Abdullah ibn Amir narrates: “My mother called me one day when the Messenger of Allah (saw) was sitting in our house. She said: Come here and I shall give you something. The Messenger of Allah (saw) asked her: What do you intend to give him? She replied: I intend to give him some dates. The Messenger of Allah (saw) said: If you were not to give him anything, a lie would be recorded against you.” (Abu Dawud, Adab, 88)
The Prophet Muhammad (saw), who throughout his life never uttered a single lie and was known even by his enemies as “Muhammad al Amin” (Muhammad the Trustworthy), described what many might consider a trivial and common behavior as a “lie,” as seen in this example. The Prophet Muhammad (saw) was exceedingly sensitive about the avoidance of lying and consistently warned his ummah on this matter. He rejected the dismissive attitude of “Who has ever died from lying?” and emphasized that lying could lead to hellfire, as he stated: “It is obligatory for you to tell the truth, for the truth leads to virtue and virtue leads to paradise, and the man who continues to speak the truth, and endeavors to tell the truth, is eventually recorded as ‘siddiq’ (truthful) with Allah, and beware of telling of a lie for telling a lie leads to obscenity and obscenity leads to hell-Fire, and the person who keeps telling lies and endeavors to tell a lie is recorded as a liar with Allah.” (Muslim, Birr wa Sila, 105)
Just as knowingly telling a lie is a sin that leads a person step by step toward hellfire, unknowingly transmitting falsehoods and facilitating lies by repeating everything one hears is equally sinful. To highlight this truth, the Prophet Muhammad (saw) said: “It is enough of a lie (sin in a different narration) for a man that he narrates everything he hears.” (Muslim, Muqaddimah, 5; Abu Dawud, Adab, 80)
This hadith clearly demonstrates that it is sinful for a Muslim to convey information to others without verifying its accuracy. Similarly, the hadith commands Muslims to be diligent in investigating the source of a report to avoid falling into the position of a “liar” by transmitting false information. This directive is more explicitly expressed in the following verse: “O believers, if an evildoer brings you any news, verify (it) so you do not harm people unknowingly, becoming regretful for what you have done.” (Hujurat, 49:6)
The meaning and ruling of the verse, which emphasizes that it is not appropriate to accept information brought by unreliable individuals without verifying its accuracy, are general and apply universally across all times and places. This instruction is crucial for ensuring the orderly functioning of social and legal life and for preventing injustices and disturbances. (Kur’an Yolu Tefsiri, V, 89–90).
Furthermore, the principle of avoiding harm , as expressed in the verse, is a general tenet of Islam. Indeed, the Prophet Muhammad (saw) stated: “There should be neither harming nor reciprocating harm.” (Muwatta, Aqdiya 31; Ibn Majah, Ahkam 17) Lying is one of the actions that most severely damages the honor and dignity of others. If people were to relay everything they hear to others without verifying its accuracy, they would inevitably become tools for falsehood. This falsehood could harm not only others but also themselves.
The principle of “not repeating everything one hears” is particularly violated in the virtual/ digital sphere. In this age of rapid advancement, where even keeping up with technological developments is a challenge, our world has virtually become a small village; an event occurring anywhere can reach the rest of the world within seconds. While this has positive aspects, false news, and information— sometimes intentionally and sometimes out of ignorance—are circulated online, leading to widespread misinformation. For instance, a saying that is not from the Prophet Muhammad (saw) may be falsely attributed to him, posts may insult, mock, or harm the dignity and honor of individuals, or campaigns may be conducted to discredit certain institutions. Furthermore, when information aligns with one’s religious perspective or worldview or critiques opposing views, there is often a lack of due diligence regarding its source. As a result, humanity is subjected to severe information pollution and disinformation. Despite overcoming numerous diseases and epidemics, humanity often finds itself helpless in the face of this epidemic of misinformation. The solution lies in the following command of Allah the Almighty:
“Do not follow what you have no (sure) knowledge of. Indeed, all will be called to account for (their) hearing, sight, and intellect.” (Isra, 17:36)
“As the two recording angels—(one) sitting to the right, and (the other to) the left—note (everything), not a word does a person utter without having a (vigilant) observer ready (to write it down).” (Qaf, 50:17-18)
Muslims who take these verses as their guide keep in mind that they will be held accountable for every action they take and every word they speak. They do not hide behind fake accounts thinking, “No one sees or knows me anyway”. They understand that anything sinful in real life is equally sinful in the virtual world. Out of concern that it may harm their religion, state, any individuals, or institutions, they refrain from sharing information whose accuracy they cannot verify. They recognize that excuses such as “This is what I heard” or “Someone else sent it to me” will not absolve them of responsibility. Additionally, they are conscious of the fact that they will be held accountable for any posts that cause tension, panic, or public unrest in society.
In conclusion, Muslims are those whose hands and tongues are pure; they neither knowingly tell lies nor become tools for falsehood. They do not engage in any activities that may harm others and approach all information with caution. They are particularly aware of the need to be more vigilant regarding social media, which is a platform where false news and misinformation are frequently encountered.
