Ramadan: MUI Chairman Urges Muslims to Refrain from Spreading Slanderous and Gossipy Content
Jakarta — As Ramadan 1447 H commences, the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) has called on all Muslims to use the holy month as an opportunity to spread positive and inspirational content. The council stressed this is important both for promoting goodness and as a means of self-reflection (muhasabah) for every Muslim, whilst also exercising restraint from disseminating content laden with hate speech, slander, gossip, provocation, and other sinful material.
“Make Ramadan a moment for spreading positive and inspirational content, as well as a means of self-reflection — refraining from the production, access, and dissemination of digital content containing slander (fitnah), gossip (ghibah), provocation (namimah), hate speech, mutual derision, sinful acts, and other prohibited material,” said MUI Chairman KH Anwar Iskandar in the council’s Ramadan advisory issued on 17 February 2026, as quoted from the official MUI website.
Beyond this, in the spirit of honouring Ramadan, MUI also urged broadcasting institutions, mass media outlets, and other social activists to present educational content — particularly material that promotes worship practices and good deeds during the holy month.
The recommended content includes calls for charitable giving and maintaining communal bonds (ukhuwah). This was deemed essential to ensure that broadcast content during Ramadan does not prove counterproductive to the sanctity of the holy month.
“Therefore, MUI calls on broadcasting institutions, mass media, preachers, content creators, YouTubers, Instagram influencers, and social media activists to present Ramadan broadcast material and content that is positive, educational, and inspirational — such as encouragement to give generously in charity and maintain communal bonds — whilst avoiding broadcast content that is counterproductive to honouring the holy month of Ramadan,” he explained.
In the advisory, MUI outlined nine key points as guidelines for Muslims in welcoming and observing the holy month of Ramadan, including:
Reminding all Muslims who have met the obligatory conditions for fasting and have no legitimate religious exemption to observe the fast with sincerity and full integrity. Muslims are also urged to prepare their physical and mental health, and to maintain the cleanliness and tidiness of mosques, prayer halls, and homes to ensure Ramadan proceeds with devotion and solemnity.
Maintaining an attitude of tolerance and mutual respect between those who are fasting and those who are not, particularly in order to preserve the reverence and grandeur of the holy month of Ramadan.