The short answer
Do not forward a religious claim until you have checked its source and context. The Quran commands verification of reports [1] and warns against following what you do not know [2]; the Prophet ﷺ taught believers to speak good or remain silent [3].
Allah commands believers to investigate a report before acting on it, lest they harm people through ignorance and later regret it 1. The Quran also says not to pursue what you have no knowledge of 2. A viral religious post may quote a weak narration, crop a verse or attribute a scholar's words incorrectly. A high view count does not make it reliable.
Before sharing, find the original Quran reference or hadith collection and read the surrounding context. Check a hadith's grading in a trustworthy source, and see whether the post states a scholarly difference fairly. If you cannot verify it, do not pass it on as fact. The Prophet ﷺ taught that a believer should speak what is good or remain silent 3. That includes a pause before reposting a claim about someone's faith or character.
If you already shared something false, correct it in the same place where people saw it, and apologise if it harmed someone. For a serious ruling, ask a qualified teacher rather than relying on a comment thread. These teachings do not name social media, but they give clear standards for handling information and speech online.
Investigate reports to avoid harming people through ignorance and regret.
يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓاْ إِن جَآءَكُمۡ فَاسِقُۢ بِنَبَإࣲ فَتَبَيَّنُوٓاْ أَن تُصِيبُواْ قَوۡمَۢا بِجَهَٰلَةࣲ فَتُصۡبِحُواْ عَلَىٰ مَا فَعَلۡتُمۡ نَٰدِمِينَ ٦
O you who have believed, if there comes to you a disobedient one with information, investigate, lest you harm a people out of ignorance and become, over what you have done, regretful
Do not pursue what you have no knowledge of.
وَلَا تَقۡفُ مَا لَيۡسَ لَكَ بِهِۦ عِلۡمٌۚ إِنَّ ٱلسَّمۡعَ وَٱلۡبَصَرَ وَٱلۡفُؤَادَ كُلُّ أُوْلَٰٓئِكَ كَانَ عَنۡهُ مَسۡـُٔولࣰ ا ٣٦
And do not pursue that of which you have no knowledge. Indeed, the hearing, the sight and the heart - about all those [one] will be questioned
Believers are told to speak good or remain silent.
Narrated Abu Huraira:Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "Anybody who believes in Allah and the Last Day should not harm his neighbor, and anybody who believes in Allah and the Last Day should entertain his guest generously and anybody who believes in Allah and the Last Day should talk what is good or keep quiet. (i.e. abstain from all kinds of evil and dirty talk)
حَدَّثَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو الأَحْوَصِ، عَنْ أَبِي حَصِينٍ، عَنْ أَبِي صَالِحٍ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " مَنْ كَانَ يُؤْمِنُ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الآخِرِ فَلاَ يُؤْذِ جَارَهُ، وَمَنْ كَانَ يُؤْمِنُ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الآخِرِ فَلْيُكْرِمْ ضَيْفَهُ، وَمَنْ كَانَ يُؤْمِنُ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الآخِرِ فَلْيَقُلْ خَيْرًا أَوْ لِيَصْمُتْ ".
This answer was compiled with the help of AI, using only the verified texts shown here. Every reference links to its source. If you find a mistake, please report it. Updated 2026-09-25