User talk:Mohammad Shamsul Hoque Siddique

Shall we boycott facebook? It is not wise, I think, to produce Fotwa for using facebook to be haram. Facebook is one of the greatest means to spread Islamic ideology. Sheikh Abd Al-Hamid Al-Atrash, former head of the fatwa committee at Cairo's Al-Azhar University, said: Like satellite TV, social networking sites are a "double-edged sword. While they permit the spread of Islam, they allow people forbidden love and relations. Great Egyptian thinker Faji Jafjaf said: it is permissible to deal with "Facebook," "but in the context of benefiting. He said that in the site there is a part that allows participants to express their views, which means that if someone raise a issue, for example, that affect Islam, the Muslim's participation in that case be useful to identify, clarify and correct views of Islam, this is a general benefit, rather than avoiding it and leave those who do not understand Islam on their ignorance".

He stressed, saying: "Therefore, it is through acquaintance through Facebook can be raised issues where participation of a Muslim become important. On the contrary if we boycott whole site for some negative attitude of some users, it will count to be impractical. Thus it is permissible to be involved in Facebook, if there is benefit for human and religion. "

He was supported by Dr. Mustafa Shaka, a member of the Islamic Research Academy, who added: if the site has benefit there is nothing wrong, and if it is harmful eliminate it. " (http://www.islamonline.net/Arabic/news/2010-02/04/13.shtml) On the contrary to above mentioned Ulama's fatwa, Maulana Mufti Taqi Usmani (Allah save him) called to boycott facebook. I appreciate his fatwa. But at the same time would like to say: Is it the correct way to face the web-war. I consider this kind of fatwa is kind of withdrawing from frontier. Because people should not stop, as I think, using facebook as they did not stop using TV based upon ulama's Fatwa. Yes, some pious people may close their accounts. But the people needs to be called to Islam will continue and a time will come when everyone will feel that they have nothing to do against the overwhelming flood.

The better solution is to develop Islamic Social networking sites more powerful than facebook. Muslim world has money Alhamdulillah. They have also skilled men nowadays Alhamdulillah. Therefore it is only matter of intention to face the war by the same weapon.

Until then should we boycott facebook, because people use it in bad things such as portraying Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu Alaihi WA Sallam) and celebrating a day on this issue?

Ok. Let me say something before answering the question. We know that facebook users are numbering (40000000) four hundred million people around the world. Most of them are non-Muslims. Do we have, or can we have any other means to be connected to this huge number and convey the message of Islam? No. then what is the alternative? The alternative is using this unprecedented opportunity to convey the message of Islam, to show the beauty  of Prophet Mohammad's life, to convey his words and deeds.

There are many Islamic groups in facebook doing this job. And many converted to Islam through facebook as well.

So, it is better to create hundreds of thousands Islamic groups then boycott the facebook. With great respect I want to mention that we are living in the age of Dawah (Call people to Islam) rather than the age of Fatwa. We must give fatwa but differ between the things need fatwa and the things need Dawah.

Ok. Let us boycott facebook. Who will be loser in this case? Muslims will be loser I think. Before we produced fatwa against TV. The result was the Ulama and pious people did not think about using of concerning technology. They remained ignorant. Nowadays when TV entered every home we started to say: This technology must be used for the shake Islam-preaching. The same will happen when we will boycott facebook and other social networking sites. We will remain ignorant, and when, in the absence of Islamic pages and groups in these sites, our children will go astray we may start reconsidering and say: We must use this technology to save our children.

Sometimes fatwa produce counter product. Fatwa against Salman Rushdi and Taslima Nasrin is an obvious proof. Fatwa against Salman Rushdi made him a hero, besides made his book sales increase unprecedentedly. Satanic verses read worldwide and people knew the name Salman Rushdi and his book.

Same case with Taslima Nasrin. Fatwa made her a hero. And her book was translated worldwide.

At that time I was in Libya. Some of my friend spent US Dollar to get Nasrin's books and was read by all the Bangladeshi people leaving there. Many of the Bangladeshi was convinced by Tasimas thoughts. Many of them started protesting against Islam.

The same can be happen with the fatwa against facebook. Because most of the Ulama and pious people, especially, in subcontinent, did not accessed the facebook yet. Did not know what the facebook is. After this fatwa they will have curiosity and come to see what is there. Therefore user of facebook may increase.

There is Usul (Grammatical base of Amr bil Maruf and Nahi Anil Munker) that says: Before initiating to change the bad thing you conceder whether your step will cause to replace it with worst one. If so, leave the present bad thing in its place. Another Doctrinal base says: to drive the harm away takes precedence over bringing benefit ( دفع المضرة مقدم على جلب المنفعة)

Therefore if my fatwa makes a bad thing well-known and increase its use, which is (مضرة) so it is better to keep silent and do the things which may insure the better use of it.

In conclusion I would like to say that this new technology opened up a door for Islam, Islamic Ideology and Islamic lifestyles. Who will prevent us if we open thousands of pages to spread the real life of Prophet Mohammad (Sallallahu Alaihi Wa sallam)?

I think If our honorable Muftis produce a fatwa for All Ulama saying that every Alem must open a page in facebook to spread the life of Mohammad (Sallallahu Alaihi Wa sallam) and it is at list Farje Kefya in the contemporary situation, also Jihad bil kalima ( Jihad with word) it was more useful then the fatwa of boycott.