As-salamu alaikum - Is all fiction really a waste of time?

As-salamu alaikum. I recently got into a heated argument with a friend who insists that all fiction is a waste of time. I disagreed, saying that if someone benefits or learns something good from reading fiction, why is that wrong? He answered that fiction is nothing but pointless “what ifs” and a total waste. The debate kept going until he invited me to a voice call where a so-called Ustad he follows told me that poetry and literature are from Shaytan. I said some poetry could be harmful, but not everything. He refused to accept any benefit from fiction. I even listed well-researched benefits of reading fiction, which he denied: - Improves imagination and creativity - Enhances vocabulary and language skills - Develops empathy and emotional understanding - Strengthens critical thinking - Improves focus and concentration - Reduces stress and provides relaxation - Helps understand different cultures and perspectives - Boosts memory and comprehension - Encourages moral and ethical reflection - Improves storytelling and writing skills He kept shouting and it became clear this wasn’t a real discussion anymore. They also demanded Shar‘i evidence. I shared some points showing permissibility of poetry and literature when they don’t distract from remembrance of Allah. For example, Tafsir of Quran 26:227 indicates praise for poets who believe and do righteous deeds and whose poetry does not pull them away from dhikr. There are authentic hadiths noting that “some poetry contains wisdom” (Sahih al-Bukhari) and examples like Hassan ibn Thabit, who recited poetry with the Prophet’s ﷺ approval. I’m aware that if poetry or stories cause someone to neglect Allah or fall into sin, then they could be impermissible. My question is: how can one claim that all literature is bad when many righteous scholars and early Muslims wrote poetry and literary works? Some examples: - Imam al-Shafiʿi, Imam Abu Hanifa, Imam Malik, Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal - all have poetic lines attributed to them. - Companions like Hassan ibn Thabit, Kaʿb ibn Malik, and ʿAbdullah ibn Rawaha composed poetry. - Scholars such as al-Tabari, Ibn Kathir, al-Farabi, Ibn Sina, Ibn Rushd, al-Ghazali, and Abdul Qadir al-Jilani used stories, parables, or poetry in their works. So is all fiction really a waste of time? I think it depends on the content and its effect on one’s faith and actions. Fiction that increases good character, empathy, knowledge, or brings comfort and doesn’t distract from worship seems beneficial. But I’d like to hear others’ thoughts - especially from those who balance literature and Islamic practice in their lives.