Q2:153)</p><p>Indeed, the second part of this verse, “Allah is truly with those who are patient” was a common refrain for the Prophets of God. Yusuf, peace be upon him, invoked something similar when he was abandoned in the well, and then again when he was unjustly thrown into prison.</p><p>Types of patience:</p><p>1. Avoiding the prohibitions and sins,</p><p>2. Engaging in acts of worship and obedience</p><p>3. In the face of afflictions and hardships</p><p>The greatest form of patience is to restrain oneself from the things that you desire, that are harmful to you, or are prohibited to you, or are straight up sins. For instance, if you have fallen in love with a woman or a man, as a Muslim you will avoid approaching the object of your desire. If you find yourself in their company, you will resist looking at them or speaking to them. If you are unable to avoid them, then you will resist the temptation to touch them, even if it may seem innocent, because you know it is forbidden to you.</p><p>In order to understand this further, we have to consider two terms, Halal and Haraam. Even people who are not Muslim in the West will be familiar with these two terms, but may have only understood them in the most superficial of ways. Loosely, they can be translated as permissible and impermissible. Many non-Muslims think of Halal as being related to the slaughter of animals. This is one element. But even in this regard the concept is much more than the point of slaughter.</p><p></p><p><strong>Rule 7:</strong> <strong>Muslim Live a Halal Life and Avoid Haraam</strong></p><p>Essentially, all food and drink can be classified as Halal or Haraam. Many far-right extremist want to ban Halal food in the West, which is impossible unless they also ban thinks like soft drinks, vegetables, pulses, lentils, beans, dairy products, etc, etc, you get the idea. There are some things that have been forbidden outright, namely swine and intoxicants, mostly commonly referred to as pigs and alcohol. Intoxicants also extends to other substances that may cause you to lose your inhibitions or ability to think straight. Both of these things are forbidden in the Qur’an numerous times:</p><p>2:173: “He has only forbidden you to eat carrion, blood, swine, and what is slaughtered in the name of any other than Allah.”</p><p>5:3: “Forbidden to you are carrion, blood, and swine; what is slaughtered in the name of any other than Allah...”</p><p>6:145: “Say, ‘I do not find within that which was revealed to me any forbidden food for one who intends to eat it, unless it be dead meat or blood poured forth or the flesh of swine, for that surely is impure...’”</p><p>16:115: “He has forbidden you only dead animals, blood, the flesh of swine, and that which has been dedicated to other than Allah.”</p><p>2:219: “They ask you about intoxicants and gambling. Say, ‘In them is great sin and [yet, some] benefit for people. But their sin is greater than their benefit.’”</p><p>4:43: “O believers! Do not approach prayer while you are intoxicated until you know what you are saying.”</p><p>5:90: “O you who believe! Intoxicants, gambling, idols, and drawing lots for decisions are all evil of Satan’s handiwork. So shun them so you may be successful.”</p><p>Their prohibition is the main reason why Muslims do not partake in them. There is plenty of scientific evidence to support expediency of avoiding Pig and Alcohol, for instance, Healthline list four key dangers of consuming pork as 1) Hepatitis E, 2) Multiple Sclerosis, 3) Liver Cancer and Cirrhosis, 4) Yersinia. The harms of alcohol are well known and according Harvard Health, even a small amount everyday can be harmful over a long period.</p><p>It is not permitted for Muslims to eat carnivorous or omnivorous animals or birds. Carnivores carry a higher concentration of toxins and pollution, and parasitic disease, such as roundworm infection. Ethically speaking, killing off apex predators for food has a negative impact on ecosystems and over-hunting has already made many predators endangered. However, as the Qur’anic verses indicate above, a Muslim’s reason not to eat these animals is simply because God has forbidden it. The validation of scientific evidence is nice to have but not necessary for Muslims to act on the commands of God. There is a similar case in Jewish Kosher Law too.</p><p>Animals that are Halal to eat have to be treated well throughout their lives. They should be healthy, free from disease and well fed and watered. When they are brought to slaughter they must not see other animals being slaughtered. The person carrying out the slaughter must be skilled and knowledgeable about the process. The person must use a knife that has been sharpened for each animal to avoid causing suffering through the use of a blunted knife. The sharpening of the knife should be done out of sight and sound of the animal. The cut should be swift and deep, cutting the windpipe, the jugular veins and the carotid arteries, whilst invoking “Bismillah, Allahu Akbar,” In the name of God, God is Great. The spinal cord should not be severed. The blood should be drained from the meat completely, as blood is considered impure. If an animal is dead before slaughter, the meat is not permissible for Muslim’s to consume. The aim of the Halal slaughter process is to avoid causing the animal pain and suffering. For this reason, non-stunned is the preferred method of slaughter.</p><p>This, as I said earlier, is just one element of Halal. Halal touches every part of a Muslim’s life. A Muslim should engage in Halal relationships after you have matured. You can sit and talk with your direct relatives without an issue, but need to be careful around cousins and people who are not direct relatives (Mother, Father, Brother, Sister, Maternal and Paternal Grandparents, Uncles and Aunts). These relatives are known as Mehrem. You should avoid to the best of your ability engaging in conversations and or friendships with people of the opposite sex. So a Muslim character should not be in an extra-marital relationship, unless the point of the portrayal is to show the negative impacts on society or to have the character repent from these actions later in the story. Halal also relates to wealth and income generation. All forms of gambling are impermissible, usury (or interest) is impermissible, money gained from selling haram meat or alcohol, or narcotics is impermissible. Anything that causes the body harm, like cigarettes is also impermissible. There is even guidance on what is permissible in business, how to conduct a deal, when a sale is considered complete, etc. So Halal is much broader than meat. There are some good opportunities here to explore the complexity of the challenges for Muslims living in countries where Islam is not the main religion. Young people will have to learn to negotiate what they are allowed to do with their non-Muslim friends, and what they have to extricate themselves from. For instance, if your friends invite you for a night out and you know that they are likely to be drinking, going to nightclubs or chatting up members of the opposite sex, then a Muslim would be faced with three choices: 1) you go out and risk becoming involved in something Haraam, 2) you don’t go out with your friends and you are constantly making up excuses to avoid similar scenarios, 3) you decide that these aren’t really the friends for you, and decide to find friends who aren’t engaged in Haraam behaviour. Each of these options would try an individual’s patience in a different way, with the third option being the most trying, but in the end also the most rewarding.</p><p>So, avoiding prohibitions and sins is one type of patience. The second type was to engage in acts of worship and obedience. Muslim prayers are not difficult to do. They often take two minutes and can be done pretty much anywhere. The only conditions are that you are in a state of wudhu, which is a form of ritual purification, you are within the time of prayer, your clothes are clean and the place of worship is clean. However, prayer is not completely without challenge. The first prayer of the day takes place before dawn. Its currently June, and in the UK, dawn takes place around 4.40am. Waking up at that time is challenging. Performing the ablution (often with cold water) at that time is challenging. Then trying to go back to sleep after the prayer is even more difficult. Some prayers take place during the school or work day. This is especially the case in Winter, when the afternoon, midafternoon and post sunset prayers take place with a few hours of each other. A Muslim has to explain to their teachers, employers, colleagues and peers that they need to be excused for a few minutes. Making ablution (wudhu) is difficult when you are not at home or in a mosque because the facilities aren’t really designed for wudhu. Another option is to try and maintain wudhu all day, which is difficult and uncomfortable. Then you have to find somewhere to pray that is not going to inconvenience colleagues or peers, and afford you a little bit of privacy too. This is especially difficult for Muslim women and girls because they have to pray in seclusion, whereas men and boys could almost pray anywhere, in a corridor, in a stationary cupboard or, one time, in a server room. Therefore, acts of worship require a level of patience too. I haven’t even mentioned fasting during Ramadan, staying up for night prayers in the Summer, engaging in recommended prayers, giving in charity or performing the Hajj, which are all challenging and test your patience in different ways.</p><p>The third type of patience is in the face of afflictions and hardships. This is the most obvious type of patience. God states in the Qur’an:</p><p>We will certainly test you with a touch of fear and famine and loss of property, life, and crops. Give good news to those who patiently endure (Q 2:155)</p><p></p><p><strong>Rule 8: Struggle is a Test of Faith, But This Too Will Pass</strong></p><p>Muslims do not view trials and tribulations in the same way as other people do. There are numerous Qur’anic verses and Hadith that extol patience in the face of hardship and in the above verse from Sura al-Baqarah, God warns us that we will be tested in many ways, through fear, famine and loss. He also reminds us that great reward awaits for those who endure them with patience. Indeed, there is a concept in Islam that the more beloved you are to God, the more you will be tested. A Hadith in Ibn Majah (36:98, Hadith 4023) notes:</p><p>It was narrated from Mus’ab bin Sa’d that his father, Sa’d bin Abu Waqqas, said:</p><p>“I said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, which people are most severely tested?’ He said: ‘The Prophets, then the next best and the next best. A person is tested according to his religious commitment. If he is steadfast in his religious commitment, he will be tested more severely, and if he is frail in his religious commitment, his test will be according to his commitment. Trials will continue to afflict a person until they leave him walking on the earth with no sin on him.’”</p><p>Therefore, a Muslim character should be tested in your stories based on their level of conviction and belief. This shouldn’t be difficult to do, because heroic characters often face the greatest trials and tribulations in fiction. The difference here is that a Muslim character should not become disheartened and despondent, or if they do, then there should be a gradual turning towards acceptance. Often, this is a hard earned lesson. When one learns it, you are able to bow your head before God when tested, firm in the knowledge that this too will pass. Suffering allows us to appreciate better times and encourages us to seek forgiveness for our sins, and supplicate to God for an easing of suffering and a return to good times. It also makes us more aware of the suffering of others. For instance, during Ramadan Muslims fast from first light to sunset. They spend the day hungry, thirsty and sleep deprived. But rather than focus on their own suffering, they are thinking about the people around the world that suffering similar conditions but not out of choice. As a result, the level of charitable giving increases exponentially during the month of Ramadan.</p><p>So lets put it all together and look at a scenario where a Muslim is tested severely, but they persevere.</p><p>Ghulam lay amongst the bodies of his enemies. He himself was bleeding from several cuts. He raised his right arm and looked at the incomprehensible stump that was still pumping out blood with each beat of his weakening heart. He blinked and he must have fell unconscious because the sky was darker than it had been moments ago. The creaking of leather armour made him look to the left. Abdullah, also bleeding from several cuts to his legs and arms was crawling over to him.</p><p>“Still alive, my friend?” Ghulam croaked through his parched lips.</p><p>“Praise be to the All-Mighty. I was coming over to see if you were still breathing,” replied Abdullah.</p><p>Behind him, the woman and her daughters were wringing their hands and talking to each other rapidly. Ghulam was happy that they had survived the attack unscathed and unsullied. At last, he had been able to do some good in his life.</p><p>“My friend, I need you to carry a message to my family,” said Ghulam.</p><p>Abdullah finally made it to his side and starting checking Ghulam’s wounds. He blinked again and it was night time. He was no longer lying in the open amongst a pile of bodies. He was still outside, but he now lay on a reed mat under a woven straw awning. A small fire was burning nearby, providing light and a little bit of warmth. His wounds had been packed and bandaged. The stump of his arm had also been wrapped in bandages but blood was still seeping through it onto the mat beneath him. The wounds to his chest and stomach hurt each time he drew a breath. It felt like there was a heavy weight on his chest. But it was the smaller cuts on his left arm that was causing him the most pain. Weirdly, his right arm felt fine. He could even feel the fingers of his right hand clench and unclench. But his arm was not there.</p><p>“You are awake.”</p><p>Abdullah stood over him. He had removed his leather cuirass and vambraces and was now dressed in a simple undyed tunic. His arms were covered in bandages, but otherwise he seemed to have come through the battle with Ghulam’s former compatriots well.</p><p>“I need you to carry a message to my family,” said Ghulam.</p><p>“You said that before, too. You can deliver your message yourself when we return home in a couple of weeks.”</p><p>“I am not going home, my friend. My lung has collapsed. I am dying.”</p><p>Abdullah pursed his lips together, as if holding back a reassuring platitude.</p><p>“I want you to tell my family that I died well. That I died protecting a family in a village like our village. I have hidden a chest of gold in the Dhibu Valley. I will mark the spot on your map. Please, find the gold and take whatever you need but deliver the rest to my family.”</p><p>Wordlessly, Abdullah went to his pack and retrieved a map of the region. He unrolled the leather scroll and held it up near Ghulam’s face. Ghulam rubbed the forefinger of his left hand on the stump of his right arm and made a mark on the map. Abdullah examined the spot and then nodded in confirmation. Abdullah was a good man, he would see it done.</p><p>Behind Abdullah, a rider on a white horse approached. His face was too brilliant for Ghulam to make out his features.</p><p>“Who is that?”</p><p>Abdullah looked around and then back at Ghulam in puzzlement.</p><p>“We are alone, my friend. The women have gone to find food and water for us.”</p><p>The rider’s horse stopped short of Abdullah and the rider beckoned Ghulam to approach him. Beyond him a whole host of riders waited in the sky. Ghulam pointed at them and again Abdullah looked about in confusion.</p><p>“There is no God but God,” said Ghulam forcing himself up to his elbow. A pain shot along his left breast and down into his left shoulder. “Muhammad is the Messenger and Servant of God.”</p><p>With that proclamation he sat up and then slowly got to his feet. The rider turned his horse and held out a hand to Ghulam. Ghulam took the hand with both of his own and allowed himself to be hauled up behind the bright rider. He looked back at Abdullah, who was squatting down beside a body of a man missing a right arm. Then he looked up to the great host that waited for him and smiled as the horse took flight.</p><p>Thank you once again for your time and for your support. There is one more episode to go in this season, which will be coming in two weeks. In the meantime, if you are not yet subscribed, please do so. I want to get to 500 subscribers by the end of 2026. Until the next episode, Keep Dreaming, Keep Writing and Let Your Stories Shine.</p><p></p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://noorajahangir.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1">noorajahangir.substack.com</a>
May 29, 2026
10 Rules for Writing Muslim Fiction Part 2
<p>Welcome back to Fantasy and Faith, where we explore the magical, the mythical and the mystical. I’m your host Noor A Jahangir, author of The Changeling King, The Adventures of Some Kid, and the forthcoming Arabian Dreams series.</p><p>This is second part to my 10 Rules for Writing Muslim Fiction. In the first part I looked at the first two rules, Enjoin Good and Forbid Evil, and Do No Harm. In this episode I am going to look at Intentions, the Means and the Consequences. This correlates well with Brandon Sanderson’s concept of Promise, Process and Payoff, though I will be relying mainly on the traditions of the Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, to address the three themes that I have identified.</p><p></p><p><strong>Rule 3: Actions are According to Intentions</strong></p><p>Umar ibn Khatab heard Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) saying, “The reward of deeds depends upon the intentions and every person will get the reward according to what he has intended. So whoever emigrated for worldly benefits or for a woman to marry, his emigration was for what he emigrated for.” Sahih Bukhari 1:1, Hadith 1</p><p>Intentions linguistically means The determination of the heart. The core meaning of this tradition is that complete and correct actions don’t exist except for with intentions. A Muslim carries out actions with intentionality. When a Muslim sets out to do something, there should be a clear purpose for their intended action. Therefore a Muslim character doesn’t embark on a journey without a clear understanding of what is their purpose to make that journey.</p><p>Another factor to consider is that intentions stack. So a Muslim may have a primary intention for an action, but can also have secondary intentions too. So for instance, if a man was travelling to another country with the primary intention of getting married, they may also intend to visit their relatives and do some sightseeing. Furthermore, there is nuance at play in an intention too. So, a Muslim travelling to another country to get married may form an intention as follows, ‘I am travelling to this country to get married, as this is part of the tradition of the Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, and will allow me to protect myself from temptation and fulfil my obligations as a Muslim.’ This intention changes the act from one of worldly gain to an act of fulfilling a Prophetic command and the purpose God created us in pairs.</p><p>Therefore, when you are writing a Muslim character, they should be a person of clear intentions, and depending on how religious they are, their intentions will likely have an Islamic angle to them. For instance, a Muslim won’t simply think, ‘I’m taking a shower’. Rather they will think, ‘I am taking a shower so that I am clean and will be able to perform my prayers in this state’. Or, instead of ‘I am going to work’, they are thinking, ‘I am going to work so that I can support my family and give in charity’.</p><p>Lets put that into a scenario:</p><p>The devastation left behind by the invaders was horrifyingly breathtaking. Not a single building in the village had been left standing. Even the well had been despoiled. Bodies of men, women and children lay wherever they had been killed. Their bodies, like the buildings, had been burned. Abdullah vowed that he would bring the perpetrators to justice. He would hunt them down and dead or alive, he would bring them back to face judgement. That was his duty to the dead of this village and he would see it done.</p><p>The character in this passage has witnessed something horrific. He has made his intention to avenge the dead, but he has also considered how he will go about doing it and what justice will look like. He is not just going to set off in pursuit without understanding his purpose. Only by understanding the character’s motive can we make fair judgement on the results of their actions and hold them accountable.</p><p><strong>Rule 4: Ends do not justify the means</strong></p><p>Abu Barzah Al-Aslami narrated that the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w) said: “The feet of the slave of Allah shall not move [on the Day of Judgement] until he is asked about five things: about his life and what he did with it, about his knowledge and what he did with it, about his wealth and how he earned it and where he spent it on, about his body and for what did he wear it out.” - Jami` at-Tirmidhi, 37:3, Hadith 2417</p><p>This heart-shaking hadith tradition builds on what we have understood from the previous principle. It is not just about your intended purpose and the consequences, but also how you went about achieving said purpose. In Islam, how you go about your business is as important as what you achieve by it. A person could have good intentions but do something bad to achieve the results, e.g. they want to establish a mosque, a hospital or school, but the money come from ill-gotten gains, such as gambling or theft. In this case, the good work of opening a hospital does not wipe out the sins committed in getting the money together. The hadith clearly points out that we will be questioned about what we did with our lives, how we used the knowledge that we gained, how we earned our wealth and what we spent it on, and what activities did we engage in to wear our bodies out.</p><p>A Muslim character who is engaged in illicit activity should be conflicted unless they have been so embroiled in sinful behaviour that they have stopped considering the legitimacy of it. But an inherent aspect of being a Muslim is a sense of regret over bad deeds. I have met Muslims who would consider themselves sinners, and they have been so long in these lives that they are hopeless about gaining forgiveness. As a result, they think themselves unworthy of redemption. Islamically, this is incorrect because we should always be hopeful of God’s forgiveness. One of the defining characteristics of God is that He is All-Merciful and Oft-Forgiving. Regardless, a Muslim character should feel remorseful and longing for forgiveness and escape from a life of sin.</p><p>Consider the following scenario:</p><p>Ghulam looked back at the wisps of dark smoke that rose up from the horizon. The horrors that he and his fellows had engaged were etched into his psyche. It would take many, many days before he would be able to sleep without remembering the screams of the villagers or the stench of their bodies burning. He had joined this band of raiders hoping that he would be able to make enough money to support his family. However, he had not envisaged that it would lead to him pillaging villages that looked like his own village and killing women and children that could have been his own family. He wondered if God would ever forgive him. More than that, he wondered if he would ever forgive himself. Ghulam knew with grim certainty that he and his fellows would one day burn in the fires of hell for their actions.</p><p>In this passage, our POV character is riddled with horror and guilt over the actions that he has committed. His intention had been good, to try and support his family by earning coin. However, the means were incorrect and the consequences were deplorable. If the character is a Muslim, he should be considering not just the worldly consequences but also facing the Judgement of God.</p><p>Imam al-Shatibi, the author of al-Muwafaqat, considers that an action should only be judged once the consequences have also been weighed, however the consequences may contradict the stated objective. Another venerated scholar, al-Sanusi, clarifies that this could be the result of three factors:</p><p>1. Wrong intentions to attain an unlawful objective through permitted actions</p><p>2. Abuse in using the right</p><p>3. Implementing rules in the wrong context</p><p>Therefore a Muslim should weigh their intentions, use lawful means and seek positive outcomes.</p><p><strong>Rule 5: Actions are According to their Endings</strong></p><p>The Prophet (ﷺ) looked at a man fighting against the pagans and he was one of the most competent persons fighting on behalf of the Muslims. The Prophet (ﷺ) said, “Let him who wants to look at a man from the dwellers of the (Hell) Fire, look at this (man).” Another man followed him and kept on following him till he (the fighter) was injured and, seeking to die quickly, he placed the blade tip of his sword between his breasts and leaned over it till it passed through his shoulders (i.e., committed suicide).” The Prophet (ﷺ) added, “A person may do deeds that seem to the people as the deeds of the people of Paradise while in fact, he is from the dwellers of the (Hell) Fire: and similarly a person may do deeds that seem to the people as the deeds of the people of the (Hell) Fire while in fact, he is from the dwellers of Paradise. Verily, the (results of) deeds done, depend upon the last actions.” Sahih Bukhari 81:82, Hadith 6493</p><p>The last verse of this hadith, Inamal A’Malu bil Khwatim is a counterpoint to the first part of the first hadith: Inamal A’malu Biniyat. A Muslim should be wary of how things end. Merely good intentions and doing good things isn’t a guarantee that something good will happen. A person could be good their entire life but end up causing the death of many because of a faulty action. Or a person could live their entire life as a villain but their life may end whilst doing something heroic that saves lives. We have an example of this in Star Wars, with Anakin’s fall into darkness and rebirth as Darth Vader. He becomes notorious for his evil actions. And yet his last action is to sacrifice himself to save his son, and by the same virtue saves the galaxy from the tyranny of an evil emperor. George Lucas even shows him as a force ghost alongside Yoda and Obi Wan, suggesting his final act was enough to redeem him.</p><p>Lets bring together our two characters, Abdullah and Ghulam, and see how we can bring this principle into the story.</p><p>Ghulam was bleeding from several wounds. He was starting to feel light-headed. Across the way, his fellow raiders had encircled Abdullah and were slashing at him with great relish. Abdullah and Ghulam had managed to kill a number of them but Ghulam had hesitated and it was likely going to cost both of them their lives. Beyond Abdullah a woman and her two daughters huddled together, their terrified faces revealing that they too would pay dearly for Ghulam’s error of judgement. However, they would face unbearable torment before the raiders took their lives. Ghulam could not allow that. His complicity and silence had doomed too many in the past. He would not let these women suffer the same consequences. Ghulam reached for his sword one last time and then slowly stood up. The faces of all that he had killed flashed before his eyes once again. This time, instead of recriminations, the faces willed him on, to fight in their memory and give them some sort of peace. Ghulam roared and charged at his former companions.</p><p>We have come full circle with our two characters. Ghulam, our anti-hero has begun his journey to redemption by seeking to ally himself with Abdullah, to seek vengeance for the people that he and his fellow raiders had killed. Whilst his life has been spent poorly in the past, he started with good intentions and now his ending will be a good ending. Yes, he is likely to die, but in doing so will spare the lives of Abdullah and the three women.</p><p>In summary, Muslim characters should be mindful of their intentions, the means they choose to carry out their objectives and also be wary of how things end.</p><p>Thank you for watching. Please do remember to like, share and subscribe. The Kickstarter is coming soon and there will be a video on that in the next few weeks. As always, Keep Dreaming, Keep Writing and Let Your Stories Shine.</p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://noorajahangir.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1">noorajahangir.substack.com</a>
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