A torrent of rumour
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- Category: Philosofaith
- Written by M. U. Ndagi
- Hits: 507
As a result of poor governing styles, accession of wicked persons to positions of leadership and responsibility, maladministration, corruption, injustice and widespread poverty; some evils are gradually taking the place of norms in the private life of Nigerians. Unless deliberate and concrete measures are taken to address the challenges posed by these social vices, they could soon (Allah forbids) become part of the national life of Nigerians. One of such vices is rumour-peddling.
Rumour is one of the three most heinous evils of the tongue; the others being lying and back-biting. The last has been widened to include gossip which social researchers describe as the hobby and exclusive preserve of women. Rumour is a concept that lacks a precise definition in the social sciences. While rumour is supposedly about public issues, gossip is about private and trivial things. Some scholars identify rumour as a subset of propaganda, the latter being another difficult concept to define. In any case, rumour as viewed by many writers is “unverified account or explanation of events circulating from person to person and pertaining to an object, event, or issue in public concern”.In contemporary Nigeria, government officials as well as agencies have both become part of the nuisance of rumour. Unfortunately, only a few people show concern. Some have not even taken note of the harm it does to the social and moral fabrics of the society. Nearly everyone today, due to collapse of the system, tend to rely on rumour as basis to either take or ignore an action. Reported speech is the more common of the two forms in which rumour is rendered by many people. In this form, you would hear “he said…; “she said….” or “they said…”. The second form is the passive voice which is when you hear “it is being said that…” or “It was said that…” The message carried by the words in either form of a rumour (reported speech and passive voice) often amounts to either misinformation which is simply interpreted as ordinary rumour or misinformation which on the other hand implies deliberate falsehood that is largely used by government for specific purpose(s).
It is rumour peddling when you share an unconfirmed story with others. We are advised to avoid being talkative because such is an overt trait of rumouring. Anyone who keeps the company of those whose main source of information is no other than bus stops, motor parks or food canteens is a potential rumour peddler. It is common to hear rumours about the private life of people, especially as such may concern negative aspects of inter-personal relationships. Some common statements of rumour may include: “They said he is impotent”; “It is being said that she aborted the pregnancy”; “I learnt he was dismissed from service”; “They said he chases the man’s wife when he is away”; etc.
To slander a chaste woman, indeed, is one of the worst forms of rumour. Wife of the Prophet (SAW), Aisha (RA) once found herself in extreme pain and anguish for a whole month because of false rumours spread then about her. Naive indiscretion sometimes lands good-natured women and those who hold them dear, in difficulties. Such was the case with Aisha (RA). Allah (SWT) states in Qur’an 24: 23 & 24 “Those who slander chaste women, indiscreet but believing, are cursed in this life and in the hereafter: for them is a grievous penalty; on the Day when their tongues, their hands, and their feet will bear witness against them as to their actions”.
Rumour spreads like wild fire. It travels fast among vulnerable groups of people including the poverty-ridden and the unemployed. “An idle mind”, they say, “is a devil’s workshop”. A society where people live in fear, worry and anger or where there is so much mistrust among citizens or where injustice is the rule rather than the exception is always a fertile ground for creating and sustaining rumour and its mongers. The emergence of mobile cell phones and other tools of information and communication technology has further helped rumour to thrive among people. Rumour in the context of modern technology may be considered as a “Narrative Improvised Explosive Device (NIED)” that is low-cost (requiring limited resources) and of course utilizes low-tech means of communication (i.e. the tongue) which man uses to cause chaos and confusion that can sometimes be deadly for those in its direct path.
The social consequences of rumour are many. It reduces the credibility of those who spread it. Rumouring is a waste of time and energy. Time that ought to have been utilized productively in the service of Allah (SWT) and in the creation of wealth, acquisition of knowledge or other profitable ventures is wasted by those who find pleasure in spreading slanders. Rumour hurts people and therefore destroys relationships and reputations. It brings about increased anxiety in an already tensed up environment. It is haram (forbidden) in Islam to create fear or tension in the minds of people. Rumouring especially in formal organizations creates camps or cliques and divides people because as people believe in whatever they hear, they tend to take sides.
When rumour spreads and gets to your hearing, Islam requires you to investigate and ascertain the truth especially when such is emanating from persons you do not know or from individuals with questionable character. If you believe in everything you hear and thus pass it on, much harm may be done to the general public for which you may have cause afterwards to repent. The spread of unconfirmed rumours during the 2011 post-election violence that erupted in some northern states of Nigeria accounted for the kind of violence that accompanied the uprising.
Allah (SWT) enjoins in Qur’an 49:6 “O ye who believe! If a wicked person comes to you with any news, ascertain the truth lest ye harm people unwillingly and afterwards become full of repentance for what ye have done”. Some rumours are self-invalidating because they tend to go against logic and commonsense. A recent text message that went round saying palm oil brought from the east to markets in northern states of the country has been contaminated with poison is believed to be one of such false rumours. However, agencies like NAFDAC; the National Orientation Agency (NOA), the print and electronic media each has roles to play in guiding the society and protecting it from the hazards of rumour. May Allah (SWT) guide us against becoming rumour mongers, amin. Happy Eid ul-Maulid to all readers!
The judgment passed on Al-Mustapha and Co:
Commentators and human rights activists have reacted to the judgment passed by a Lagos High Court early in the week in the lawsuit brought against Major Hamza Al-Mustapha and Alhaji Shofolahan over the murder of Alhaja Kudirat Abiola. It is indeed difficult for many to understand whether the judgment after thirteen years of trial is justice denied or justice accomplished. This column believes that there is yet no cause for alarm since the suspects have appealed against the judgment at a court with higher jurisdiction. The Supreme Court is also there if fair hearing is denied at the appeal court. Is Allah not the Wisest of judges?
Articles
A torrent of rumour
Category: Philosofaith Written by M. U. Ndagi Hits: 507
As a result of poor governing styles, accession of wicked persons to positions of leadership and responsibility, maladministration, corruption, injustice and widespread poverty; some evils are gradually taking the place of norms in the private life of Nigerians. Unless deliberate and concrete measures are taken to address the challenges posed by these social vices, they could soon (Allah forbids) become part of the national life of Nigerians. One of such vices is rumour-peddling.
Rumour is one of the three most heinous evils of the tongue; the others being lying and back-biting. The last has been widened to include gossip which social researchers describe as the hobby and exclusive preserve of women. Rumour is a concept that lacks a precise definition in the social sciences. While rumour is supposedly about public issues, gossip is about private and trivial things. Some scholars identify rumour as a subset of propaganda, the latter being another difficult concept to define. In any case, rumour as viewed by many writers is “unverified account or explanation of events circulating from person to person and pertaining to an object, event, or issue in public concern”.In contemporary Nigeria, government officials as well as agencies have both become part of the nuisance of rumour. Unfortunately, only a few people show concern. Some have not even taken note of the harm it does to the social and moral fabrics of the society. Nearly everyone today, due to collapse of the system, tend to rely on rumour as basis to either take or ignore an action. Reported speech is the more common of the two forms in which rumour is rendered by many people. In this form, you would hear “he said…; “she said….” or “they said…”. The second form is the passive voice which is when you hear “it is being said that…” or “It was said that…” The message carried by the words in either form of a rumour (reported speech and passive voice) often amounts to either misinformation which is simply interpreted as ordinary rumour or misinformation which on the other hand implies deliberate falsehood that is largely used by government for specific purpose(s).
It is rumour peddling when you share an unconfirmed story with others. We are advised to avoid being talkative because such is an overt trait of rumouring. Anyone who keeps the company of those whose main source of information is no other than bus stops, motor parks or food canteens is a potential rumour peddler. It is common to hear rumours about the private life of people, especially as such may concern negative aspects of inter-personal relationships. Some common statements of rumour may include: “They said he is impotent”; “It is being said that she aborted the pregnancy”; “I learnt he was dismissed from service”; “They said he chases the man’s wife when he is away”; etc.
To slander a chaste woman, indeed, is one of the worst forms of rumour. Wife of the Prophet (SAW), Aisha (RA) once found herself in extreme pain and anguish for a whole month because of false rumours spread then about her. Naive indiscretion sometimes lands good-natured women and those who hold them dear, in difficulties. Such was the case with Aisha (RA). Allah (SWT) states in Qur’an 24: 23 & 24 “Those who slander chaste women, indiscreet but believing, are cursed in this life and in the hereafter: for them is a grievous penalty; on the Day when their tongues, their hands, and their feet will bear witness against them as to their actions”.
Rumour spreads like wild fire. It travels fast among vulnerable groups of people including the poverty-ridden and the unemployed. “An idle mind”, they say, “is a devil’s workshop”. A society where people live in fear, worry and anger or where there is so much mistrust among citizens or where injustice is the rule rather than the exception is always a fertile ground for creating and sustaining rumour and its mongers. The emergence of mobile cell phones and other tools of information and communication technology has further helped rumour to thrive among people. Rumour in the context of modern technology may be considered as a “Narrative Improvised Explosive Device (NIED)” that is low-cost (requiring limited resources) and of course utilizes low-tech means of communication (i.e. the tongue) which man uses to cause chaos and confusion that can sometimes be deadly for those in its direct path.
The social consequences of rumour are many. It reduces the credibility of those who spread it. Rumouring is a waste of time and energy. Time that ought to have been utilized productively in the service of Allah (SWT) and in the creation of wealth, acquisition of knowledge or other profitable ventures is wasted by those who find pleasure in spreading slanders. Rumour hurts people and therefore destroys relationships and reputations. It brings about increased anxiety in an already tensed up environment. It is haram (forbidden) in Islam to create fear or tension in the minds of people. Rumouring especially in formal organizations creates camps or cliques and divides people because as people believe in whatever they hear, they tend to take sides.
When rumour spreads and gets to your hearing, Islam requires you to investigate and ascertain the truth especially when such is emanating from persons you do not know or from individuals with questionable character. If you believe in everything you hear and thus pass it on, much harm may be done to the general public for which you may have cause afterwards to repent. The spread of unconfirmed rumours during the 2011 post-election violence that erupted in some northern states of Nigeria accounted for the kind of violence that accompanied the uprising.
Allah (SWT) enjoins in Qur’an 49:6 “O ye who believe! If a wicked person comes to you with any news, ascertain the truth lest ye harm people unwillingly and afterwards become full of repentance for what ye have done”. Some rumours are self-invalidating because they tend to go against logic and commonsense. A recent text message that went round saying palm oil brought from the east to markets in northern states of the country has been contaminated with poison is believed to be one of such false rumours. However, agencies like NAFDAC; the National Orientation Agency (NOA), the print and electronic media each has roles to play in guiding the society and protecting it from the hazards of rumour. May Allah (SWT) guide us against becoming rumour mongers, amin. Happy Eid ul-Maulid to all readers!
The judgment passed on Al-Mustapha and Co:
Commentators and human rights activists have reacted to the judgment passed by a Lagos High Court early in the week in the lawsuit brought against Major Hamza Al-Mustapha and Alhaji Shofolahan over the murder of Alhaja Kudirat Abiola. It is indeed difficult for many to understand whether the judgment after thirteen years of trial is justice denied or justice accomplished. This column believes that there is yet no cause for alarm since the suspects have appealed against the judgment at a court with higher jurisdiction. The Supreme Court is also there if fair hearing is denied at the appeal court. Is Allah not the Wisest of judges?