Central Khutbah: “Verifying Information – An Obligation of the Believer and a Protection Against Injustice”
Allah, the Most High, says:
“O you who believe! If a wicked person brings you any news, verify it, lest you harm people unknowingly and then become regretful for what you have done.”
(Al-Hujurât, 6)
Through this verse, Allah establishes one of the most important principles of justice in human relations: no serious information should be accepted, spread, or used as a basis for judgment before its authenticity has been established. An unverified statement can damage a person’s honour, cause division, lead to injustice, and leave consequences that may later be difficult to repair.
Al-Hârith ibn Dirâr al-Khuzâ‘î embraced Islam and committed himself to collecting zakât from his people. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ appointed a time at which he would send a messenger to collect the zakât that had been gathered.
When Al-Walîd ibn ‘Uqbah set out to meet Al-Hârith, he remembered the conflict and hostility that had existed during the time of Jâhiliyyah between his family and Al-Hârith’s tribe. He became afraid and, without reaching Al-Hârith, returned to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. He told him that Al-Hârith had refused to hand over the zakât and had even intended to kill him.
However, Al-Hârith had not even seen Al-Walîd. When the messenger was delayed, Al-Hârith feared that something had happened that had incurred the anger of Allah and His Messenger. He therefore set out towards Madinah, accompanied by prominent members of his people, in order to personally deliver the zakât.
On the way, he encountered an army that had been sent towards him. When they explained to him why they had come, he swore that Al-Walîd had never come to him and that he had never met him. After Al-Hârith reached the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and explained what had actually happened, the verse was revealed commanding believers to verify information before acting upon it and causing injustice to someone.
Ibn Kathîr considered this narration among the strongest reports concerning the reason for the revelation of this verse. (At-Tabarânî, Al-Mu‘jam al-Kabîr; Ibn al-Athîr, Usd al-Ghâbah, 3/585; Ibn Kathîr, Tafsîr al-Qur’ân al-‘Azîm, 6/708; As-Suyûtî, Ad-Durr al-Manthûr, 7/556.)
Allah begins this verse with the words, “O you who believe,” indicating that a responsible attitude towards information is directly connected to faith. The believer does not act hastily, follow rumours, or draw conclusions based on assumptions. His faith obliges him to be just, cautious, and aware of the consequences of his words and actions.
Faith is not merely a conviction of the heart. It is manifested through words, confirmed through actions, increases through obedience to Allah and the doing of good, and decreases through sins and disobedience.
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
“Faith has seventy-odd branches. The best of them is the statement: ‘There is no deity worthy of worship except Allah,’ and the least of them is removing something harmful from the road. Modesty is also a branch of faith.”
(Al-Bukhârî, no. 9; Muslim, no. 35.)
In the hadith concerning the delegation of the tribe of ‘Abd al-Qays, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ explained that faith includes bearing witness that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, establishing prayer, giving zakât, fasting the month of Ramadan, and giving one-fifth of the spoils of war. (Al-Bukhârî, no. 53.)
Imam Mâlik said:
“Faith consists of speech and action; it increases and decreases.”
(Tartîb al-Madârik, 1/53.)
Imam Ash-Shâfi‘î also said:
“Faith consists of speech and action; it increases and decreases.”
(Manâqib ash-Shâfi‘î, 1/387–393.)
‘Abdullah ibn Mas‘ûd, may Allah be pleased with him, said that when a believer hears the words “O you who believe” in the Qur’an, he should pay close attention, because what follows contains either something good that he is commanded to do or something evil that he is forbidden from doing. (Ibn Abî Hâtim, Tafsîr, 3/902, no. 9027.)
The term “information” in this verse refers to important news that may have consequences for a person’s honour, rights, safety, or standing in society. The command to verify such information means that one should not rush to accept it, transmit it, or act upon it before it has been confirmed.
Before expressing an opinion, conveying information to others, or taking any action, a person must establish what actually happened. One should verify the source, listen to the other side, consider the circumstances, and distinguish facts from assumptions.
Unverified information may be completely fabricated, partially accurate, or presented without essential context. A person who accepts it without verification may commit an injustice even though that was not his intention. Good intentions, however, do not remove responsibility for harm caused by careless transmission of information.
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
“It is sufficient falsehood for a person to narrate everything he hears.”
(Muslim, no. 5.)
Al-Munâwî explains that in everyday life a person hears both true and false information. If he transmits everything that reaches him, he will inevitably transmit things that are untrue. Lying therefore does not consist only of deliberately inventing something; it can also include transmitting information that does not correspond to reality, even when the person transmitting it was unaware that it was inaccurate. (Fayd al-Qadîr, 2/5.)
Al-Khattâbî said that information should be verified before it is transmitted and that nothing should be reported except what has a reliable source and comes from a trustworthy person. (Ma‘âlim as-Sunan, 7/267.)
In the work ‘Awn al-Ma‘bûd, it is stated that it is unacceptable to spread information based on doubts, speculation, or assumptions. Information must have a clear and reliable source, and the person transmitting it should be convinced of its accuracy rather than relying merely on what appears possible to him. (’Awn al-Ma‘bûd, 13/315.)
When Abû Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, was asked about the inheritance share of a grandmother, he did not immediately make a decision based on his own opinion. Rather, he asked the Companions whether they knew anything concerning the matter. Al-Mughîra ibn Shu‘ba, may Allah be pleased with him, informed him that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ had given the grandmother one-sixth of the inheritance. Although Al-Mughîra was a Companion and a trustworthy person, Abû Bakr, as an additional precaution, asked for another witness. Muhammad ibn Maslama, may Allah be pleased with him, then confirmed his statement. (Abû Dâwûd, no. 2894.)
Imam Mâlik said to Ibn Wahb:
“Know that a person will not be safe if he transmits everything he hears.”
(Sharh an-Nawawî ‘alâ Sahîh Muslim, 1/75.)
This example shows that verifying information is not a sign of hostility, suspicion, or disrespect towards another person. Rather, it is an expression of responsibility, caution, and the desire to preserve truth and people’s rights.
In the age of social media, this Qur’anic instruction has particular importance. News, photographs, videos, statements, and accusations spread within seconds, often without a known source, without context, and without any immediate possibility of establishing their authenticity.
Many people transmit information simply because someone posted it, sent it to a group, or presented it in a convincing manner. Yet statements such as “I heard,” “People are saying,” “Everyone knows it,” or “I saw it on the internet” are neither proof nor justification for spreading information.
The believer must pause before sharing, publishing, or telling something to others. He should ask himself: Who is the source of this information? Is the source reliable? Is there confirmation? Has the other side been heard? Could spreading this information cause injustice or harm to someone?
Anyone who spreads unverified information bears a share of responsibility for the consequences that may result from it. This may include damaging someone’s reputation, causing an argument, breaking family or friendship ties, encouraging hostility, or leading to the wrongful condemnation of an innocent person.
It is particularly dangerous to spread unverified claims concerning people’s honour, faith, family, work, or wealth. A single thoughtless word can leave a mark that cannot be erased even after the truth has been established.
Allah, the Most High, warns against those who spread false and disturbing reports:
“If the hypocrites, those whose hearts are diseased, and those who spread rumours in Madinah do not desist, We will surely give you authority over them, then they will not remain your neighbours there except for a short while. They are cursed…”
(Al-Ahzâb, 60–61.)
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ also mentioned a man who was being punished by having his face torn from the front to the back of his head because he would tell a lie that would then spread in all directions. (Al-Bukhârî, no. 7047.)
The responsibility is even greater when transmitting statements attributed to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. It is not permissible to spread a hadith simply because it sounds beautiful, evokes emotions, speaks of a great reward, or corresponds to the message someone wishes to convey.
If a person is unable to assess the authenticity of a hadith himself, he should ask knowledgeable scholars or consult reliable sources. Only after being certain that the hadith is authentic or acceptable may he attribute it to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
“Whoever deliberately lies about me, let him prepare his place in the Fire.”
(Al-Bukhârî, no. 1291; Muslim, no. 3004.)
He also said:
“Whoever narrates a hadith which he knows or believes to be false is himself one of the liars.”
(Muslim, Introduction to the Sahîh.)
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ also warned against people who would transmit strange and unfamiliar stories that neither Muslims nor their ancestors had heard, and he instructed believers to beware of such people and their words. (Muslim, Introduction to the Sahîh.)
This does not mean that every piece of information transmitted by an unknown or unreliable person should simply be rejected. Such information should neither be accepted nor rejected without verification; rather, its truthfulness should be investigated.
Even information coming from a trustworthy person may sometimes require additional verification, particularly when it is unusual, contradicts established facts, is reported by only one person, concerns someone with whom the transmitter is in conflict, or could lead to serious consequences.
The reliability of a person does not mean that he is infallible. A person may misunderstand what he saw, forget part of an event, transmit something without knowing the full context, or unintentionally connect two different pieces of information.
It is therefore just to listen to both sides. No one should be condemned solely on the basis of one person’s claim, particularly in matters involving a dispute, conflict, or personal interests.
Neglecting to verify information leads to injustice, disorder, and support for liars. It often also leads to later regret, apologies, and attempts to repair harm that could have been prevented through one simple act of verification.
The believer should protect his tongue, the honour of others, and the unity of the community. He does not transmit every piece of information he hears or every message he receives. Before passing something on, he considers its source, its meaning, and its possible consequences.
Verifying information is therefore not merely a good habit or a recommended quality. It is a Qur’anic command, a religious obligation, and a sign of a responsible, just, and mature believer.
Whoever guards his tongue and refrains from participating in the spread of rumours protects himself from sin, protects others from injustice, and protects the community from division. But whoever transmits everything he hears exposes himself to the danger of becoming a means of spreading falsehood, even if he never intended to lie.
(Central khutbah by the Muslim Religious Leader Hafiz Hilmija Redžić on July 31, 2026, at the “Centre Culturel Islamique Nordstad” in Diekirch)
