Question :
A question was asked regarding [the validity of] working in a newspaper.
Fatwa in Brief: This is not permitted. In
newspapers, evil and corruption outweigh dedication and
seriousness. Thus, journalists publish news on actors,
actresses, and merely spread rumors, gossip and
temptation.
The Permanent Committee,
15/52-53
Response:
If a person works in a
newspaper that does not break [Muslim] laws, or the
greater proportion of such laws, there is no harm in
this. However, if a newspaper is known to publish gossip
and lies [rather than serious news stories], it is not
permitted for Muslims to work there.
Commentary:
Globally speaking, the media is now the main source for
publishing knowledge, opinions, and behavior for both
young and old. To a considerable extent, it shapes the
way a society thinks. The media forms a society’s
knowledge base, and protects its ethical standards; it
directs public opinion and informs decisions in all
areas of [political?] life. As such, the media has
become the most effective and powerful contributor to
the spread of Islam. It must be used wisely by Muslim
“callers” [da‘iya] in their traditional struggle
to attract new believers to the faith.
The original attitude of the law regarding the media is
that it is permitted. However, any of the five legal
classifications – obligation, recommendation,
preferable, dislike or prohibition – can here be
applied. The matter depends entirely on the information
offered/given, the means used [to gain this
information], the results build on it, and the practices
associated with it.
The media’s function is to spread news, and to comment
upon this news. It thus disseminates and discusses a
wide variety of ideas. [From the perspective of Islam]
The media faces an obligation to commit to a
sufficiently high level of moral values, ethics and laws
so as to guarantee that they do not [willingly] mislead
[the public]. A Muslim media representative must be
aware of this, and the following commitments:
1.
A commitment to truth. Stories
must be thoroughly investigated and [whenever possible]
proof obtained, before publication. Those in control
must resist the temptation to publish quickly merely in
order to raise sales.
2.
A commitment to publish
information that is in keeping with the principles of
religious ethics, and laws. Thus, a responsible media
representative distances him/herself from promoting
abnormal (shadhdha) and/or deviant (munharafa)
thoughts.
3.
A commitment to neutrality when
commenting upon and criticizing [public] opinions. This
approach should not show bias, racism or overstep the
boundaries of good ethical behavior.
4.
A commitment to avoiding
criticism against the established principles of
religion. Such criticism leads only to doubt and the
spreading of ambiguity.
5.
A commitment to following the
established principles of religion. The freedom of the
press is not an absolute freedom. Rather, it must be
guided through religious knowledge, of ritual, ethics,
and customs.
6.
A commitment to caring/protecting
the dictates of religion, as religion has more influence
on people’s moral behaviour than any other sphere of
thought.
7.
A commitment not to work in
institutions that are known to attack Islam. No [Muslim]
media representative should continue in their position
if his/her work supports aggression and arrogance
[against Islam/Muslims].
8.
A commitment not to work for
institutions that are based upon acts/things that are
legally prohibited by Islam. Thus, no [Muslim] media
representative should work in magazines or [television]
channels dedicated to spreading obscenity and vice.
If a person works in a newspaper [or in another media
organization] that commits to these principles, or [at
least to the majority of them],
it is permitted for him/her to
continue in his/her job there. If, however, this person
works at a place where an interest in [publishing] evil
outweighs an interest in [publishing] good, s/he should
cease to work there immediately.
And God knows best.
Dr. Anas Abu Shadi
[1]
Shaykh ‘Atiyya Saqr, Fatawa Dar al-Ifta’ al-Misriyya,
no. 234, May 1997.