Most Islamic States which adopt Shariah laws are from the Middle East and since

globalisation covers ever corner of this earth, statistics have shown the rise in the

use of Internet in such region. The number of people from the Middle East who have

used Internet is has risen to 173,542,069 people, with Iraq constituting the highest

percentage of Internet users: 36.1% in the end of March 2019.1

Bullying is a type of irritating or abusing or taking other's privileges. It might be

considered as Zulm in the Arabic word, whereby an individual either dispossess

others of their rights or on the other hand does not satisfy his obligation towards

them as a fellow man. Individuals who commit zulm are called zalimin or the

wrongdoer. In Fiqh (Islamic jurisprudence) Zalim frequently viewed as inverse to the

concept of Adl (equity) which put accentuation on the protection of basic necessities

of the human being for example religion, life, lineage, dignity, mind and property. The

protection of these interests is perceived by all law specialists who likewise keep up

that any transgression against these interests is regarded as unlawful and might be a

culpable offense (Zaydan, 1986, p.384). Cyber Bullying in this way is related with

assaulting and disturbance the privileges of others through different online mediums

stated before. Islam gives clear guideline in connection to human social interaction

and relation. This general principle are called Daruriyyat al Khamsah that requires

each and every Muslim to secure his religion (deen), life (nafs), reason or intellect

(Aql), lineage (Nasl) and property (Mal). (Wan Ibrahim, Asyraf, Fadzli, 2004).

Protection of this principle will get harmony human culture including harmony inside

individual, family and society. Any act of disturbance other's privileges through email,

or messages are restricted. As the Prophet (pbuh) specifies ''The Muslim is one from

whose tongue and hand other Muslims are safe. The emigrant is one who abandons

1
those things God has restricted" (Al-Bukhari). This hadith have stated who are true

Muslims. They can entrust a relative to such individuals without fear, for that

individual will be totally safe from the Muslims' hand or tongue. On the off chance

that they visit or partner with other individual men in a social occasion or meeting,

the individual can leave in full certainty that nobody will prattle about the person in

question, and neither will he or she need to tune in to prattle about others. They even

don't live; yet they empower others to live and will give full backings for them as a

major aspect of Muslim's obligation. They will even forfeit otherworldly delight for

others These attributes recognize those whose demonstration are the other way

around including assaulting other's privilege and have no delicate to the poise and

respect of other individuals. So there is no spot for digital tormenting inside this

setting since it repudiate to positive qualities referenced and given by Islam. Another

normal for a Muslim is that he doesn't give an issue to his other individual Muslim.

That is why preventive methodology is quite underscored in Islam so as to keep

away from greater calamity in people, families furthermore, society in general. This is

confirming by the accompanying stanza of the Quran: O you who have accepted,

vapid much (negative) suspicion. To be sure, some supposition that is sin.

Furthermore, don't spy or slander one another. Might one of you want to eat the

tissue of his sibling when dead? You would hate it. Also, dread Allah; in fact, Allah is

tolerating of atonement and Merciful. The central matter of the above section is to

reveal some insight into the covered up and hidden sins that are pervasive among

Muslims. The way that these wrongdoings are directed from inside one's self gives it

a progressively deadly impact in crushing Islamic fraternity on the loose. Islam

consequently, tries to decimate these shades of malice from the earliest starting

point. Doubt is the venturing stone that prompts submitting different shades of malice
referenced in the stanza, to be specific; defaming, tattle and spying. Umar Ibn

Khattab stated: "If your Muslim sibling owns an uncertain expression to you, you

should just figure the best and you will locate a decent clarification for it." (Muwatta

Imam Malik 422: 1797) In the event that doubt, tattle and spying had effectively

included under the abhorrent demonstrations, and precluded by Islam, at that point

sending content messages or dark email planned to damage or affront the exploited

people that may cause the pulverization of oneself will be held at risk as indicated by

Islamic law.2

Islam should be concerned with something that is supposedly nothing to do with faith

or religion. In reality, cyber bullying is laced with religion as nearly half of

adolescence (47%) is being cyber bullied and 11% of such cases were regarding

their religion. 3If we were to narrow the scope to the Muslim community especially

Muslim students, the Council on American-Islamic Relations have conducted a

survey in 2017 encapsulating 1,041 Muslim students between the ages of 11 and 18

to which their findings were that 57% of them were mocked, insulted or abused

online because of their religion 4. Furthermore, in a published study conducted by the

Institute for Social Policy and Understanding in May 2017, it discovered that 42% of

Muslim students from primary and secondary educational institutions have been

bullied for their religious beliefs5 . It is transparent that cyber bullying can extent to

2
Cyber Bullying: A General Islamic Outlook and Response http://www.aensiweb.com/old/anas/2013/215-
220.pdf

3
Enough Is Enough: Cyberbullying. (2018). Retrieved from https://enough.org/stats_cyberbullying

4
Dupuy, B. (2017). From hijab pulling to cyberbullying, advocacy group says Muslim students are increasingly
targets for bullies. Retrieved from https://www.newsweek.com/more-half-muslim-students-are-bullied-new-
report-finds-698023

5
Ochieng, A. (2017). NPR Choice page. Retrieved from
https://www.npr.org/sections/codeswitch/2017/03/29/515451746/muslim-schoolchildren-bullied-by-fellow-
students-and-teachers
cover the facet of religion and thus, Islam ought to have a standpoint on this issue.

According to ‘Abdul Qadir Awdah (Rahimallahu ‘Anhu), the word ‘defamation’ can be

categorised based on the penalties which are ‘hudud’ punishment or ‘ta’azir’

punishment. 6 A punishment is considered ‘hudud’ if the sources of Islamic law

speaks of the crime (considered against the rights of God) and imposes with it a

punishment for transgressors. In different circumstances, a punishment is

considered to be ta’azir if the crime is stated in the Al-Quran but the punishment for it

has not been fixed7. Instance of hudud punishment for defamation is provided in the

Al-Quran where Allah s.w.t says that those who defame an innocent, chaste woman

and falsely accuse her for committing fornication, they are to be lashed 80 times and

their testimonies will never be accepted in the future8. In terms of ta’azir punishment,

it would be the award of damages to the victim of defamation.

Allah s.w.t speaks on how we must not backbite others as it would be equivalent to

eating the victim’s dead brother’s flesh in the Al-Quran 9 . So that, although the

punishment imposed differs from how serious such defamatory remarks affect the

victim, each act of defamation is still considered a horrendous misdemeanour in the

lens of Islam, as it encroaches upon the necessities of human beings which are said

to be protected under the objectives of Shariah. In Islamic concept, slander and

defamation is a type of cyberbullying. Islam deals with such horrendous acts by

imposing punishments which vary with the degree of severity of the act. For example,

6
Saad, H. (2018). DEFAMATION: A COMPARATIVE STUDY BETWEEN THE MALAYSIAN LAWSAND THE ISLAMIC
LEGAL PRINCIPLES. Retrieved from
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/327671103_DEFAMATION_A_COMPARATIVE_STUDY_BETWEEN_T
HE_MALAYSIAN_LAWSAND_THE_ISLAMIC_LEGAL_PRINCIPLES

7
Tazir - Oxford Islamic Studies Online. (2019). Retrieved from
http://www.oxfordislamicstudies.com/article/opr/t125/e2363

8
Al-Quran (24:4)
9
Al-Quran (49:12)
hudud punishment like lashing are imposed for the more severe form of defamation

whist ta’azir punishment like the award of damages or imprisonment are imposed for

less severe form of defamation.

Equality in Islam over cyber bullying shown by Prophet Muhammad s.a.w mentioned

that Allah s.w.t will not look at anyone’s appearance, regardless if they are male or

female and that He will only looked at what is in your heart.10 This means that if the

cyber bully is a male or female, according to Islam, he or she will be punished for

their intended acts and their punishment shall be equal and unbiased. In fact, no one

should ever have to be a victim of cyber bullying as the act itself is morally wrong.

The issue of cyber bullying even exists is due to the lack of morality. The concept of

morality or ‘akhlaq’ is paramount in Islam. Allah s.w.t stated that Prophet Muhammad

s.a.w is the Messenger of God and he was sent to us to teach us good deeds to

direct us on the right path11. This is further strengthened when Malik stated that the

Prophet Muhammad s.a.w said that he was sent to perfect good moral characters.12

In other quarters, Islam deems to infuse the concept of doing what is morally right in

all human beings. This perception would mitigate the chances of humans partaking

in activities which contravene morality such as cyber bullying. The Cyberbullying

Research Centre has recorded that nearly 20 Nearly 20% of victims of cyberbullying

reported to have suicidal thoughts13. The right to life is a part of human right; ergo,

cyberbullying abrogates this fundamental right by causing suicide. Allah s.w.t says

that we should not kill one another nor should we kill ourselves. 14In other words, if

10
Sahih Muslim 2564
11
Al-Quran (2:151)
12
Al-Muwatta 1614
13
Duverge, G. (2015). Digital Threats: The Impact of Cyberbullying. Retrieved from
https://www.tuw.edu/health/impact-of-cyberbullying/

14
Al-Quran (4:29)
cyber bullying caused loss of life, it is considered to be the act of killing, which is

prohibited (haram) in Islam. Besides that, if a person is cyber bullied it is just one of

the ordeals Allah s.w.t has placed in his path. It was potrayed by Abu Hurairah that

Prophet Muhammad s.a.w said that all believers will face calamities before their

death15. Suicide cannot be seen as a shortcut to escape what one is facing as it was

narrated from Thaabit ibn Dahhaak that Prophet Muhammad s.a.w said that those

who commit suicide will be punished in the Hereafter 16 . In order to deal with

cyberbullying, we must have patience and faith. Two aspects which is deemed

foundational in Islam as Muslim jurist, Ibn Taymiyyah said that patience and faith is

key to attain leadership in religion17. Allah s.w.t also says that it is better for one to be

patient and faithful as this world is merely a test18. Hence, instead of suicide, victims

of cyber bullying should remain pious and calm as everything is in the hands of Allah

s.w.t. In a nut shell, Islam disagrees of the act of cyber bullying as it harmed the

Creations of Allah s.w.t. Islam illustrates various ways for victims to cope with this

issue. Islam also illustrates how to mitigate cyber bullying by imposing worldly

punishments upon the transgressor.

15
At-Tirmidhi (2399).
16
Al-Bukhaari (5700) and Muslim (110).
17
Madarij As-Salikeen 153
18
Al-Quran (16:126)