Malaysia’s king slams Islamic diatribes on social media

Malaysian King Ibrahim Iskandar has asked Malaysians not to turn social media platforms into places of discussion and insults because such actions can only sow divisions and cause conflict, not only among Muslims but also between ethnic groups professing other faiths.

Speaking on Maal Hijrah (Islamic New Year), which is celebrated today, the sovereign stressed the importance of caution when looking for religious information online, urging people to make sure that the content is authentic and comes from authoritative sources.

“Do not shame others or viral shameful contents, as this will only cause division and conflict,” the king said during the celebrations at the Putrajaya International Convention Centre, expressing concern about the growing spread of misleading and inaccurate information related to Islam, especially teachings that deviate from Islamic principles.

“In the past, religious education primarily involved reading books and attending kuliah (religious classes) in mosques. Today, however, society increasingly turns to online sources like ‘Ustazah Facebook’ and ‘Ustaz TikTok’ for religious learning,” the king said. Ustaz is an honorific title for teachers and educators.

King Ibrahim urged the citizens of Malaysia to be demanding in their search for information, because inaccurate information can lead to confusion and divisions.

The government has also been urged to boost measures against content that deviates from Islamic precepts through a centre for the dissemination of correct information.

During the New Year’s ceremony, Datuk Mohd Na’im Mokhtar, the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department in charge of Religious Affairs, said that Muslims must work together to build a nation based on Islamic values.

“Enough of the infighting. It’s detrimental to both the religion and the country,” he said. It is necessary to “Put an end to all the hatred with the values of rahmah (compassion) and love,” he said, urging Muslims to take responsibility for preserving national harmony guided by the principle of fiqh ta’ayush (coexistence).

“Don’t use religious and racial sentiments as a means to gain support and pursue specific interests,” he added, noting that Maal Hijrah is an opportunity for all Muslims to open a new chapter, also vis-à-vis new technologies.

“Muslims must not be left behind in mastering knowledge for the country to prosper,’ he stressed