Social Media and Privacy
351 questions
Is it permissible to use forbidden methods – such as creating a fake account in the name of a girl and publishing sexually explicit phrases to attract sexually liberated women – with the aim of shutting down pornographic pages on the internet, knowing that this exposes me to reading content that incites lust and promotes immorality, and causes me to feel guilty?
What is the ruling on publishing verses from the Holy Quran on social media sites like "Facebook," where they appear below inappropriate pictures or are mixed with other posts, and is this considered mockery of the word of Allah?
Is it obligatory to alert someone who errs in writing certain religious phrases, such as "Lā ʾilāha ʾillā Allāh" (There is no god but Allah), on social media, and is one sinful for not doing so?
Is men's conversation with girls via social media about matters of revolution and coordination groups, using titles such as "my brother" and "my sister," considered suspicious or a betrayal of Allah and of the wife, even if the wife is aware of it and the sole purpose is to gather information and investigate news?
What is the ruling on working to supervise and promote commercial company products via social media and writing articles about them, or giving opinions on them for a fee?
Is it permissible to mention the family's original name—in which a letter has been changed—in personal life and on social media, or must one adhere to the officially adopted name?
What is the ruling on swearing to forbid one's wife if she enters social media sites except to speak with her husband or her brother, or if she wishes to speak with her mother? And what is the Sharia ruling regarding divorcing her for not obeying him in several matters, and do her rights, such as the deferred dower, fall away?
What is the ruling on speaking with a girl via Facebook, considering each other as siblings and only for the purpose of mutual benefit, especially since the mothers have approved of it?
What is the ruling regarding my remaining with my wife after discovering that she used to speak with men online and on the phone in her youth?
What is the ruling on being named "Servant of the the Messenger of Allah" (peace be upon him), which is widespread on social media platforms?
What is the ruling on creating a mixed-gender family WhatsApp group (men and women) to check on the well-being of married relatives dispersed in different countries, with the intention of maintaining kinship ties?
Does divorce take place in the following two situations: 1. When the wife asks her husband: "Are you going to the device and divorcing me with three?" and the husband shakes his head defiantly without intending divorce, then whispers about his intention plague him? 2. When the husband says to his wife: "If you tell anyone about my financial and social privacy, then you are divorced" twice, and "If you go out in this abaya, then you are divorced" once, and does divorce take place if she does that inadvertently?
What is the ruling on requesting the recitation of "Hawqalah" (لا حول ولا قوة إلا بالله) with the intention of facilitating matters, achieving success, healing, alleviating distress, or fulfilling wishes on social media groups? Is this considered an innovation (bid'ah)? And is it permissible to write the Hawqalah in comments in response to such requests?
Can a mother be considered a dayyouthah if she knew about her daughters' conversations with strangers online and did not prevent them, knowing that this goes against her wishes?
What is the ruling on watching conservative reality TV shows that do not contain women or music, and in which only men participate? Is it permissible for a girl to design promotional materials for the participants and publish them on social media, or to encourage, support, and vote for them?
Is it permissible to give charity on behalf of the owner of a compromised business account if he refuses compensation, and will Allah forgive the perpetrator and the account owner?
Is chatting and getting to know one another using pseudonyms between young men and women for the purpose of amusement over the internet forbidden, and what is the ruling of Islamic law on it?
What is the difference, in terms of Sharia ruling, between Messenger, chat rooms, and forums? And does the ruling differ based on the topic of conversation or the medium used?
What is the ruling on supplicating for or giving charity on behalf of everyone who watched or published a clip on social media, and does the reward reach everyone who watched or published it?
Is it permissible to open an account to spread Islam on social media without the parents' permission, knowing that they object to it, and would he be sinful for doing so, and would that affect the expected reward?
What is the ruling on accessing news that covers a scandal involving a specific individual, without disseminating it? And is this considered scrutinizing private matters if the reader seeks out the details himself on social media platforms?
Is it permissible to publish scientific achievements on social media to share them with others, despite the fear of falling into ostentation (riya') or the desire to impress, and recognizing the importance of announcing these achievements in this era?
Is it permissible for a woman to have non-mahram male relatives as friends on Facebook, and what are the limits of interaction with them, such as asking about their well-being and talking to them via Facebook?
What is the ruling on exaggerating one's love for a shaykh to the extent of imitating his dress and posting his pictures on social media, and where does such love stand in comparison to the love of the Prophet (peace be upon him)? And what are the guidelines for loving shaykhs?