Upholding Islamic ethics on social media during COVID 19 pandemic: a reflection from Verses 6 and 12 of Surah al-Ḥujurāt

• Main Author: Mohd Nor, Nur Suriya
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: The IIUM Covid19 Psychosocial Support Team 2020
• Subjects: BL Religion
• Online Access: http://irep.iium.edu.my/86618/1/86618_Upholding%20Islamic%20Ethics%20on%20Social%20Media.pdf; http://irep.iium.edu.my/86618/; https://flagship.iium.edu.my/eps/upholding-islamic-ethics-on-social-media-during-covid-19-pandemic-a-reflection-from-verses-6-and-12-of-surah-al-%E1%B8%A5ujurat/
• Institution: Universiti Islam Antarabangsa Malaysia

The Malaysian Reserve reported that as the period of Movement Control Order (MCO) during COVID 19 pandemic is extended in Malaysia, the use of internet in several sectors, such as entertainment, education and shopping has multiplied. There has been a rapid growth in home-based entertainment, video conferencing and online communication. Besides using social media for official purposes (e.g. attending online meetings, online business), Malaysians also use social media to kill their pass time during MCO. Many people use social media, such as WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube, to share methods of cooking[i] and other personal activities. While the internet use has brought in benefits to many, there are also cases when its use has resulted in the opposite. There are people who misuse social media to spread fake news, including about COVID-19. The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) reported that they have received 43 reports from members of the public regarding fake news on Covid-19 on social media, with 18 suspects identified.[ii] As Muslims, there are certain Islamic ethics that we should observe when using social media, especially during difficult time, such as during COVID 19 pandemic. This is evident when Allah mentions in Surah al-Ḥujurāt verse 6 “O you who believe! If a rebellious evil person comes to you with a news, verify it, lest you harm people in ignorance, and afterwards you become regretful to what you have done.”