Careful Deliberation Before Sharing Videos of Ourselves On Social Media

In The Name of Allah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy.

This brief article serves as a reminder for myself, a gentle reminder for the children of my house and for our beloved youth. Above all, I want to remind myself and my household’s children to embrace good manners and humility wherever they may be. Al-Allamah Rabee Bin Hadi Al-Mad’khali, may Allah have mercy on him, said:

Good manners is a necessity in the path of seeking knowledge, and (when dealing with) scholars and elders. It was said to king Abdul Azeez, may have mercy upon him, “How do you view the people?” He said, “The people in my view are three types: a man who is older than me, so he is placed in my father’s position; a man who is in my age group, so he is placed in my brother’s position, and a man who is younger than me, so he is like my son”. Therefore, a Muslim behaves towards his brothers in this manner- he places the people in these different categories. [1]

All of us must adhere to this noble advice when dealing with one another, regardless of whether we agree or disagree with any person we are dealing with with. As we all desire to uphold sound principles, pursue virtue, Taqwah and Wara, our dealings must reflect these pursuits. I remind myself, the children of my household and the youth – those who grew up in our presence and those whom we know or have met, and all others we do not know, but it is enough that Salafiyyah has created a strong bond between us- that the Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, is the greatest criterion, as Imam Sufyan Ibn Uyaynah, may Allah have mercy upon him, used to say:

Indeed, the Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, is the greatest criterion [i.e. amongst mankind and Jinn] and all matters are presented to him [i.e. for judgement and judged] based on his manners, path and guidance. Therefore, whatever is in agreement with this is truth, and whatever is in opposition is falsehood. [2]

Take note and let it be absolutely known to you that by citing this above Athar, we are not implying anyone has engaged in falsehood or bidah. Instead, we reference this Athar to remind ourselves of the importance of permanently asking Allah for Tawfeeq, so that we may strive to emulate the greatest criterion among the creation. Similarly, we have not cited this Athar believing we have surpassed anyone in ittiba, nor do we claim to be those who completely avoid all that is unnecessary, or that we are the ones who scrutinise themselves more than everyone else to the extent that we refrain from everything unnecessary. What we truly intend by this Athar is our plea to Allah for Tawfiq, to focus our attention on the greatest criterion among creation, and to strive hard and keep on improving ourselves until we meet our Lord, and not to simply yield to societal pressures or trends, particularly those becoming prevalent on social media.

In this regard, I urge the older children in my home – first and foremost – to employ careful deliberation with regards to social media, particularly through videos, on Twitter, and other platforms. They should critically examine every aspect of why they would decide to appear in a video – whether it is recorded or live-streamed – on Twitter or any other social media site. Whenever someone thinks it is necessary or not a big issue to appear in a video, regardless of the requester’s viewpoint, they should reflect on their own motivations thoroughly. The topic of videos and Dawah, based on various scholars’ statements and opinions, is well known, but at the very least, they should remain attentive to moderation, careful consideration, and self-reflection, which, by the Tawfiq of Allah, will help them assess the necessity of getting involved at any moment, location, or circumstance. This is also a reminder for myself and all our beloved youth.

Similary, I remind myself, the children in my home, and all our beloved youth to behave respectfully, honoring those who are older than us, treating our peers well, and being compassionate towards those younger than us while addressing this issue. Even if we need to be firm and resolute, we should do so with maturity and respect.

Finally, here is a fantastic book regarding the Wasaa’il of Dawah by the Aalim Shaikh Abdus Salam Burjess, may Allah have mercy upon him. Noor-Book.com الحجج القوية على أن وسائل الدعوة توقيفية د عبد السلام بن برجس كتاب 1027 3

[1] Marhaban Yaa Taalibal Ilm’ pages 123-124
[2] Al-Jaami Li-Akhlaaq Ar-Raawi Wa Aadaab As-Saami’  page 8]