A Quick Guide to Social Media Etiquette

https://muslimmatters.org/2017/03/09/a-quick-guide-to-social-media-etiquette/

Islam is a complete and comprehensive religion. All the guidance that we could possibly need

can be found within the teachings of the Qur’ān and Sunnah. Allah says, “And We have
revealed to you the Book which clarifies everything, and it is a guidance, mercy and source of
good tidings for the Muslims.” (16:89) Thus, in every issue, religious or worldly, classical or
contemporary, our religion has some guidance concerning it.

A very good example of this is the teachings we find in the Qur’ān vis-à-vis the way we interact

with others and the words we utter. Allah says, “And We have already created man and
know what his soul whispers to him, and We are closer to him than his jugular vein. When the
two receivers receive, seated on the right and on the left. Man does not utter any word except that
with him is an observer prepared.” [50:16-18]

These verses inform us that every word we utter is being recorded, and will then be presented

before us on the Day of Judgement. The Prophet said in the narration of Bilāl ibn al-
Ḥārith, “Indeed a man says a word from that which pleases Allah, and he never thinks anything
of it, but Allah will record for him His pleasure due to it until the Day of Judgement. And indeed
a man will utter a word from that which angers Allah, and he never thinks anything of it, but
Allah will record for him His anger due to it until the Day of Judgement.”[1]
Applying the above verse and ḥadīth in a contemporary context, we must understand that these
rulings and etiquettes do not only apply to the spoken word but also to the written word. We live
now in a time where we communicate just as much by writing – text messages, emails,
WhatsApp, Facebook posts, tweets, etc. – as we do verbally. In fact, visual communication is
also popular know in the form of Instagram. The problem however, is that although we know
that we should not lie when we speak, nor backbite, cheat, slander, swear and so on, we do not
apply this knowledge into what we write, post or tweet. However, the same etiquettes we use in
speech should be observed in the world of social and online media too.
The Good of Social Media
I want to begin by saying that social media is not evil in and of itself. It is a means, and like other
means such as wealth or technology, it can be used for good or bad. Thus, it is the user who
relegates it to harming and offending others. There is much good for which social media can be
used. It can be used as a means of connecting with family and joining the ties of kinship,
communicating with friends and increasing the bonds of love, reminding others of Allah and
benefitting them in this life and the next.
The Prophet said, “The one who guides to good is [rewarded] like the doer.”[2] In

another narration, the Prophet said, “The most beloved of people to Allah are those most
beneficial to others.”[3]
The Reality of Social Media
Social media is an outlet to instantaneously connect with others on a mass level. However
sometimes we misunderstand its purpose and role, or confuse it and substitute it for other things.
Social media is not a place of Islamic study or where one can become a Muslim scholar. It is not
the place for in-depth discussion and debate on complicated and detailed issues which require
years of study and knowledge of the various branches and disciplines of Islamic studies.

People with the most ‘likes’ on Facebook or ‘followers’ on Twitter are not necessarily the most
knowledgeable, wise and mature of scholars. Social media following is neither a qualification
nor a measure of piety. YouTube views do not by themselves mean that a lecture is the most
authentic or authoritative on a subject. These things may seem obvious when expressed like this,
but sometimes many of us treat social media in this way, knowingly or unknowingly. We
therefore need view social media for what it is and what it is not.

The Wildfire of Social Media

We live in the age of fake news, but we also live in the age of fake fatwas and peculiar
opinions. We see social media being used to besmirch the honour of others, and especially our
scholars, imams and preachers. It is bad enough that we have to contend with such issues. Yet
what makes this phenomenon substantially worse is the culture of ‘forwarding’. In this manner, a
single rumour initiated by one person spreads like wildfire across the world.

We are responsible not only for the things we say and write, but also what we are party to. If you
help to spread something, be sure it is correct and authentic. Don’t fall for the line, ‘If you love
Allah/Islam/the Prophet then forward this’. The falsehood you help to spread and facilitate is
also in your record of deeds.

The Prophet warned us against such things in the narration of Samurah, “I saw in my
dream last night that two men came to me, took me by my hands and transported me to the
blessed land. There I saw a man sitting, and another standing with a metal hook in his hand. The
standing man placed the hook inside the sitting man’s mouth, into his inner cheek and pulled
with such force until he tore his mouth and reached the back of his head. He then did the same
with the other cheek, by which time the first cheek was healed. He then returned to the first and
did the same… The angels said, ‘As for the man whose cheeks were torn, it was the one who
spread a lie until it reached the ends of the world, so this is his punishment until the Day of
Judgement.’”[4]
General Etiquettes
Using social media whilst hidden behind a screen or using a pseudonym, does not give you carte
blanche to write what you please. Rather, Allah sees, hears and knows what you do, and the
angels still record it. Therefore:

1. Maintain good character always – The Prophet said, “There is nothing heavier on
the scales on the Day of Judgement than good character.”[5]

2. Respect others – The Prophet said, “The Muslim is the one who others are
safeguarded from his hand and tongue.”[6]

3. Do not attack the honour of others – The Prophet said, “Indeed the worst type of
usury is to attack the honour of another Muslim unjustly.”[7]

Writing is like Speaking

Although the person you write to or about may not be in front of you, you should act as if they
are. Things which are prohibited when speaking are also prohibited when writing.

1. Do not belittle others – The Prophet said, “It is sufficient evil for a Muslim to
belittle his fellow brother.”[8]

2. Do not lie – The Prophet said, “A person may leave their house and say a lie
which then reaches the horizons.”[9]

3. Do not swear or curse – The Prophet was not one who cursed, swore or spoke
vainly.[10]

4. Do not backbite – Allah says, “Do not spy on one another nor backbite one
another.” [49:12]

5. Be gentle, polite and forbearing – The Prophet said, “The strong is not the one
who can out-wrestle another, but the one who controls his anger.”[11]

Online Modesty
One of the dangers of social media is that people view it as a platform to expose their sins, or to
make things public which otherwise they would keep private. We have a false sense of security
online as we believe things we do anonymously are only seen by individuals we wish to share
them with. Yet the reality is often the opposite. Keep things private if they deserve to be kept so
and respect the privacy of others. Be modest and shy online and do not showcase your sins.

1. Respect the privacy of others – The Prophet said, “From the beauty of one’s
Islam is to leave that which does not concern them.”[12] In another narration, the
Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬said, “Whoever veils a believer will be veiled by Allah in this life and the
next.”[13]

2. Lower your gaze online – Allah says, “Tell the believing men to lower their gaze…
And tell the believing women to lower their gaze…” [24:30-31]
3. Do not use social media to interact with the opposite gender in an unlawful way – The

Prophet said, “A man should not be secluded with a woman unless

her mahram is with her.”[14]

4. Do not boast about your sins online – The Prophet said, “All of my nation will be
forgiven except for those who sin publicly. Indeed from this is a man who sins at night,
and he awakes with Allah’s veil over that sin. He then goes and tells someone about
what he did. He slept with Allah’s veil over him and awoke to shed that veil from
himself.”[15]

The above are some of the etiquettes that we should observe in the world of social media. Most
importantly, if we have the fear of Allah and are conscious of Him in our hearts, knowing that all
our words, actions and writings are being recorded and then will be presented before us, we will
surely think twice before disobeying Allah and harming others, whether in person or behind a
screen.