Hujjat al-Islam wal-Muslimeen Mahdi Shariati Tabar, a graduate of the Mashhad Seminary and the director of the Jurisprudence Department at the Islamic Research Foundation of Astan Quds Razavi, has also served for several years as the head of the foundation, in addition to teaching, researching, and preaching. In this oral note, he addresses how falsehood is perceived in artistic works. This point is significant because the presence of literary devices such as metaphor, simile, figurative expression, and exaggeration has led to the misconception of falsehood in artistic works. Similarly, in screenplays and plays based on real stories, certain elements are often added to the original story to transform it into an artistic work and create what is termed “drama.” The oral note by this professor and researcher of the Mashhad Seminary is as follows:

Meanings of Falsehood

Falsehood (kadhb) is an Arabic term, and in Persian, it means lying, which is the opposite of truth (sidq). Falsehood has been defined as: “Contradicting the report with reality.” That is, when a report is given, if it corresponds to the reality or the subject of the report, it is called a true report; but if it contradicts the reality or the subject of the report, it is called falsehood or lying. Of course, the subject of the report and reality may vary depending on the context. Sometimes, the reality or subject of the report is the external existence of something, such as stating that Zaid has returned from a trip, or a certain person has passed away, or other reports about realities external to our mind, thought, or heart. In such cases, if the report corresponds to the external reality, it is true; if it contradicts it, it is false.

Sometimes, the subject of the report is the human soul itself, such as when a person speaks about their faith, belief, or conviction, saying, for example, “I believe” or “I am a believer,” but this is not the case in their inner being as they express it verbally. This is, in fact, hypocrisy (nifāq), meaning they say something verbally that they do not accept in their heart and soul. Here, even if the report is correct in terms of its external reality, since the person is reporting about their inner conviction and the report does not match their inner state, it is still considered falsehood. For example, in Surah al-Munafiqun, it is stated: “When the hypocrites come to you, they say, ‘We bear witness that you are indeed the Messenger of Allah.’ And Allah knows that you are His Messenger, and Allah bears witness that the hypocrites are liars.” In this verse, regarding the hypocrites who testify that you are the Prophet of God, Allah says that the external reality of the Prophet’s (PBUH) prophethood, which exists outside the minds and inner convictions of the hypocrites, is true, and Allah knows it is in their inner being. However, Allah testifies that the hypocrites are liars because they say, “We bear witness,” which implies they are reporting their heartfelt belief and conviction, while no such belief exists in their inner being.

Thus, falsehood has two meanings: one, a lack of correspondence with external reality, and two, a lack of correspondence with the speaker’s inner conviction.

Falsehood in Performative Statements

Another discussion is whether truth and falsehood apply only to declarative sentences or also to performative statements. In performative statements such as commands, prohibitions, wishes, hopes, and the like, truth and falsehood naturally do not apply. However, when these performative statements involve a promise, truth and falsehood can be relevant. This is because if someone makes a promise knowing they will not fulfill it or strongly believes they cannot fulfill it and still makes the promise, that promise becomes a lie. In contrast, a true promise is one where the promiser intends to fulfill it and knows they can fulfill it.

Prohibition of Falsehood

In any case, falsehood and lying are among the major sins, and the Quran, Sunnah, consensus, and reason provide evidence for this. Perhaps the most striking verse condemning falsehood is verse 105 of Surah al-Nahl, which states: “Only those who do not believe in the verses of Allah invent falsehood, and it is they who are the liars.” According to this verse, there is a complete opposition between faith and falsehood. There is also a narration stating that a believer may commit certain wrongdoings, such as theft or acts contrary to chastity. The Prophet (PBUH) said it is possible. Then it was asked whether a believer could lie, and the Prophet (PBUH) said: “No.” Thus, there is such an opposition between faith and lying.

However, in the matter of art, it should be noted that the foundation of art is imagination and the evocation of emotions; hence, exaggeration and figurative expression are inherent in art. Exaggeration and hyperbole are characteristics of art and artistic works. Based on this point, in my opinion, there is no room for falsehood or lying in art. Of course, an artistic activity may be prohibited due to another aspect, such as promoting falsehood, but it will not be prohibited on the grounds of falsehood or lying. An art that promotes falsehood will be prohibited based on the verse: “And of the people is he who buys the amusement of speech to mislead [others] from the way of Allah…” Additionally, there is a narration: “When a sinner is praised, the Throne trembles, and the Lord becomes angry.” If an artistic activity leads to the glorification of a sinner, the Throne of God trembles, and God becomes angry. However, these are distinct from the title of falsehood. In my opinion, the title of falsehood is not applicable to artistic works.

For example, if someone compares a person’s beauty to the full moon, they have certainly exaggerated, but it is not falsehood. Therefore, in artistic works, truth and falsehood do not apply.

Adding Elements to a Real Story to Transform It into an Artistic Work

Adding something to a story sometimes alters the reality and causes distortion in history or people’s minds; such an act is certainly invalid. However, if adding certain elements to a story is done to create drama and make the story artistic, enhancing its impact on the audience, falsehood is not realized here. Although, as I mentioned, it may be prohibited due to another aspect, such as promoting falsehood. However, if the purpose of this storytelling, novel-writing, poetry, epic, or visual art is to express truths and realities, guide and educate, encourage people toward commendable and valuable actions, or deter them from undesirable acts, such work is desirable and recommended.

Exaggeration by a Poet in the Presence of the Imam (AS)

Such exaggerations in artistic works existed during the time of the Imams (AS). For example, a poet, in the presence of Imam Sadiq (AS), addresses the morning breeze, saying: “O morning breeze! Convey our greetings to the Karbala of Husayn and tell the pure and holy bones of Imam Husayn: If you are thirsty, you will be quenched with the tears of your lovers’ eyes.” Here, the morning breeze is not a rational being to be addressed, nor are our tears water to quench the thirst of the Master of Martyrs, nor are the sacred body and bones of the Master of Martyrs currently quenched by our tears. All of this is figurative, metaphorical, and an artistic act by the poet, which Imam Sadiq (AS) accepts and endorses.

Exaggeration in Persian Poetry

There are many such examples in Persian literature:

From the hooves of the steeds in that vast plain,
The earth became six, and the sky turned eight.

This verse by Ferdowsi is highly dramatic and expressive; it means that in the scene of battle, so much dust was raised that it was as if a layer of the seven earths was detached from the ground and added to the seven heavens, making the earth six and the sky eight. It is clear that this is drama, not falsehood.