Fake Facebook Accounts
These days, Media is not only used for trampling upon all types of morality, but people are also using it to cheat and harm others through fraud and deception. Instructing Jama’at members to safeguard themselves, Huzoor-e-Anwar(aba) said:
“The third thing I want to say is that it has come to my knowledge that someone has created a Facebook [page] in my name. Someone created a Facebook account without my awareness. I have neither created this account, nor am I interested in creating one. In fact, a little while ago I had warned the Jama’at to avoid Facebook. There are many harms associated with it. I do not know whether someone made a silly mistake, whether an opponent did it, or some Ahmadi did it thinking he was committing a good act. Whatever the reason may be, we are trying to close the account and, Inshallah, it will be closed. There are more harms and less benefits in it.
I have individually been saying to people that Facebook leads to wrong actions and can be a source of worry for an individual. Girls need to be extremely careful in this regard. However, I want to make an announcement that you should ignore this Facebook [page] and no one should join it. People with Facebook accounts are visiting the page, reading it and commenting on it. This is wrong.
If a need arises for an official site like a Facebook page at a Jama’at level, we will create one in a secure way which cannot be accessed by everyone. It should just reflect Jama’at viewpoints and can be visited by anyone. I have been told that opponents [of the Jama’at] had commented [on the Facebook page]. It is an immoral act to create a Facebook page in someone else’s name without telling the person, even if it is done with good intention. Thus, whoever did it with good intention should immediately close it and offer Istighfār (repentance) and if it was created with ill-intent then Allah will deal with him. May Allah the exalted save us from all harm and may the Jama’at tread on the paths leading to progress.”
(Friday Sermon Delivered 31 December 2010 at Baitul Futuh Mosque, London. Published AlFazl International 21 January 2011)
Destruction through Cyber Attacks
In a Friday sermon, Huzoor-e-Anwar(aba) mentioned the tense relations between various countries and his concern over new ways of harming each other, he said:
“Then, there are new inventions. Humans have created easier ways to communicate, keep records, [manage] economy, and oversee systems. Computers can manage many tasks. However, these new innovations can lead to the destruction of the world. These days cyber-attacks are occurring in certain countries and sometimes all over the world. These destroy entire systems. Even here [England], the NHS system was destroyed. Systems of airports were destroyed. These cyber-attacks can lead to escalating tensions with catastrophic results, lead to wars, and lead to destruction. A NATO representative has explained that if there was a cyber-attack on NATO [alliance] or other sensitive systems in the world, then it can lead to a destructive war and we cannot afford a dangerous attack like that. They have given this warning! Thus, the world is creating means of its own destruction. They think that progress of the worldly people is a source for its protection. This itself can lead to destruction. The worldly people and worldly government leaders are oblivious to this because of their own selfish gains. Especially when the president of the largest apparent power in the world sits within his own shell and makes fantastical claims that the world will act according to his wishes. These things are further deteriorating the situation. One thing is clear that due to his arrogance he is determined to destroy every opponent, and due to his hatred of Muslims, destroy all Muslims as well. He is determined to eliminate all opponents no matter who they are. He is oblivious to the fact even he will not be safe from the dangerous results of the world resulting from various causes.”
(Friday Sermon Delivered 30 June 2017 at Baitul Futuh Mosque, London. Published AlFazl International 21 July 2017)
Deceit through letting someone use mobile phone
One may lend one’s phone to a known or unknown person to help him, but such an act can be dangerous. Syria has been mired in internal strife for a long time; an innocent Ahmadi from Syria was a victim of deceit. Announcing his funeral prayers, Huzoor-e-Anwar(aba) said:
“Next, I will lead the funeral prayer in absentia of Abdul Noor Jabi Sahib of Syria. He was born in 1989. Perhaps he was arrested by the local government. A detailed description is not available. Based on the few details that I have, a few months ago he received his degree from a business management university. He was arrested by government agents on 31 Dec 2013. The reason was that someone borrowed his phone to make a call to the rebels. This happened during the initial days of the unrest in Syria. Lending your phone to some at the time of need is not objectionable. Anyhow, one of the rebels took his phone and discussed some financial matters with his companions. Phones are intercepted and checked by governmental agencies for such matters. They arrested him and the investigation established that the call was made from his phone and he was in touch with the rebels. For this reason, he was arrested and then martyred. According to the medical report, he died three days after the arrest due to a severe blow to his head. The government police officers use torture. The condition of the government agents is the same as that of the rebels. The news of his death reached his family on 22 February 2016. Inna lillahe wa inna Ilaihe rajioon [To Allah we belong and to Him is the return].”
(Friday Sermon Delivered 18 March 2016 at Baitul Futuh Mosque, London. Published AlFazl International 08 April 2016)
Inappropriate use of the pictures of the Khulafa and avoiding innovations
Huzoor-e-Anwar(aba) advised the Jama’at against the dangerous effect of innovation through the spread of the sharing pictures (such as those used on Social Media). On one occasion he said:
“Hazrat Musleh Maud(ra) narrated an incident that the Promised Messiah(as) had his photograph taken. However, when a postcard was presented to him which had his photo on it, he said that this could not be allowed. He instructed the community that no one should purchase those cards. As a result, no one dared to repeat this. (from Khutbat-e Mahmood vol 14 page 214)
These days, however, I have noticed on some tweets and on WhatsApp that some people are trying to circulate that old post card. They have either acquired it from an elder, or purchased it from a shop that sells old books. This is wrong and should be stopped. The Promised Messiah(as) had his photograph taken so that people from far-off places, especially Europeans who could judge a character from facial characteristics, would see it and it would lead them to seek the truth. However, when the Promised Messiah(as) saw that people may turn this into a business and sell his photograph on postcards, he felt this may become a source of harmful innovation and he strictly forbade it. In some instances, he asked for the postcards to be destroyed. People who have businesses selling photographs and charge exorbitant prices should pay attention to the matter. Some colorize photographs of the Promised Messiah(as); although, no color photograph of him exists. This is completely wrong and should also be avoided. Also, incorrect use of photographs of Khulafa should be avoided.
Once a debate on cinema and bioscope (movie camera) started at a Shura in front of Hazrat Musleh Maud(ra). He said it is incorrect to say that cinema, bioscope and phonograph in themselves were something bad. Indeed, the Promised Messiah(as) listened to a phonograph and even wrote a poem for it which he asked to be read and then invited the Hindus so that they could listen to it. This is the couplet from the poem:
This voice is coming from the phonograph
Seek God from the heart, not through boasting and bragging
Thus, cinema in itself is not bad (people constantly ask whether it is a sin to go there. It is not bad in itself) but these days what is projected through it, is immoral. There is nothing wrong with a film which has tabligh and educational aspects and has no element of ‘show’ (there should be no dramatization). He said ‘putting on a show” etc. is wrong even when used for tabligh purposes. (from report of Majlise-mushawarat 1939, page 86)
This should clarify matters to those who suggest that it is alright if some music is used in MTA programs or it is acceptable if there is some music on Voice of Islam radio, a program that has recently launched. The Promised Messiah(as) had come to stop these harmful innovations and we have to mold our thoughts in accordance. It is neither forbidden, nor is it an innovation to take advantage of new inventions, but their wrong use makes them an innovation.
Some people are of the view that tabligh and tarbiyyat matters would be more impactful if there are presented in the form of a drama. It should always be remembered if you go down a wrong path or if you introduce something wrong in our program, then later a hundred harmful innovations will find their way. Some others might even think it is acceptable to recite the Holy Quran with music. However, an Ahmadi has to strive against these innovations. Hence, we should avoid such things and make a great effort to avoid such things.”
He then said:
“A non-Ahmadi wrote in a newspaper something amusing which also reveals the ignorance of a Maulvi [‘religious scholar’]. It also shows their thinking regarding what they consider lawful. The author wrote that an Arab female singer was singing in Arabic. They took the Maulvi sahib there. He listened to the song while swaying [to her vocals]. He asked Maulvi sahib why are you swaying along with this Arab. [The maulvi] was also saying SubhanAllah and MashaAllah and Allah-o-Akbar. He replied, can you not see how beautifully she is reciting the Qur’an! As the song was in Arabic, he thought it was the Holy Quran. This is how thoughts change with the spread of harmful innovations.”
(Friday Sermon Delivered 18 March 2016 at Baitul Futuh Mosque, London. Published AlFazl International 08 April 2016)