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Opening verse
وَأَنذِرْ عَشِيرَتَكَ الْأَقْرَبِينَ
Meaning: And warn your nearest relatives. (26 Ash-Shu'ara': 214)
1️⃣ Today's media
- A powerful and influential force; it enters homes without permission.
- It plays a huge part in informing people and stirring their feelings; it has changed news, business, entertainment and consumption.
- Early communication: gestures, facial expressions, sound signals, signs, speech, writing.
- Today's kinds: print media, electronic media, social media.
- Many benefits and many harms: it drives people against tradition, religion and culture; it leads to crime; it creates addiction (domination) in everyone from children to the elderly.
- More than a superpower's navy, air force or army, it is media power that decides a country's success or failure.
2️⃣ The Quran – the finest medium
- The Quran and Sunnah, the basic sources of Islam, are the oldest means of communication, guiding the whole of human society.
- The Prophet ﷺ used the Quran itself as his main medium – his weapon.
- 25 Al-Furqan: 52 – (O Prophet!) Strive against them with it (the Quran) a great striving.
- Even great poets fell silent before its style.
The enemies' counter-media
- The disbelievers campaigned: "Do not listen to this Quran; busy yourselves with other things."
- An-Nadr ibn al-Harith bought a singing-girl and turned away those who wished to embrace Islam by giving them food, wine and songs.
- The verse revealed about this: 31 Luqman: 6 – those who buy idle talk to lead people astray from the way of Allah without knowledge.
Counter-propaganda in poetry
- When the disbelievers composed insulting poems, the Prophet ﷺ told Hassan ibn Thabit, Ka'b ibn Malik and 'Abdullah ibn Rawahah (RA) to answer them in verse.
3️⃣ Public methods of communication used by the Prophet ﷺ
| Method | Explanation |
|---|---|
| The hill of Safa | When 26:214 was revealed, he climbed Safa, called the Quraysh in a loud voice and introduced Islam (a custom of the Jahiliyyah; but done with dignity, without removing his clothes) |
| Markets | 'Ukaz, Majannah, Dhul-Majaz |
| Others | The back of a camel, the mosque minbar, the mi'dhanah (the place where the adhan is called) |
| Khutbahs | Jumu'ah, 'Eid, the eclipse prayer, the prayer for rain, the nikah khutbah; the sermon at 'Arafah during Hajj |
| The platform of Ashab as-Suffah | One side of Masjid an-Nabawi – a communication centre |
| Halqah | Study circles |
| Relayed takbir | When large crowds gathered for congregational prayer, the takbir was relayed from person to person |
Lesson: a Muslim may use methods of communication developed by others, within the limits of the Shari'ah.
Unusual teaching aids
| Incident | What it taught |
|---|---|
| A straight line drawn on the ground, with side lines on both sides | The straight line = Allah's straight path; on the side lines the devil calls → he recited 6 Al-An'am: 153 |
| The body of a dead lamb with cut ears (in the market) | However worthless this is to you, this world is even more worthless to Allah (Muslim) |
| Joining the index and middle fingers | I and the one who cares for an orphan will be like this in Paradise (Bukhari) |
4️⃣ Indirect communication – letters and envoys
- Diwan al-Insha' (ديوان الإنشاء) – the records department created by the Prophet ﷺ; envoys and scribes were appointed.
Representatives
| Place | Who was sent |
|---|---|
| Abyssinia (year 5 of prophethood) | A delegation led by Ja'far ibn Abi Talib (RA) |
| Madinah (year 11 of prophethood) | Mus'ab ibn 'Umayr (RA) |
| Yemen (Madinan period) | Mu'adh ibn Jabal (RA) |
- The textbook says Mus'ab (RA) was sent to Madinah in "year 11 of prophethood"; this is usually said to be after the First Pledge of 'Aqabah (year 12 of prophethood) – confirm with your teacher.
Letters to rulers
| Ruler / country | Carried by |
|---|---|
| The Najashi (Negus) – Abyssinia | 'Amr ibn Umayyah (RA) |
| The Muqawqis – Egypt | Hatib ibn Abi Balta'ah (RA) |
| Kisra (Chosroes) – Persia | 'Abdullah ibn Hudhafah (RA) |
| Heraclius – Rome (Byzantium) | Dihyah ibn Khalifah al-Kalbi (RA) |
| Hawdhah ibn 'Ali – Yamamah | Walid ibn 'Amr al-'Amiri (RA) – as in the textbook |
| Al-Harith ibn Abi Shimr – Syria | Shuja' ibn Wahb (RA) |
| Jayfar – Oman | 'Amr ibn al-'As (RA) |
- Many history books name the man who carried the letter to Yamamah as "Salit ibn 'Amr al-'Amiri"; the textbook says "Walid" – confirm with your teacher.
- The textbook's spellings of the rulers of Syria and Oman differ slightly from the usual forms (al-Harith ibn Abi Shimr; Jayfar ibn al-Julanda).
Postal departments
| Period | Department |
|---|---|
| 'Umar (RA) | Diwan al-Barid (postal department) |
| The Umayyads | Diwan al-Barid wal-Akhbar (postal and news department); pigeons, postal carriages |
| Others | Diwan ar-Rasa'il (letters), Diwan al-Khatam (the seal), Diwan al-Katib (scribes) |
5️⃣ Awareness of information
- During the hijrah, three days in the cave of Thawr; 'Abdullah ibn Abi Bakr (RA) was appointed to gather news of the Quraysh's movements.
- A letter to al-'Abbas (RA) asking him to delay coming to Madinah, so he could report on the polytheists' activities.
- Examining camel dung to learn about the approach of the enemy army.
- He sent the first hijrah group only after learning about the king of Abyssinia, his religion, the people's character and his foreign policy.
- The Quran: Sulayman (AS) used the hoopoe (hudhud) to learn news of distant lands; the news about Bilqis, the queen of Saba' (Sheba).
6️⃣ The Islamic view of the media
- Legal maxim: "In principle, all things are permissible" → it is permitted to use modern media to spread good ideas, to develop social culture and to protect moral values.
The 5 qualities the media should follow
| # | Quality | Evidence / explanation |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Based on evidence (verified) | It is enough of a lie for a person to pass on everything he hears (without checking) (Muslim); 49 Al-Hujurat: 6 – if a wicked person brings you news, investigate it; 27 An-Naml: 64 – bring your proof if you are truthful |
| 2 | Trustworthiness | Truth and amanah (honesty); avoiding guesswork, fantasy, illusion, suppression of facts, lies and mixing truth with falsehood; 6 Al-An'am: 143 – inform me with knowledge |
| 3 | Impartiality | Not falling victim to social prejudice or bias; 4 An-Nisa': 135 – bear witness justly even if it is against your parents or relatives |
| 4 | Protecting the public good | Freedom of expression must not harm the public good; exposing sexual misconduct can itself become an incitement; 24 An-Nur: 19 – those who love to spread indecency will have punishment in both worlds |
| 5 | Good manners (decency) | Civil language; 4 An-Nisa': 148 – Allah does not like evil words spoken aloud; 16 An-Nahl: 125 – argue in the best way |
The Banu al-Mustaliq incident
- A man reported that the Banu al-Mustaliq tribe had left Islam → 49:6 was revealed.
- The Prophet ﷺ sent Khalid ibn al-Walid (RA) to check; when he observed them at night through scouts, it was confirmed that they had not left Islam.
What Islam expects
A free media – protecting justice, freedom and human rights; upholding moral values at personal, family, national and international level; unity; a prosperous future.
Key terms
الجمعة • العيد • المسجد • عكاظ • ذو المجاز • المنبر • المأذنة • الخطبة • أصحاب الصفة • الحلقة • ديوان الإنشاء • ديوان البريد والأخبار • ديوان الرسائل • ديوان الخاتم • ديوان الكاتب • هدهد • بنو المصطلق
Quick revision
- Kinds of media: print, electronic, social media.
- The Quran = the main medium (25:52); an-Nadr ibn al-Harith → 31:6.
- The hill of Safa (26:214); markets: 'Ukaz, Majannah, Dhul-Majaz.
- Poets: Hassan, Ka'b, Ibn Rawahah.
- Diwan al-Insha' (the Prophet ﷺ); Diwan al-Barid ('Umar); al-Barid wal-Akhbar (Umayyads).
- 5 media qualities: verified, trustworthy, impartial, public good, good manners.
- 49:6 – investigate the news (Banu al-Mustaliq).