A Study on the Role of the Media and its Effect on the identity of Muslims (Part 40)
Features and Principles of Media from the Quranic Perspective
Based on the divine teachings of the Holy Quran and Islam, the primary objectives of Islamic media in any form are to promote the philosophy and discourse of Islam, Islamic culture, the Quranic way of life, the call to the Hereafter, the oneness of Allah (Tawhid), resurrection, moral and ethical standards, and virtues. Educating and purifying people is also considered an essential goal. Here are some of the most important objectives of Islamic media:
1. Guidance: One of the most important goals of Islamic media is to guide people toward salvation. Islamic media should fundamentally promote and invite others to Islam. Therefore, guidance is its most crucial duty. All prophets, by divine command, regarded guiding and inviting people to the straight path as their primary task. Every Muslim is also obligated to guide themselves and others in this direction. This is supported by verses from Surah Al-An’am (6:153), Surah Aal-E-Imran (3:51), Surah Maryam (19:43), and Surah Al-Asr. Additionally, according to the Quran, the responsibility of conveying and explaining the truths and teachings of religion lies with scholars and those capable of fulfilling this task (Surah Al-Baqara: 2:159, 2:174; Surah Aal-E-Imran: 3:187).
2. Invitation to Tawhid (Oneness of Allah): Inviting people to monotheism and fighting against all forms of polytheism is one of the goals of Islamic media in promoting good and righteousness (Surah Aal-E-Imran: 3:51; Surah Al-A’raf: 7:99; Surah Ibrahim: 14:9-10).
3. Declaration of Truth in All Forms: Islamic media should present the truth convincingly, so everyone has no excuse for not knowing or hearing it (Surah An-Nisa: 4:165; Surah Al-A’raf: 7:79, 7:91, 7:93; Surah Al-Isra: 17:15; Surah Al-Ahqaf: 46:35).
4. Warning: A key duty of every Muslim is to warn others about Allah, the Day of Judgment, accountability, and the Hellfire. In Surah At-Tawbah (9:122), Allah says, “It is not fitting for the believers to go forth all at once. Why should not a party from every section of them go forth that they may gain understanding in the religion and warn their people when they return to them, so that they may be cautious?”
5. Seeking Forgiveness and Divine Mercy: Seeking Allah’s forgiveness for the people is an objective of Islamic media’s invitation and promotion (Surah Ibrahim: 14:9-10; Surah Nuh: 71:1, 71:7).
6. Clarifying the Divine Book: The task of explaining the rules and teachings of the Holy Quran is one of the media’s objectives. Allah states, “When Allah took a covenant from those who were given the Scripture, ‘You must make it clear to the people and not conceal it.’ But they threw it away behind their backs and purchased with it a small price. And wretched is that which they purchased” (Surah Aal-E-Imran: 3:187).
7. Avoiding Corruption: One of the goals of media’s invitation and warning is to keep society away from corruption and destruction (Surah Al-A’raf: 7:85; Surah At-Tawbah: 9:122; Surah Hud: 11:85; Surah Ash-Shu’ara: 26:183).
8. Remembrance of Allah: A society should always prioritize monotheism and revolve around it. Therefore, the remembrance of Allah and reminding people about Him and His teachings is a general and collective duty, especially for media and media activities (Surah Ibrahim: 14:5; Surah Ta-Ha: 20:44; Surah Al-Qasas: 28:46).
9. Fear of Opposing Religious Teachings: Warning people about the consequences of opposing religion is one of the objectives of media’s invitation and warnings (Surah At-Tawbah: 9:122).
10. Promoting Goodness and Piety: Islamic media should promote the culture of empathy, cooperation, mutual understanding, goodness, and divine piety. Allah commands, “And cooperate in righteousness and piety, but do not cooperate in sin and aggression. And fear Allah; indeed, He is severe in penalty” (Surah Al-Ma’idah: 5:2).
11. Instilling Fear in the Enemy in Soft Warfare and Psychological Warfare: One of the goals of Islamic media is to instill fear in the enemy. Allah commands in Surah Al-Anfal (8:60) to prepare the strength to bolster the defensive and offensive capabilities of Islam and weaken the enemy. Today, the most significant role media plays as a soft power is to demoralize the enemy and reduce their psychological strength. Media warfare is the most important form of warfare in the modern world.
12. Resolving Disputes: Another objective of Islamic media is to resolve differences within the community and create unity around the word of monotheism and the unity of the word (Surah Az-Zukhruf: 43:63; Surah Al-Baqara: 2:213; Surah An-Nahl: 16:46).
13. Promoting Justice: One of the primary objectives of the mission is to invite people to strive for the realization of justice after being informed of their rights and duties. This is explicitly stated in Surah Al-Hadid (57:25). Islamic media should contribute to the realization, implementation, and promotion of justice (Surah Al-A’raf: 7:85; Surah Ash-Shura: 42:15).
14. Opposing Oppression and Arrogance: Fighting against oppression and preparing the ground for the people’s revolt to eliminate it through the implementation of justice is another key objective of Islamic media (Surah Al-Hadid: 57:25). The Quran teaches support for the oppressed and opposition to the oppressor, criminal, and arrogant, which includes media activities.
Therefore, in circumstances where propaganda against Islam and Muslims is widespread, Islamic media have a very important responsibility. They must fulfill the duties entrusted to them. Highlighting conflicts in such situations will only serve the enemy’s cause, causing harm to no one but themselves.
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