Beirut Friday prayer leader highlighted confronting disinformation

(Ahlul Bayt News Agency) His Eminence, Sayyed Ali Fadlullah, delivered the two Friday prayer sermons at the Imamain Al-Hassanain Mosque, Safar 03rd 1435 H. – December, 06th 2013. Several prominent religious scholars, dignitaries and thousands of believers attended the Jumu’a prayer. Following is a summary:The First SermonIn the first sermon, His Eminence, Sayyed Ali Fadlullah, talked about disinformation and how it has become nowadays a very effective weapon due to the technological advancement. He explained that such disinformation does not only involve the news, but also programmes, including those that talk about a certain poet for example, or programmes that promote norms and practices, which do not conform to the traditions or even to religion.Disinformation, he noted, is not merely lies; it is also an art that mixes between lies and facts to influence people’s choices and decisions, using all weapons including intimidation. It is a brainwashing process that does not go to the people but makes the people come to it. Actually, all people are called on to shoulder the responsibility of confronting this means, whether by investigating the credibility of the source of information or by examining its content using criticality and looking for other sources of the same information to make comparisons.Islam has set up two rules to fight disinformation:Firstly, investigate rumors before believing them: “O you who believe, if a wicked person brings any news to you, you shall first investigate, lest you commit injustice towards some people, out of ignorance, then become sorry and remorseful for what you have done” (49:06).Secondly, refer to the people of authority:“And when there comes to them information about [public] security or fear, they spread it around. But if they had referred it back to the Messenger or to those of authority among them, then the ones who [can] draw correct conclusions from it would have known about it” (04:83).Information has become an essential element in war, and it plays an important part in determining its outcome. That is why it is essential to thwart it just as we thwart the military plans of the enemy.The second sermonIn the second sermon, His Eminence, Sayyed Ali Fadlullah, praised the latest initiatives to bridge the rifts weakening the nation, such as the meetings held between Turkey, Iran and Iraq, and between Iran and a number of the Gulf States.He called for more similar meetings with the aim of focusing attention on the Israeli enemy that continues its judaization plots and for thwarting all the plots that aim at dividing the region according to sectarian and racial bases.Moreover, he called on all the components of the Syrian people to benefit from any chance to stop the bloodshed, hoping that the super powers play the role of fire-fighters and not that of igniters of flames.He also emphasized the need for holding dialogue in Iraq, Bahrain, Egypt, Libya, Yemen and other countries.On another level, the Sayyed explained that the Lebanese people are living the daily horror of explosions, assassinations and battles, not to mention their sufferings from state corruption, economic hardship and the failure of the different governmental departments to perform their duties, best demonstrated in their inability to deal with the first wave of rains.He wondered if such a situation does not impel the officials to meet and discuss how to end these sufferings and reject the state of being a regional mailbox, then what does?The Sayyed reasserted the need for establishing a government to find solutions for all these problems and create a favorable atmosphere for electoral and presidential elections. /149