Concept/Boundaries Of Immersion While Reading & Watching Entertainment Media
I understand why this feels confusing, but the key thing to remember is what Islam actually holds a person accountable for. When I said “intention to promote something false,” I meant presenting or spreading a belief as if it is true, or intentionally encouraging others to accept it as true. That is when a person could be responsible for misguidance. In your example, Person A is not presenting the statement as a belief or truth. They are simply reacting emotionally to a fictional scene while watching a movie. The context is clearly entertainment and imagination. Human communication always carries the possibility of misunderstanding. The same sentence can mean different things depending on tone, context, or situation. Islam does not hold people accountable for every possible misinterpretation someone else might make, especially when there was no intention to mislead. Each person ultimately uses their own mind and judgment. If someone misunderstands a casual reaction to a movie and builds beliefs from it without asking or verifying, that responsibility lies with them. A simple way to think about it is this: If you intend to teach or promote a belief, then you are responsible for what you say.But if you are clearly engaging with fiction and not presenting it as truth, then you are not responsible for every possible misunderstanding others might create. So in the situation you described, Person A would not be sinful, because their intention was simply to enjoy a fictional story, not to promote or affirm any belief.