FatwaFederal TerritoriesEthics, Remembrance & Supplication
BAYAN LINNAS SIRI KE 182: BAHAYA FITNAH
What is the ruling on spreading slander and news whose authenticity has not been verified?
Short answer
In the Malay understanding, fitnah means a fabricated accusation meant to tarnish a person or party, and its ruling is forbidden.
A reference, not a fatwa. First sentence of the summary below — read the original fatwa and consult your state authority before acting.
- Authority
- Federal Territories Mufti Office
- Date
- Status
- Opinion (irsyad)
- Series
- Bayan Linnas
- Topic
- Ethics, Remembrance & Supplication
No evidence of gazettement in the source — this is not a gazetted fatwa.
Summary
In the Malay understanding, fitnah means a fabricated accusation meant to tarnish a person or party, and its ruling is forbidden. Fitnah occurs when someone invents news and spreads it, and also when someone passes on news without verifying it, whether or not the intention is to defame. The statement adds that spreading it through writing, mass media and social media falls under the same act.
Written in our own words from the original fatwa — check the source before acting on it.
Berdasarkan takrifan ini, hukum fitnah jelas haram dan ditegah.
Read the full fatwa on the Federal Territories website (new tab)
How to cite
Cite the original fatwa and its authority. Rujuk Fatwa is only where you found it.
Federal Territories Mufti Office. “BAYAN LINNAS SIRI KE 182: BAHAYA FITNAH”, 13 June 2019. https://muftiwp.gov.my/ms/artikel/bayan-linnas/3483-bayan-linnas-siri-ke-182. Found via Rujuk Fatwa: https://rujukfatwa.com/en/fatwa/ruling-on-spreading-slander-unverified-news/