Today’s Three-Faced Muslims!
Islam is a pure religion. It teaches us to be sincere in expressing what we have in our hearts without any hypocrisy. We are also advised to appear with the facial and physical features that Allah has presented to us. In other words Muslims are strictly forbidden to be hypocrites or two-faced.
There was a time when most of the Muslims were following proper teachings of the Qur’an and the Sunnah of Rasulullah Sallallahu ‘alaihi Wasallam. They were honest and straightforward in their thinking, in their deeds and in their deals.
Even in their appearance they preferred to remain single-faced. The men’s faces featured beards while the women appeared with their veils, applying minimum herbal makeups.
In short, their words, their actions and their appearances matched their single-faced natures.
When Muslims started leaving the pure teachings of Islam as per the Qur’an and the Sunnah of Rasulullah Sallallahu ‘alaihi Wasallam and started adopting the foreign cultures, they turned into hypocrites! Outwardly they would feign to have desirable qualities in them but in their private lives they were totally different beings.
Although they appeared to be practicing Muslims to the extent that they came to the Masjid five times a day, fasted during the month of Ramadhan, and went for Hajj/Umrah, they also developed in their natures the practices of telling lies, backbiting, taking or giving interest, listening to music, watching movies etc.
Even their appearances became un-Islamic. They started following the western trends in their attire and also in their haircuts. Their faces too did not display any signs of the Mubarak Sunnah of Rasulullah Sallallahu ‘alaihi Wasallam. The first thing man did as soon as he woke up was to shave his beard or (or trim it short, contrary to the Sunnah length!), and the first thing woman did was to apply powder, lipsticks and other forms of make-up for public display!
In short, some of us became two faced Muslims!
And then arrived the internet!
With the advent of the internet many Muslims started to fall into Shaytan’s various traps. One of these traps is connected with the Social Medias! When people all over the world started posting their profiles and their selfies in social medias, many Muslims also followed ‘the Crowd! The selfies of the Muslim men and women started appearing in various social medias like Facebook, Instagram and so on!
According to many reliable Ahadeeth, making Tasweer (picture making or photo taking) of living beings is forbidden in Islam. Thus taking pictures and videos of living beings is not allowed in Islam, no matter which methods or means are used.
Some of us might argue that some Muftis and Ulama say taking digital pictures and videos is not forbidden.
It would then mean that there is a difference of opinion amongst the Ulama regarding this issue. In that case the matter falls in the category of ‘doubtful’. We are told in a hadeeth “…He who guards against doubtful things keeps his religion and honour blameless…“ [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]. Hence we should always keep away from such acts.
The matter does not end here. There are many who are not satisfied with the appearances Allah has granted them. They have become keen on changing their appearances in their selfies.
A short time ago they preferred to have their selfies manipulated by experts and professionals. But now technology has marched to such an extent that people are no more relying on these professions and experts to change their appearances. They have easy access to edit photos they post online.
Countless apps have been created to allow smartphone users tools to modify personal images. These apps allow people to edit virtually every aspect in the photos featuring their faces and their bodies. People can now alter their skin complexion, hair colour, body shape, and other features as per their wishes.
In short, we have now started living in a world where nearly anyone can create and share a fake image. Thus a lot of cheating is going on-line through these fake images. Not only a 52 year-old person can appear like 25 year-old one but also someone who is 71 year-old can now look like a 17 year-old!
Together with ‘Fake Photo Cheating’, in their personal descriptions too lies have started creeping in! In the social media they post their ‘personal profiles’ as per their whims and fancies.
Many ‘Haraam’ relationships have emerged due to the arrival of ‘Fake Photo Cheating’!
In short we can say that in this ‘Virtual World’, the two faced Muslims have now started turning into Three-faced Muslims!!!
Technology is advancing by leaps and bounds! If this is the scenario in the present times then what will it be in the near future? It really is very scaring even to think how the future Muslim generation is going to behave.
May Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala guide us to come to our single-faced natures as per the teachings of the Qur’an and and the Mubarak Sunnah of our Beloved Nabi Muhammad Sallallahu ‘alayhi Wasallam…Ameen.
…and Allah Ta’ala knows best
By: M.B.Ahmed
