AAWW,

Shaykh Abu Eesa Niamatullah's (HA) recent post on FB:

Still Trust No One.

It is obligatory for certain orthodox Sunni Muslims to engage with the media and take control of our narrative. This is without question. This is because enjoining in good and forbidding evil is a religious obligation. A *communal* religious obligation yes, which doesn't obligate *me* specifically, but a noble fardh kifayah all the same.

The people who should do this specific work are those that are qualified, meaning:

(a) that they know what they're talking about Islamically and don't just make a fool of themselves and thus inadvertently dishonour the Word of Allah

(b) that they know how to handle the media and the game that they play

The mass majority of people who get requested by the media should just step away because they frankly don't have the ability. Some folks kid themselves "wrestling with their conscience on whether to accept to go on or not". Like, what? Mate, save yourself the mental turmoil. I know you, I've heard you speak. You couldn't debate a cupcake, forget about speak on behalf of the Deen with people who don't care about you, or the Deen.

Those who are cut out for this work, are cut out for it from the beginning. They know exactly who they are. And *we* know exactly who they are. They have the time and ability and the nous. May Allah aid them. The rest of you, just stick to doing that which you're good at and don't try and be a hero. For example, I've stopped watching "The Big Question" for the last few series because virtually every single Muslim representative who bounds on to the panel - Imam or not - has been so poor that I usually want to pop my ear drums with a knitting needle.

I mention this only to clarify my previous status. It was about the *principle*. This is not about you, or about me. Debating friends or foe is like a water off a duck's back for me. If you want me to say bismillahi ma sha Allah, then bismillahi ma sha Allah. Yes I was taught all the tricks of the trade, had professional media training from some of the world's best (big money was spent on it and it wasn't mine!), and all that stuff blah blah. I've done my fair share of TV and radio stuff, and it has never been something I can't handle alhamdulillah, but it's also never been something that I enjoy either. It gets boring. Takes time. Waiting around. Involves travelling. And they lie. Forget all the "friendliness" cos' it's all about ratings. It really is. Fakeness. Two-facedness. Bakwas. All things I detest. And with all these new channels trying their hands at religious debate TV, the requests are endless. Thankfully they're all bored of me now because I keep ignoring them - just can't be *that uncouth word based on one's backside-ed* as I have plenty of other obligations to be getting on with. And unless I make an exception for, well, an exceptionally brilliant reason, or unless ‪#‎bbcqt‬ Question Time requests it (everyone has a guilty secret) then please tell your people to avoid asking me.

But if *you're* good enough, then please go ahead. But PLEASE, be good enough. Get trained. Spend the money. Research the programme and who the presenter is and their life story, likes and interests. Understand the political stance of the programme, the audience that is there and the perhaps different one watching or listening at home. You know something, I spent upwards of 50 hours of preparation for taking on Nicky Campbell in 2002 after the fallout post 9/11. 50 hours of prep, separate hours of training with media specialists paid for by government initiatives and current TV professionals, du'as coming out of the ceiling from everyone I knew, all for about 10 minutes of actual airtime. 10 minutes! The Deen of Allah deserves that. Actually no, it deserves better than that!

So if you're serious then go for it. Remember, you mustn't lose who you are. No one goes on the air to intentionally throw the Deen under the bus, but they sure end up doing so or *we* wish they ended up throwing *themselves* under that bus to save us from the embarrassment. All this training often pushes you to say the most appropriate thing, as opposed to the correct thing. And many times, that is not Islamically acceptable.

Shaykh Abu Eesa Niamatullah (via Facebook 18/2/2014)