KOTA BARU: Those who spread unverified news on social media deserve to be labelled “slanderers” and “liars.”
Kelantan mufti Datuk Mohamad Shukri Mohamad said this applies to both disseminators and consumers of fake news.
He said that in Islam, it is a sin to spread unverified information and gossip.
"It is also a sin for you to receive and read news on social media that is unverified. News and sources of the news should be verified first.
"Spreading fake news is a serious offence, and it is stated in the Quran that slander is worse than murder.
"If a person commits a murder, it only involves the life of one person. But when they commit slander, their actions could affect many people – even an entire society.
“Therefore, it is a priority in Islam to take care of other people's welfare, because if slander spreads, it could have a negative impact on society," he said.
Mohamad Shukri stressed that he supports the government's move to enact a new law to curb the spread of fake news.
"This kind of move must be supported by everybody, because in our new borderless world, it is not easy to stop fake news. The new law may change that," he added.