The Book of Life
Defamation on Social Media
Mawlana Muhammad Asif Attari Madani
In today’s digital age, fascination for social media is seen everywhere. New platforms with the latest features are introduced constantly and can be easily accessed by anyone. Anybody can make an account on these platforms and post whatever they wish. Social media usage can be both positive and negative. It can bring amazing benefits as well as devastating harms. Just as genuine news becomes widespread on social media, it can also be used to spread rumours. People become famous through it, and they are also humiliated by means of it.
If a person is determined to defame another on social media, it is extremely difficult to stop them, as such a person will do anything to fulfil their shameful goal without having any consideration for truth and lies. Stories of people defaming others on social media are only increasing every day. There can be many reasons as to why people attempt to discredit and defame others. For example, gaining cheap fame, increasing one’s views, due to political, religious or personal animosity, envy, hatred, for Satanic satisfaction, taking revenge, or pressurising them into accepting unlawful demands.
To achieve these evil goals, baseless news and rumours are spread, fake audios based on false accusations, and videos and pictures that have been tampered with are shared. A person’s personal affairs are exposed, and his shortcomings publicised. Those who engage in this defamation have no concern whatsoever regarding the social and economic impact their actions can have on the person or their character. The targeted person can be affected by stress, anxiety and depression, which can sometimes even lead to suicide.
Due to being defamed, people begin to consider themselves isolated from others. Their social connections become weak and their homes can also be ruined on account of divorce. If a person or company is discredited in their work life, it can have a negative impact on their career. Countless stories of this nature have been reported in Pakistan.
In Karachi, a 15-year-old boy committed suicide in October 2024 after a video of him being harassed and beaten went viral.
In October 2022, a woman drank poison and committed suicide after her relatives edited her pictures and shared them on social media. (Remember, suicide is haram).
Dangerous attacks
Some social media accounts are always seen to be criticising Sunni religious figures, groups and organisations, seeking to remove love for them from the hearts of people and cause Muslims to be deprived of the religious benefit they might otherwise receive. اَلْـحَمْـدُ لـِلّٰـه, Organisations who sincerely work for the cause of Islam are not affected by such Satanic attacks.
A number of these social media accounts dupe people under the guise of “rectifying others.” Through their slander, fault-finding, countless false accusations and trolling, they are only engaged in defaming people on social media. If they were sincere in their advising of others, they would do so in the way Islam has taught us, not by setting up a camera, holding a microphone, and starting social media accounts.
The Quranic and Prophetic method of advising
It is mentioned in the holy Quran:
اُدْعُ اِلٰی سَبِیْلِ رَبِّکَ بِالْحِکْمَۃِ وَ الْمَوْعِظَۃِ الْحَسَنَۃِ
Call towards the way of your Lord with wisdom and good counsel [1]
Whenever the Merciful Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم would receive news he disliked regarding somebody, he would maintain their anonymity and offer advice in utmost beautiful fashion. He would declare:
مَا بَالُ اَقْوَامٍ یَقُوْلُوْنَ کَذَا وَکَذَا
What is the matter with people that they say such-and-such?[2]
Shaykh ꜤAbd al-Raˈūf Munāwī رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَـلَيْه writes under this hadith: “The Beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم would indirectly mention matters which carried possibility of harming another’s feelings, and that which would be disliked to speak about openly.”[3]
Benefit of advising directly
Lady Umm Dardāˈ رَضِیَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهَا states, “He who advised his brother in private honoured him, and he who advised him in public, mentioned him with a flaw.”[4]
Mentioning someone’s concealed fault to another person is only permitted when said fault is harmful to others. Otherwise, instead of informing others and humiliating a Muslim in the eyes of everyone, try to rectify the person gently in private. If you attempt to rectify somebody in front of people or on social media with a critical tone, it is possible it will cause them to become stubborn. Then, instead of admitting their mistake, they could humiliate you in return. Advice should always be given in private as this is most effective.
Private advice is adornment
Imam al-ShāfiꜤī رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَـلَيْه said, “Whosoever spoke to his Muslim brother in private has advised and embellished him. He who told him off in front of everyone has dishonoured and disgraced him.”
MisꜤar b. Kidām رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَـلَيْه was asked, “Do you like the person who makes you aware of your faults?”
He replied, “If he advises me in private then I like him, but not if he does so in public.”[5]
When it comes to the serious matter of defaming people on social media, it is also our responsibility to utilise this platform for positive and constructive purposes. If we know somebody using social media to defame others, we must advise that they could be held accountable in this world and the Hereafter. If somebody we know is being targeted online, we should give them hope and aid them, so they can find a way out of their predicament.
Do good, and good will come to you.
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