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What is the Islamic ruling on practicing journalism, especially for women?

1 min readAlso available in العربية

Working in journalism is subject to the five rulings: It may be obligatory if it involves supporting the oppressed, refuting the enemies of religion, and exposing misconceptions, and it is considered jihad with the tongue and pen, and it is a fard kifayah (collective obligation). It may be mustahabb (recommended) if there is someone else who can defend Islam on your behalf or if it is for earning a lawful livelihood with Islamic controls. It may be mubah (permissible) in publishing permissible news and covering public conferences. It may be haram (forbidden) if it includes corruption such as lying, spreading discord, or supporting oppressors. It may be makrooh (disliked) if it involves legally disliked acts. As for women working in journalism, they must avoid tabarruj (display of adornment), mixing with men, and traveling without a mahram, and they must be careful not to exploit their beauty. They can practice jobs that do not necessitate a violation of Islamic law, such as writing articles.

Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026

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