The issue of fairness in reporting Islam came to the fore once again at the Nasrul-Lahi-Fathi Society (NASFAT) annual Iftar (breaking of the fast) with the media, held this evening, Saturday, June 1, 2019 at the Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC) Hall, Alausa, Ikeja, Lagos, Southwest Nigeria.
In an exclusive interview with Muslim News, the Worldwide National President of NASFAT, Alhaji Kaamil Bolarinwa and the National Women Affairs Secretary of the elite Islamic body, Alhaja Samiat Omolara Mumuni appreciated the presence of the media practitioners from the print and broadcast genres, while calling on them to be fair, truthful and objective in their reportage of Islam and Muslims.
“All we expect from the media is fairness. Take the message, do your research and report faithfully, the way it should be professionally, without addition or substraction, so that you aren’t faulted.
“For instance, an armed robber was arrested and the media quickly tagged him a ‘Muslim armed robber’. That is not fairness. How do you know he is a Muslim, because he has a beard? You know fully well anyone can wear a beard. Or because he mentioned a Muslim name? That doesn’t make him a Muslim”, Alhaji Bolarinwa said.
