Indeed all praise is due to Allah; we praise Him and seek His help. Whoever Allah guides, none can mislead, but he whom He leads astray you will never find for him a protecting guide. I bear witness that none is worthy of worship except Allah, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and Messenger.
To proceed:
O believers!
Fear Allah and beware of evil ways because Satan is sitting on the lookout for you, he pushes you to sin and hinders you from obedience and drawing closer to Allah. In this regard, Allah said: “(Satan) said: "Because You have sent me astray, surely I will sit In wait against them (human beings) on Your Straight Path.” [al-A’raaf: 16].
One of the most notable features of this time is the great media and telecommunication revolution. Today it has made the world to become an intertwined network where everything is connected. What happens at the furthest part of the world is known by everyone. There is no part of the world that is now left without this connection and communication which almost applies everywhere. Different forms of media and communication are knocking on every door and entering every house and going into every valley. Young people and adults, scholars and uneducated people, males and females and those who live in the cities and villages, all have access to media and communication. How would have been the situation if people used this great favor to guide people to what gives them happiness in this world and in the hereafter?
O believers!
Media, with its different forms has power and great influence in shaping thoughts and opinions as well as molding the intellect and upbringing generations. Indeed what appalls the intellectuals, worries the wise and haunts the scholars is that most of this dangerous media which has an unhidden impact in changing communities and nations is still in the hands of a handful enemies of Allah and His Messenger (may Allah’s peace be on him) who hinder people from the way of Allah and crave to make it crooked and love to see slander (or scandal) broadcast amongst the believers and wish that they go far astray. What makes the situation even worse is that most people remain ignorant of the seriousness of this media to the extent that groups of people have occupied themselves with this media like how a hungry person who is hunting dedicates himself when he sees his food and drink, especially the live broadcast channels, called Nilesat. They have accepted to be controlled by these channels in such a manner that they have disrupted their minds and their natural disposition. Moreover they opened their doors for these channels, not only that but their hearts, thus we did help our enemies against us. Because of these devices, what is good is seen as evil and what is evil is seen as good. To Allah we belong, and to Him we will return.
O believers! Indeed different forms of media and communication, be it newspaper, radio, TV, live broadcast channels or others form of media pose a great harm and danger. The benefit that might have been there will vanish if they are available. It is compulsory to stay safe from this danger and harm and to warn against them and to be aware of them. Hearing news is different from seeing the incident.
O believers! Indeed one of the greatest dangers of these channels and media is that they have become the most important tools of our enemies which are used to achieve their objectives, goals and plans as well as influencing the Muslims, plundering their resources, looting their will, and casting doubt on their religion and maxims.
Another danger of the media is: weakening aqeedah by showing symbols of disbelief and glorifying them and eliminating the concept of innocence from disbelief and people who subscribe to it. Verily, spreading pictures of disbelievers, their religions, symbols and deeds will eliminate their disapproval from the heart, makes it admire them and remove their dislike.
O believers! Indeed one of the evils of media and its devices is that it promotes and calls to imitating disbelievers’ morals, thoughts, manners, systems, customs clothing, sense of style and even their beliefs.
O believers!
Indeed the wickedness of evil channels and corrupt media is that they kill virtue, revives immorality, spread evil, besieges goodness and glorifies corruption and atheism. Moreover they keep people away from obedience of Allah, excite desires and instincts and adorn sins and indecencies. Over and above that, media is the main reason for suffering of many people because it causes perversity to their sons and daughters. All this is a result of visual and audio media.
O believers!
Indeed part of the wickedness of media is that it makes a person to become accustomed to watching evil without detesting it. The most serious evil consequence is that it is really unfortunate and painful to see many of those who love goodness and go to Mosques to attend gatherings of virtue now sitting for long hours in front of media following programs which are filled with prohibited things whereby immodest women, offensive words, corrupt beliefs and evil and vice fill their eyes and ears not only that but their hearts too without contradicting it. We belong to Allah and to Him we shall return. Do they not think that they will be resurrected (for reckoning), and they will be held responsible for these scenes and will be accountable for those hours. Don’t these people fear that their hearts will be corrupted and damaged from the deadly scenes and seductive views whereby women come out with all their adornment while wearing their nicest and tempting clothes that are very colorful, and then they start saying words that excite sexual desires and arouse instincts and impulses accompanied by gentleness and courtesy? What is these people’s position with regard to the Messenger of Allah’s (peace be on him) saying: “looking is an arrow from the arrows of Satan.”
O believers! Indeed the evils of media are that it lessens goodness, increases vice and destroys those who follow it. Verily reform that is built by Mosques, Islamic schools and other institutions is demolished by shameless music, obscene magazines, cheap stories and malicious channels as well as immoral films. The best description of this was given by someone in the following poetic verses:
When a building is complete ***
And after you built it someone destroyed it
Even if it is built by a thousand builders, it only takes one demolisher to destroy it ***
How about a single builder who is succeeded by a thousand demolishers?
SECOND SERMON
Indeed all praise is due to Allah; we praise Him, seek His help, and ask for His forgiveness. We seek refuge in Allah from the evil of ourselves and actions. Whoever Allah guides, none can mislead, but he whom He leads astray you will never find for him a protecting guide. I bear witness that none is worthy of worship except Allah, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and Messenger. May Allah’s peace and blessings be on Muhammad, his companions, and those who follow him in goodness until the Day of Judgment.
To proceed:
Indeed it is our duty to protect ourselves and our families from the dangers of media because Allah Almighty says: “O you who believe! Ward off from yourselves and your families a Fire (Hell).” [al-Tahrim: 6].
Bid each other to truth by promoting awareness of the dangers of media, and reminding others about them. Seek reward by criticizing the evil that they broadcast and spread among Muslims by either calling or writing to them or by other possible means available.
وسائلُ الإعلامِ