Psychological warfare is the strategic use of propaganda, disinformation and manipulative tactics to influence the perceptions, break the moral or alter the behaviour of people. In the following article we see how this was used in an Islamic context.
In the name of Allah, Most Beneficient, Ever Merciful
After posting a video of the KZN Juloos Meelad un Nabi last year, there were lots of unprovoked criticism leveled at our event and the celebration of Meelad un Nabi. Click link below to see video.
One of the psychological techniques that these people used so as to create doubts was to deceptively classifying Meelad un Nabie as being ‘Bidath” (innovation).
Although we quoted Quranic verses to show that this event is not ‘Bidath’ (but on the contrary, it (Meelad un Nabi) is a very important duty of a Muslim. And we even told them that this event has history. Our ancestors did it and it takes place in many countries throughout the world, they would not take heed.
We also tried to explain to them in the comment section, that it was unfair that they should so strongly criticise our event as ‘Bidath’ while they ignored real practices of ‘Bidath’ such as the ‘halaal’ certification industry which has come about in very recent times and this is all about using religion to make money.
Next, they brought ‘salaah’ into the picture to imply that they are good, pious Muslims and we should listen to them. There was nothing about ‘salaah’ in our video but these people deviously brought this into the argument to mislead people.
These are some of their comments:
“Streets get full (for the KZN Juloos Meelad un Nabi) – mosque stays empty.“ Yet another said: “On the day of Qiyamah, ‘Salah’ will be the first thing that will be questioned, not how far you walked for ‘Juloos’ or who stood for ‘salami’. The most important thing is that we perform ‘salaah’.“
In these comments they made assumptions that all those that attended the KZN Juloose Meelad un Nabi do not pray. They also mistakenly use ‘Salah” as the criterion to judge weather a person is a good Muslim or not.
‘Salaah, is not the criterion but having ‘Emaan’ is that which would grant us paradise. Loving the Holy Prophet Muhammad Salallahu Alayhe Wa-Aalihi Wasallam is a fundamental pre-requisite to attaining ‘Emaan’ and this event is about creating love for our Prophet SAW.
The bigger picture that comes through here is that, such fault finding is not about Meelad un Nabi or Salaah but it is about someone trying to score points or make themselves out to be the person that everyone looks up to, the leader.
Worst of all, these unfounded criticisms have really created ‘fitnah’ (divisions) in our once united community.
Our most important prayer, Surah Al Fatiha teaches us to seek protection from those that mislead. If we study this particular movement and their use of the term “bidath” and their claim to superiority by showing that they pray, we would realise just how influential and destructive such people were in the past.
An important fact comes through when we uncover such mass deception; Islam is truly amazing, in that this topic of deception is brought to our attention at the very highest level. Deception is talked about in our most important prayer, ‘Surah Al Fatiha’ which is the Mother of Al Quraan and the most important part of our prayer.
What comes through is that the onous is on us to save ourselves from being deceived. There are internal changes we have to make which would save us from deception. We have done a few articles on discernment and one of our opening articles on our home-page is on discernment.
Lets pray sincerely, with Allah consciousness and Insh-Allah, Allah SWT will guide us all on the Sirat-ul-mustakeem, through His chosen ones and He will save us from those who mislead, Ameen! End
Below, tap link to watch video of last Years KZN Juloos Meelad Un Nabi and read comments.
https://vt.tiktok.com/ZS4Lds4ba/