The media has always played a pivotal role in accounting governments and shaping public opinion. Its form may have evolved over the ages but its impact is still feared by the ruling class which the Qur’an refers to as the mala (ملا). All the messengers came in to conflict with this group starting from the first of the messengers Nuh (as). Allah ta’ala says, لَقَدْ أَرْسَلْنَا نُوحًا إِلَىٰ قَوْمِهِۦ فَقَالَ يَـٰقَوْمِ ٱعْبُدُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ مَا لَكُم مِّنْ إِلَـٰهٍ غَيْرُهُۥٓ إِنِّىٓ أَخَافُ عَلَيْكُمْ عَذَابَ يَوْمٍ عَظِيمٍۢ قَالَ ٱلْمَلَأُ مِن قَوْمِهِۦٓ إِنَّا لَنَرَىٰكَ فِى ضَلَـٰلٍۢ مُّبِينٍۢ “Indeed, We sent Noah to his people. He said, “O my people! Worship Allah—you have no other god except Him. I truly fear for you the torment of a tremendous Day.” But the chiefs of his people (mala) said, “We surely see that you are clearly misguided.”[1] When the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ began his mission in Makkah it was this ruling class that immediately clamped down on him and the early Muslims to prevent the spread of the message. Tyrant governments across … Continue reading Media in the Caliphate