We ask Allah to keep us and all the Muslims safe and sound from all evil. Allah is Sufficient for us to deal with those who fabricate this. We ask Allah to give them their due, for telling lies about Allah and disseminating falsehood, and for distracting Muslims with something that will harm them and will not benefit them. Sincerity towards Allah and His servants demands that we point this out.

Some newspapers released articles by some writers that do not aim to the benefit of society. Rather, they harm and lead it to the worst of consequences. Such writers may not be aware of the danger of what they wrote. Perhaps they do not know the grave crime they commit against their Muslim society wherein they live, especially in this awful age where Islam has become strange, and atheism and libertinism have appeared, and their supporters and callers spread under the name of advancement, promotion, and Arab nationalism at one time, and under the name of liberty, socialism, and other names at other times. Such are dazzling slogans and misleading styles that have nothing to do with good and do not seek the truth by any means. This method deludes naive and idle persons. It deludes ignorant and foolish persons and through it, enemies benefit.

Our male and female writers should seek truth in their writings. They should have weighed their words and aims according to the just scale; the scale of the comprehensive Islamic Shari`ah made known to us through the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of the Prophet (peace be upon him). They should not have been misled by these deluding slogans, false propaganda, and charming styles that their enemies claimed for themselves with the aim of misguiding Muslims to make them doubt their religion and to call them to escape it and not to abide by its rules using all means and types of temptation in doing so.

It is also obligatory on those responsible for the mass media to pursue truth in the material they broadcast to people. They should provide useful constructive essays, meaningful Hadiths and correct instructions that benefit society in religion and life. It should help society to reach the straight way, draw its attention to faults and mistakes to correct

them and be firm on the right path. By doing so, the mass media would play its role and contribute to both religious and worldly reform through which the benefit of the Ummah (nation) and guiding it to the common benefits achieved by the east and the west. Thus, they exploit time usefully, give a good reputation to the country, and guide the audience to the means of good progress, sound advancement, and a noble culture through which one's dignity and rights are preserved, one's soul is purified, and one's thinking becomes sound so as to reach ways of safety, and means of construction and reform. It will also keep away from the ways of error, ruin, and corruption.

Among the taints that have been directed towards radios and that have stirred resentment of every jealous Muslim are what they broadcast to people day and night over the air including immoral songs that will be added to that of musical instruments. It is known that this results in the corruption and illness of the hearts and averting them from the Remembrance of Allah and from prayer, and diverting them with the song of so­and­so, from listening to the Noble Qur'an and the Hadith of the trustworthy Prophet (peace be upon him), useful sermons, constructive essays, and other things than that of corruption and ruination. There is no doubt that all this is idle talk about which Allah stated in His Book that it misleads people from the Way of Allah and makes them take Allah's signs by mockery. Allah (Exalted be He) says: And of mankind is he who purchases idle talks (i.e. music, singing, etc.) to mislead (men) from the Path of Allâh without knowledge, and takes it (the Path of Allâh, or the Verses of the Qur'ân) by way of mockery. For such there will be a humiliating torment (in the Hell­fire). In an authentic Hadith, the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "Verily, among my Ummah (nation) there will be people who will deem as lawful: Al­Hirr, silk, Khamr (alcohol) and musical instruments." Related by Al­Bukhary in his Sahih.Al­Hirr in Arabic means unlawful sexual intercourse. As for silk and Khamr (alcohol), they are well known. Musical instruments include mandolins, lutes, violins, and drums, and the like. The truth of this noble Hadith has just appeared in later eras.

Many people deemed unlawful sexual intercourse, Khamr (alcohol), and musical instruments as lawful. Many considered wearing silk as lawful. All this denotes the weakness of one's faith, lack of Islamic knowledge, corrupt aims, hankering after desires, and grave eschewing of studying the knowledge of Islamic Shari'ah and acting according to it. All this is done by people who belong to it and are supposed to be Muslims. Yet, they fight against it, neglect its teachings, and make a mockery of those who adhere or call to it, except those whom Allah wills and who are but few.

There is no doubt that our country is one of the best Islamic countries that fulfills Allah's rights in spite of the defects and weakness it has. It is obligatory upon us all whether officials, presenters, or writers to fear Allah in regard to our selves and society and to shun anything that disagrees with that in order for us to be a good pattern for all Muslim countries to follow, particularly when knowing that we are in the place of revelation, the rise of the sun of the message, and that Muslims throughout the world look up to us. There is no doubt that all this entails that we should double our efforts and pay attention to the greatness of our responsibility. It is clear that this bears a great reward for us if we fulfill our duty. Also, this entails a grave crime and extreme danger on our part if we neglect our duty and do not take our responsibility seriously.

Indeed, every one who has deep insight and knowledge of people's affairs knows that the spread of singing and places of amusement in the society removes bounties and brings about affliction with catastrophes, ruin of nation, the vanishing of property, the spread of troubles, and the ambiguity of issues. So move hastily before the coming of the punishment of Allah that may befall us and before being afflicted with the Fitnah (affliction and trial) which will not strike those who have wronged themselves among us exclusively but both the righteous and the wicked when all crops and animals will be destroyed. There is no might nor strength save in Allah.

The people of knowledge and Faith have condemned what we have just mentioned of what has being recently released by newspapers and broadcast by radios. Concerning this, they wrote so many books but most of these writings have not been published in newspapers. In doing so, they were motivated by

jealousy for Allah, advising His servants for His Sake and what their Lord (may He be Praised) made obligatory on them i.e. to enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong. Among those who wrote about this topic is our sincere brother Scholar Sheikh Muhammad Ahmad Bashamil. In its issue published on 20/2/1383 A.H., Al Nadwa Newspaper published a valuable article by the Sheikh entitled "Punish the Foolish" wherein he condemned what was written by some of those who have scant knowledge and weak insight calling for unveiling, singing, playing on musical instruments, and women coming out and mixing with men in factories, stores, offices, and so on.

Also, he made clear the corruption resulting from such actions and called on officials to punish foolish people. There is no doubt that it is his duty as well as the duty of other scholars to give advice to the slaves of Allah for His Sake, to condemn anyone who commits a wrong doing, and to warn people against the consequences of the spread of what is wrong and being lenient in condemning them.

There is no doubt that those who call people to things that corrupt society, harm religion, entail Allah's Wrath upon them, and incur catastrophes are worthy of being called foolish. The officials and other elite people as well as those who have jealousy and piety should be asked to punish the foolish, prevent them from anything that leads to danger, make them stop, and clarify their defects and wrongs for them. It is their duty as the Prophet (may peace be upon him) said: All of you are guardians and are responsible for your charges... Thus, a sultan has a duty towards his people to rectify their morals, oblige them to the truth, and prevent them of what Allah has prohibited according to his capacity. Every person, whether a father, a spouse, an emir, a chieftain, etc. has to condemn what is wrong and punish the foolish, all according to his capacity.

appellation. There is no doubt that women unveiling themselves in the presence of non­Mahram men and showing their charms before them commit gravest foolishness, whether this happens in streets, planes, buses, stores, offices, factories, trains, and so on. Likewise, publicizing songs and musical instruments and calling people to such things and endearing them to people is one of the gravest forms of foolishness. Thus, those of authority should put an end to such a matter, prevent it, and punish those calling for or doing it. In this way, the condition of Muslims will be reformed, obligations will be put into action, what is wrong will be put to an end, and the foolish will be punished. It is stated in the noble that the Prophet (may peace be upon him) recited the following Noble Ayah (Qur'anic verse) wherein Allah (may He be Glorified and Exalted) says (interpretation of the meaning): Those among the Children of Israel who disbelieved were cursed by the tongue of Dâwûd (David) and ' Isâ (Jesus), son of Maryam (Mary). That was because they disobeyed (Allâh and the Messengers) and were ever transgressing beyond bounds.

I am amazed that some of our writers condemn the aforementioned word of our brother Sheikh Muhammad Ahmad Bashamil angrily and criticize it even though they know that this man is advising people for Allah's Sake, knowing about his great jealousy and useful writings. Thus, they should not have been angry at the word of truth. Rather, they should have helped and supported him in declaring the truth and calling for it and condemning what is wrong and warning against it. Also, they should understand that his words bear goodness, think well of him, and they should not criticize him unduly. Believers are brothers, one body, and

one construction, whether they are Arabs or non­Arabs, and whether they were born in this country and lived on its lands and under its heaven or migrated to it from afar. Every Muslim worshipping Allah Alone and abiding

by His Shari`ah is considered to be our brother or sister and beloved, whether he is in the east or the west, whether he is an Arab or a non­Arab, and whether he has the official nationality or not. This is how our Lord taught and educated us in the best way. Also, in this way our Messenger (peace be upon him) guided and directed us in the best way. Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) says: The believers are nothing else than brothers (in Islâmic religion). The Prophet (may peace be upon him) said: A Muslim is the brother of a fellow­Muslim. He should neither commit oppression upon him nor give him up to an enemy.

O brothers and sisters, fear Allah and be fair! Achieve the brotherhood of faith prescribed by Allah (Exalted be He), say to the righteous person that he did well! Direct, help, and thank him. Say to the person who committed wrong that he wronged and do this in a lenient and wise manner. Direct and guide him! Thus, you will deserve the generous reward from Allah (may He be Praised), good praise from people, and good reputation within your country and abroad. Beware obeying your whims, abhorrent fanaticism, and blind imitation. In this way, you will win, be safe, and gain a good end.

I ask Allah to guide us all to the straight path and to guide our government and those in authority among us to what benefits society and makes it happy in this life as well as the Hereafter and to make all of us of those who tell the truth and act accordingly and not to fear any blame in doing so. Allah is Omnipotent over all things.

Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds. Allah's Peace and blessings be upon His slave and Messenger, his family, Companions and those who were guided with his Sunnah until the Day of Recompense.