Is It Permissible to Publicly Expose a Public Figure Who Holds Offensive Views?

Answered by Mawlana Ilyas Patel

Question

When someone says something that offends modern sensibilities, they are publicly shamed on social media on the grounds that this shows a zero-tolerance policy for immoral views.

Is this backbiting, even if the offending statement is contrary to Islamic values as well as Western liberal ones?

If someone in a public position has offending views and voices them in private, is it Halal to publicly expose what they have said? If so, what would be the correct adab to observe when doing so?

Answer

In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful and Compassionate

I pray you are well.

I commend you for trying to forbid wrong and seeking advice on how to go on about doing so.

Giving sincere advice to one’s fellow Muslims is an important feature of the Islamic brotherhood. It completes a person’s faith, and he grows in spiritual excellence.

I advise you to give advice in private, not in public. Doing so in public leads to many harms; counter arguments and exposing a fellow Muslim. It will only lead to misunderstandings and endless time on social media platforms. Fellow Muslims will end up talking about something which might not be the true case and it will lead to backbiting. We are in need of upholding correct manners more than ever in a world of social media exposure.

I would recommend you to read and watch the following:
How to Command the Good and Forbid the Evil? (Habib Umar bin Hafiz )
How to Advise and Correct Others in Islam? (Video)
The Dangers of Judging People Based on Their Status Updates

I pray this helps with your question.
Wassalam,
[Mawlana] Ilyas Patel
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani