Ahlul Bayt (AS) International News Agency - ABNA: Hojjat al-Islam wal-Muslimin Mohammad Hossein Amin, a religious author and researcher, has written a special piece for ABNA News Agency examining how to manage news consumption during the crisis conditions of war.
Today's world is a battlefield of narratives, and the primary target in this battlefield is none other than "the human heart." Bad news—from natural disasters to war crimes and economic turmoil—is designed and disseminated in such a way as to make it seem as though evil has overtaken the world. But for a believing person, news is only the outer shell of reality, while the truth of the universe unfolds elsewhere. Despair in this space is not a natural reaction; rather, it is surrendering to a sinister plot that seeks to sever the connection between the creature and the Creator.
Reexamining the Structure of the Universe: Beyond the Headlines
The first step to being safe from the onslaught of bad news is to correct one's view of the world. The Holy Quran teaches us that the world has an Owner, and no leaf falls without His permission: «وَمَا تَسْقُطُ مِنْ وَرَقَةٍ إِلَّا یَعْلَمُهَا» [1] — "And no leaf falls but that He knows it." No matter how terrifying bad news may be, it falls within the sphere of divine power and providence. When we know that "God" encompasses all of existence, we no longer see news from the perspective of a world abandoned to its own devices. This outlook grants a person such tranquility that even amidst chaos, their inner peace is not stripped away.
Despair stems from "seeing the causes but not seeing the Cause of causes" (رؤیت اسباب و ندیدن مسببالاسباب). One who stares only at the television screen or their mobile phone sees material powers as great and problems as unsolvable. But religion teaches us that news is only a part of the outward face of the world, while the inner reality of the world is in God's hands.
We must know that much bad news is produced and disseminated with the aim of creating "fear." Whereas if the heart is anchored in faith that relies upon a God whose power is above all powers, the heart will not be overcome by this news, and stress will not be born from it. Faith has taught us that the divine norm (سنت الهی) is that «إِنَّ مَعَ الْعُسْرِ یُسْرًا، فَإِنَّ مَعَ الْعُسْرِ یُسْرًا» [3] — "Indeed, with hardship comes ease, indeed, with hardship comes ease." The choice is ours: to listen to the "trumpets of despair" or to the "chant of revelation" that says after every difficulty comes ease. In fact, managing the mind in the face of news constitutes a "greater jihad" (جهاد اکبر) in the modern world.
Managing the Inputs of the Soul
In religious teachings, just as there is sensitivity regarding the morsel of food one eats, there is also emphasis on the "auditory and visual morsels" that one consumes. The human soul has a limited capacity, and if it is filled with a flood of bitter and futile news, no room remains for the sprout of hope. Imam Hasan al-Mujtaba (AS) said: "I am astonished by those who think about the food of their bodies but do not reflect on the nourishment of their souls." [4] This means we have both the right and the duty to protect ourselves from the news bombardment.
Avoiding "news voyeurism" (فضولی خبری) — being overly curious about stressful and futile news — is an ethical necessity. Much of the news that makes us anxious neither adds to our awareness nor gives us the ability to change it. So why should we pollute the mirror of the soul with its dust? Islam teaches us that time is the most precious capital. During the period of occultation (غیبت) and tribulations (فتنهها), it has been recommended that believers attend to improving their own affairs and those of their surroundings, and avoid drowning in false clamor. This is not indifference; rather, it is "preserving one's strength for effective action."
If we hear bad news, we should temper it with remembrance (ذکر) and supplication (دعا). Supplication is not an escape from reality but a connection to the source of power. When bad news multiplies, taking refuge in the resistant shield of "the guardianship of the Ahl al-Bayt (علیهم السلام) and reciting promising verses" rescues our souls from exhaustion. Imam Sadiq (AS) said: «عجبت لمن فزع من أربع کیف لا یفزع إلی أربع...» [5] — "I am amazed at one who is afraid of four things but does not take refuge in four [remembrances]..." including the phrase «حسبنا الله و نعم الوکیل» — "God is sufficient for us, and He is the best disposer of affairs." These remembrances are the antibodies against the toxins of news, preventing the spread of despair in the heart.
Agency Instead of Passivity: Hope Through Action
Despair is the product of "being a spectator." When we merely watch calamities, we feel emptiness and helplessness. But Islam calls us to "action." The smallest act of good is the greatest enemy of despair. If news of poverty reaches us, we extend a helping hand; if news of war reaches us, we clarify the truth and pray. The Holy Prophet (PBUH) said: "If the Hour is established and one of you has a seedling in their hand, if they can, they should plant it before rising." [6] This means that even at the brink of the world's collapse, our duty is "to plant," not "to uproot" or "to lose hope."
In the Shia perspective, hope is inextricably linked to the concept of "expectation" (انتظار). Expectation is not sitting and grieving but being on standby to change the existing situation. One who awaits the reformer (مصلح) sees every piece of bad news as a sign of the world's need for justice, and their motivation for self-improvement and transforming their surroundings increases. In truth, bad news for one who awaits is an alarm to wake up, not a lullaby of despair. They know that the darkness of the night heralds the approach of dawn: «أَلَیْسَ الصُّبْحُ بِقَرِیبٍ» [7] — "Is not the morning near?"
Finally, we must remember that ultimate victory belongs to the God-fearing (متقین). This is an irrevocable divine promise. Daily news may be bitter, but God has written the final headline of history: «جَاءَ الْحَقُّ وَزَهَقَ الْبَاطِلُ» [8] — "Truth has come, and falsehood has vanished." So instead of drowning in the news of "becomings," let us attach our hearts to the news of "being" and "promises." One who has God never reaches a dead end, for He is the opener of every impasse.
Sources and Footnotes:
1. Holy Quran, Surah Al-An'am, verse 59.
2. Nahj al-Balaghah, wisdom saying 1. (Ali (AS) said: "In times of tribulation, be like a young camel [that has neither a back to ride nor an udder to milk].")
3. Holy Quran, Surah Al-Inshirah (Ash-Sharh), verses 5-6.
4. Majlisi, Muhammad Baqir, Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 1, p. 218, Dar Ihya al-Turath al-Arabi, Beirut.
5. Sheikh Saduq, Man La Yahduruhu al-Faqih, vol. 4, p. 392, Islamic Publications Office, Qom. (The famous narration of the "four remembrances" for removing fear and sorrow.)
6. Noori, Mirza Hossein, Mustadrak al-Wasa'il, vol. 13, p. 460, Ahl al-Bayt Institute, Qom. (إِنْ قَامَتِ اَلسَّاعَةُ وَ فِی یَدِ أَحَدِکُمُ اَلْفَسِیلَةُ فَإِنِ اِسْتَطَاعَ أَنْ لاَ یَقُومَ حَتَّی یَغْرِسَهَا فَلْیَغْرِسْهَا — "If the Hour comes and one of you has a seedling in their hand, if they can, they should plant it before rising.")
7. Holy Quran, Surah Hud, verse 81.
8. Holy Quran, Surah Al-Isra, verse 81.
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