“Forwarded many times” is a ubiquitous term on the WhatsApp platform. I am of course delighted when my referrals to articles posted on my three blogs get “forwarded many times”. However, I feel helpless when I receive messages and dateless photographs and quotes that I have to authenticate by doing searches on Google and other search engines as well as visiting my own websites! These messages come from all segments of the Ismaili Jamat (community) including highly educated youth and professionals. Everybody wants to be recognized for their speedy forwards. For example, a photograph of His Highness the Aga Khan — Ismailis respectfully address him as Mawlana Hazar Imam — taken with a Federal German minister some 15 years ago got forwarded a few months ago without a date and made all recipients think it was “yesterday’s” photograph. I can cite many other similar examples.
Yesterday, Friday July 14, 2023, thousands of Ismailis around the world including me received the worst ever forward from multiple sources. It is difficult to trace where the original message came from, and the person who first sent out the message should feel ashamed for causing anxiety to thousands of Ismailis around the world for hours. Just over 3 years ago, following some thoughtless forwards of unauthenticated messages, Aniza Meghani of London, England, had contributed this must read piece Ismailis on Social Media: You Need to Take Care and STOP Indiscriminate Likes, Follows and Forwards!
The FAKE message sent on July 14 stated that prayers were in order because Malik Talib, the Chairman of the Leaders Ismaili Forum (LIF), received a call from Mawlana Hazar Imam to “immediately come back to Lisbon”. The FAKE message further goes on to state that before returning to Lisbon, Talib left a message with a Mukhi (congregational leader) in Vancouver “to ask the Jamat to pray for Mawla’s health” (the Aga Khan is also addressed as Mawla by his devout followers.) Some individuals who personally forwarded me the message dutifully told me that the message was not verified. Others, however, did not and I politely responded to them to stop forwarding the message.
Through my contact with the most credible sources, I learnt that the news was FAKE. I immediately sent a message to my WhatsApp contacts, and they were thankful that their anxious moments had ended.
In the next line, the FAKE communication that I received stated, “Jamat [members of the community] is advised that there is a SPECIAL message from the LIF which will be read tonight” [Friday, July 14]. Of course, many went to their respective Jamatkhanas with a concern in their minds about the FAKE message that had accompanied this line.
The Ismaili Jamat has remained steadfastly united for decades by respectfully following the Imam-of-the-Time and his appointed institutions. The Imam has repeatedly asked the Ismailis to follow instructions from institutions.
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The Ismailis have had to confront physical harm through the ages. We have been challenged and our missionaries and scholars have responded and continue to respond intellectually to such challenges.
Today, there are certain elements in society that do not welcome the Ismailis, and will do everything in their power to harm the Jamat or cause disunity. It could happen through a bad Tweet or a WhatsApp or social media message, combined with emails to hundreds of recipients to give the FAKE message some authenticity. Indeed, the FAKE message was also distributed in an email originating from Ismaili sources to more than 200 recipients. I was among the recipients.
We have to be intelligent and vigilant about both external and internal threats. We have to learn about our faith and bear in mind that important decisions relating to the Jamat and the Imamat will come from the Office of the Imam. We have to learn to be patient.
Now that I have dealt with this FAKE matter let me mention a few things that DID take place on Friday, the 14th:
(1) Malik Talib was sighted in Vancouver. He had already arrived back in his home town several hours earlier, and was never asked to return to Lisbon; and
(2) An announcement from the LIF was read in Jamatkhanas around Canada. It mentioned that a group of leaders from the LIF met with the Mawlana Hazar Imam in Lisbon on the occasion of his 66th Imamat Day. During the meeting, a gift was presented to him on behalf of the worldwide community. The Imam deeply appreciated the gift and conveyed his blessings to the worldwide Ismaili community. A description of the beautiful gift will appear in our sister website Barakah, as soon as we have more details about it. This message from the LIF was truly welcome on a day that had begun with a FAKE message!
In conclusion, we need to be aware of this virus of FAKE news and the serious and harmful consequences of thoughtlessly and irresponsibly forwarding unauthenticated messages.
On a personal note, nothing is more satisfying and can bring greater happiness and one closer to the Imam-of-the-Time and the Noor (Light) of Imamat than reciting the Salawat — one, two, ten or more — everyday, whether the Imam is well or unwell. It seeks Allah’s blessings on Muhammad and the progeny of Muhammad.
Date posted: July 15, 2023.
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The message caused lot of anxiety . Thank you for clarification.
Ya Ali Madad:
Most sincere and heartfelt Gratitude for taking the time to inform us on this very sad and unfortunate happening. Yes we are facing difficult times and we really need to be Vigilant about such issues. My very own Personal Experience sometime ago when my WhatsApp Contacts got hacked and messages were being sent to me on WhatsApp, by using my Hacked Contacts. Our Ismaili Website too was being used Through My Personal WhatsApp using my name as the Sender. It was horrifying and a nightmare to deal with because I was so worried about our Community and The Imam’s Firmans and Speeches which are shared openly on WhatsApp through The Famous Forwards.
I had to alert our Community through a Council Employee. So I fully agree with your message. We really should not be sharing Firmans and other Private Messages so sparingly on Social Media. Thank you again for Alerting Us on this Fake Message.
May the blessings of Allah always be with you and your loved ones for this Seva and Dedication to keep our Faith Practice safe and Our Imam’s Guidance Respectful as we face these difficult times.
Much Gratitude Again
Taz Noor
Thanks Malikbhai. It’s very unfortunate that many Ismailis are so gullible to believe everything they hear. I thought they should pay attention and yes I too heard it from a friend and I believed the message was authentic. On 2nd thoughts I realized it’s not possible, and if it was, our beloved Imam would never want his murids to worry.
I hope everyone reads your message and understands it, the youths, to the seniors. Keep it up.
Thank you for the message. It is very sad that such fake messages (generated by individuals either seeking “fun” or simply harm) are circulated by Jamati members without thinking of (1) verifying; (2) waiting for an institutional message; and (3) realizing the damage such spread of unauthenticated info does.
We need to have more education in the Jamat to understand why info on Jamat and our beloved Imam-e-Zamaan and the Noorani family that is unauthenticated should simply NOT be forwarded.
Agreed! We need to be more vigilant and verify all sources before sending out information on any social media platforms!
We need to be smart and intelligent and not be captivated by whatever is posted on the social media. However, there are elements out there to discredit our community and its institutions. Be mindful of that one doesn’t get captivated by sensational sound bites.
Amin Merani
About time!
Thank you Mr. Malik Merchant. Agreed, we need to verify the source before forwarding anything on social media.
Malik, thanks for this is an important article. The problem has been given different names: “misinformation,” “disinformation,” “post-truth” etc. They have different nuances but have the same underlying problem: communicators’ lack of respect for their audience. The media were restricted in the past. Today, the Internet has made publishing potentially available to anyone who has a computing device and an online connection. This behooves all would-be communicators to be aware of communication ethics. Before writing or forwarding anything, ask yourself: is the information that I am sending out correct to the best of my knowledge? Have I verified it with credible sources? Even if it is true, what kind of harm could it produce? Will it produce goodness in the world or just feed my ego? Do I really need to hit “send”?
Thank You. Fake news must not be forwarded and create anxiety among the Ismaili community.
Appreciate this timely and much needed response. Thank you and hope that ‘quick forwarders’ think before forwarding and build filters in their mind.
Of course, all official announcements will come thru Mawla’s appointed institutions and will be read in Jamatkhanas.
By illegitimately forwarding Taliqas, Farmans through social media or posting on YouTube is doing a disservice to our Imam.
Shukhaar Alhamdullilah🙏🙏🙏🙏
Malikbhai, what a timely piece.
Thank you for this clarification. 🙏