#165: Ruling on the Permissibility of a Muslim being a Journalist with a Station that does not Propagate Islām

176.*Question*

*Can a Muslim be a Journalist with a Station that doesn’t propagate Islām?*

_” Assalamualaikum. Pls what is the Islamic ruling on a Muslim brother/sister working as a journalist in a station that doesn’t have Islam as it’s top priority be it private or government owned station. Jazakallahu khairan”_

*Answer*

Wa alaykum Salām Warahmatullāh Wabarakātuh

Alhamdulillāh.

Beware that one of the ways of protecting, defending and propagating a cause is to speak in its defense and promote it with the tongue. For this reason, the Rasūl – salallāhu alayhi wasallam – considered speaking for the truth to be a form of Jihād.

Imām Al-Khatīb Al-Baghdādī – rahimahullāh – recorded in his _Al-Faqīh Wa Al-Mutafiqqih_ from Anas Ibn Mālik – radiyallāhu anhu – and Imām Ahmad in his Musnad that the Rasūl – salallāhu alayhi wasallam – said:

” جَاهِدُوا الْمُشْرِكِينَ بِأَمْوَالِكُمْ وَأَنْفُسِكُمْ وَأَلْسِنَتِكُم”

_”Make Jihād against rhe Mushrikīn with your wealth, your persons and with your tongues”_

And for the power of the tongue and the impact it has, the Rasul considered those that were responsible for inciting against the Muslims as enemy combatants…

That said, a journalist must realise that he/she occupies a very important and big position that serves to influence a lot of people. He must therefore ensure that he not only narrates and reports the truth, but also that he promotes the Truth with his journalism.

Therefore, the journalist that works in an established Station that serves to propagate and promote the Dīn, if his intention is right, will earn the reward of propagating the Dīn.

The journalist that works in a station that neither propagates Islām nor is against Islām, nor does anything contrary to Islām will, with the right intention, only be rewarded for seeking for a Halāl livelihood.

And, of the worst things a person can do is to be an employee in a Station that is Anti-Islām or has an anti-Muslim rhetoric that it seems to maintain as a theme. With respect to how severe such a station attacks Islām will be the degree with which it is an enemy combatant and a legal target of Jihad.

We ask Allah for guidance.

Allāhu A’alam
Bārakallāhu fīkum
Jazākumullāhu Khayran

7th Jumadal al ula 1438H

📚 *IslamNode*