A Great Media Principle

“And do not pursue that of which you have no knowledge. Indeed, the hearing, the sight and the heart - about all those [one] will be questioned.”

This noble verse is a great media principle that gives us a precise standard to regulate the media chaos the world is experiencing due to the vast spread of social media.

It is not merely a directive against lying, but a comprehensive methodology for thinking, judging matters, and conveying news. Allah Almighty forbids man from following what he does not know to be true, and from building stances and judgments on assumptions, rumors, and illusions.

In the age of social media, this verse has become more important than ever. Many people read a news story, see a picture, or watch a video, and then rush to share it without verifying its authenticity. They transform from a recipient of news into a partner in spreading lies or misinformation, potentially harming individuals and communities.

The responsibility does not lie solely with the one who invented the lie, but includes everyone who contributed to its circulation and dissemination. Clicking the "share" button may seem like a simple act, but before God, it is a testimony to the validity of what you are conveying to others. Therefore, it is a duty to verify and check before publishing, to ask for the source, to compare information, and to confirm its accuracy.

The meaning of the verse is not limited to news alone; it also includes judging individuals and groups, conveying accusations, spreading rumors, and issuing opinions without knowledge or understanding. How many people have been wronged by a word published without evidence, how many conflicts have been ignited by a false report, and how many relationships, families, and societies have been harmed by the hasty transmission of information.

Hearing, sight, and the heart are tools for knowledge, but they are also subjects of responsibility and accountability. What we hear is not necessarily true, what we see may be misleading or out of context, and what we believe in our hearts needs proof and evidence. This is why God linked these faculties to accountability on the Day of Judgment.

Hence, a true believer does not ask himself: "Is the news exciting?" or "Does it agree with my opinion?" Instead, he first asks: "Is it true? And do I have proof of its validity?" If he is not sure, he holds his tongue and his pen, because silence about the unknown is better than spreading falsehood.

In a time when information flows without limits, wisdom is not in the speed of publication, but in the accuracy of verification. Honesty is not in conveying everything we hear, but in distinguishing between fact and rumor, between knowledge and conjecture. This is the profound meaning of God's words: “And do not pursue that of which you have no knowledge.”