Muslim Scholars Discuss Fake News, Worry Over Framing Of Islam, Muslims

Leading Muslim media scholars, professionals, politicians and religious leaders on Saturday converged on the Old Secretariat Mosque Hall, Ikeja GRA, Lagos, to discuss best approaches to tackle fake news and negative media framing of Islam as well as Muslims in both Nigeria and the global mainstream media.

It was at the 3rd Anniversary of Muslim News, which featured presentation of awards to the winners of Global and Nigerian Muslim Personalities of the Year 2020.

Welcoming the guests, the Chairman, Muslim Media Practitioners of Nigeria (MMPN) Lagos/Southwest Coordinator, Alhaji Kabir Alabi Garba said: “We are here today to celebrate with Muslim News Nigeria for marking the third anniversary of painstaking and resourceful reporting of Islam in Nigeria and across the Muslim world; and at the same time, rejoice with our brothers who emerged winners of #MNAwards.”

Speaking on “Curbing Negative Media Framing of Muslims: Best Approaches,” a veteran journalist and renowned columnist, Alhaji Femi Abbas said, “media framing of Islam dates back to 1859 when journalism was packaged to us alongside Christianity.

According to him, “Remember that journalism came to Nigeria in 1859. The place was Abeokuta. All sorts of things were parked into it, especially the ones that will affect Islam. Those that brought it to us packaged it alongside Christianity. Muslims do not see rivalry in other religions, but our counterparts see it as such.”

Alhaji Abbas, who won the Muslim Media Person of the Year 2020, congratulated the management of Muslim News, saying “I feel proud anytime I read Muslim News. I call on other online media to emulate them. I hope other online newspapers will try to borrow a leaf.

“This media issue is one of such things and we should now buckle down and work towards, because without information, there is no education; without education, there is no knowledge; and without knowledge, there is no Islam. May Allah, who provided this opportunity sustain and preserve it for us.

Founder of Islam Channel in United Kingdom, Mohamed Ali Harrath gave a practical illustration of media framing, narrating an incident that happened to him with the BBC after the November 2015 bombing in France, which led to the death many civilians.

The Tunisian-born, UK-based activist turned media entrepreneur, who emerged Global Muslim Media Person of the Year 2020 said, “They called me and asked me to take part in a debate on a live show at the BBC studio. I agreed with them and everything was arranged, including the transport and all.

“While the arrangement was on, they asked me, ‘by the way, what do you think of what happened?’ I told them what happened is a heinous crime because it’s against civilian. And, that was the end of it. No cab was there to pick me up, no participation, nothing, again! Because they thought I was going to come to the studio and call them kafir (unbelievers), who deserve to be killed. When they didn’t get that type of answer, which was what was on their mind, they didn’t invite me again,” he added.

He lamented the fact that Muslims do not invest in media and this makes them to be weaklings in the media industry.

“We don’t have much. Even the money that is put in the media is from the government to make dictators look good. That’s what is happening within the Muslim world.

“And that must change. We really need Muslims to invest in the media. We need Muslims to take part in the media. Media education, media collection and all of that,” he said.