In our daily interactions using communication tools, we should practice communicating in accordance with the teachings of our religion, which include not degrading or insulting others, Imams emphasised in the Friday sermon.
The sermon highlighted the importance of not exposing the shame or faults of others, avoiding the use of nicknames that someone dislikes, and being mindful of our speech to avoid angering others. We are urged to practice Tabayyun by confirming and verifying the truth of a matter and to avoid prejudice and fault-finding.
As wise social media users, we should always self-reflect and strive to be mindful of our own behavior and speech, especially when communicating on social media.
Imams also compared communication tools to a double-edged sword that can bring benefits if used wisely but can cause catastrophe if used wrongly. They pointed out that users often forget boundaries and use such tools to expose flaws, make defamatory remarks, and spread fake news, documents, and photos, which is rampant these days.
The sermon urged the community to observe proper etiquette when interacting with others and not to be prone to finding others’ faults. It was emphasised that making defamatory remarks is haram and one of the major sins. Therefore, we must be cautious and mindful of our attitude and conversations. – Azlan Othman
