
HAWANA 2023: The right and freedom to convey true information should not be mocked or played with
IPOH: The role of journalists in conveying true information is a right and freedom of expression that should not be joked or played with by any party.
Through the text of the Friday sermon throughout Perak issued by the Perak Islamic Religious Department (JAIPk), with the title ‘Journalism: Completing the task based on Islamic values’ also emphasized that the truth must be told the truth; vice versa.
The text said again, the task of finding and producing news, both in writing, hearing and sight, whether through newspapers, radio and television, or the increasingly popular and influential social media channels must be based on the truth.
“Journalists are media workers whose role is to deliver information and spread news.
“The information presented and the way the news is processed will influence the reader’s thoughts and actions,” he said.
He explained further, journalists usually fulfill three main roles which are getting and collecting information, processing news in a way that is easily understood by readers, listeners and viewers.
In addition, deliver and spread information as quickly as possible to the community.
“The task of journalists is filled with many challenges. When gathering information, they face various difficulties and dangerous situations.
“There are times when they have to stay up all night, exposed to weather changes, as well as an uncertain environment, not to mention when they are assigned to cover the news in areas hit by natural disasters or in areas involved in conflict and war.
“Some among them faced injuries and some even lost their lives. It was reported that in 2022, more than 67 media practitioners around the world died while carrying out their duties, the highest record compared to previous years,” he added.
He added that journalists who want to obtain God’s pleasure must understand, appreciate and practice the ethics of journalism based on Islam when completing their duties, especially in challenging times.
“Don’t let your self-respect be mortgaged, then choose to uphold the wet thread when delivering the news, when the truth is sacrificed, while wrongdoing is protected because of the attraction of material things in the form of wages, bribes, ranks, positions and titles,” he said.
In addition, the pulpit also left an order for journalists to fulfill their fardu kifayah obligations.
“Fulfilling entrusted responsibilities honestly, sincerely guided by manners based on Islamic values, including being open, fair, fair and balanced, and not slandering, so that work is accepted as worship that, God willing, will be rewarded in the hereafter by Allah SWT.
“Sifter the information received with the purpose of checking and verifying the validity of the information, as practiced by hadith scholars when narrating a hadith by ensuring its source and validity.
“Realize that the talent of writing is a gift from God. Therefore, do not abuse God’s gifted talent by allowing yourself to be used to spread slander because of the attraction of wages, material things, rewards, ranks and positions,” he said.
In addition, journalists need to take responsibility to jointly help develop a peaceful yet prosperous, independent and sovereign country.
The coverage related to the issue of journalism is in conjunction with the celebration of National Journalists’ Day (HAWANA) which takes place in Ipoh this Saturday and Sunday.
The Sultan of Perak, Sultan Nazrin Muizzuddin Shah also gave permission for three media practitioners to read Friday sermons at three mosques here on Friday.
They are the Head of the Sinar Harian Perak Bureau, Saifullah Ahmad at the Sultan Azlan Shah Mosque; Religious and Literary Feature Editor of Berita Harian, Mohd Nazmi Yaacob at the Sultan Idris Shah II Mosque and Broadcaster of Radio Television Malaysia (RTM) Perak, Mohd Fahmi Mohd Nor at the Muhibbuddin Shah Mosque, Ipoh.