Voice of British Muslim Women

Rameen Masood, Leicester

Some time ago, I saw a patient staring silently at an MRI scan of his brain. The consultant pointed carefully at the pale contours on the screen, explaining where the stroke had occurred and what deficits it might leave behind. Yet what struck me most was not the scan itself, but the patient’s unwavering trust in it. He believed the scan represented something truthful about him. Not once did he question the veracity of the scan. To me, that spoke volumes, highlighting the principle of fidelity within medicine: to show things as they are, not as we wish them to be. Yet when I widen the lens and consider the world around me, I find a somewhat conspicuous disparity.

In a society saturated with digital media, images are travelling faster than truth and often times, it seems the portrayals too are becoming increasingly distorted and detached from the realities they claim to represent. Further still, repetition often grants illusion the authority of fact. In many ways, this condition feels reminiscent of an Urdu couplet of the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace), who, reflecting on the moral state of society, wrote, and the translation is:

‘The times are always hued with prejudice, Everyone denies the truth without hesitation.’ [1]

Recently, controversy erupted after an AI-generated image portrayed Donald Trump in a Jesus-like form, reigniting debates around deepfakes and the ethics of representation [2]. Yet the issue extends far beyond one political figure or one viral image. It coerces us to confront a far penetrating question: what happens to a society when portrayal becomes untethered from the rope of honesty itself?

In many respects, modern culture functions on public perception. Businesses speak of ‘brand identity’, whilst we as individuals carefully curate our ‘image’ in society. Industries now monetise attention and so these ‘images’ no longer remain a reflection of reality, rather they become assets to leverage and trade. Perhaps this is precisely where the ethical fracture begins. And it’s here that Islam, as always, offers remarkable insight into the importance of withholding honesty. The Holy Qur’an instructs believers to ‘shun all words of untruth’ [3]. Moreover, the Holy Qur’an asks: ‘O ye who believe! why do you say what you do not?’ [4] These Quranic verses are a condemnation of hypocrisy and insincerity and they’re very much relevant today. Through AI-generated imagery and deepfakes, individuals can now visually construct realities that never existed, presenting fiction with a resolute authority of truth. And this is exactly what we’re commanded to ‘shun’. Of course, artificial portrayals may generate enormous metrics or temporary amusement, however falsehood ultimately remains unstable as it demands constant maintenance. It’s like the proverb that to sustain one lie, a thousand lies are required. Truth, on the other hand, possesses a beautiful permanence which isn’t subject to endless editing to survive.

The Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) once said: ‘Verily, truthfulness leads to righteousness, and righteousness leads to paradise. A person keeps on telling the truth until he is counted among the truthful. Falsehood leads to sin, and sin leads to the hellfire. A person may continue telling lies until he is counted as a great liar.’ [5]

To me, it seems that the ethics of portrayal are about preserving our moral and spiritual capacity to recognise truth when it appears before us. To recognise those around us based on truth. Because in an age where artificial images can imitate almost anything, the rarest trait is sincerity. True sincerity. And perhaps that is why honesty is so emphasised within Islam because it safeguards the human soul. Without it, we risk continuing to craft ever more convincing realities whilst gradually becoming entangled in webs of deception, until eventually we lose the ability to see others and even ourselves clearly.

I would like to leave you on the profound words of His Holiness Mirza Masroor Ahmad (may Allah be his Helper), the Worldwide Head of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community: ‘Indeed, Ahmadi youth and children should, as individuals and collectively, launch a campaign and movement to uphold truthfulness and honesty. Reject falsehood and embrace truth. May it be that all people testify to the fact that Ahmadi Muslim youth are those who never utter a false word.’ [6]

May Allah Almighty enable us to live and embody truth in all facets of our lives. Ameen.

References:

[1] Durr-e-Sameen (The Precious Pearls) English Translation p.40

[2] Trum deletes post depicting him as Jesus-like figure after backlash https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c17v8y0z9z2o [Accessed on 15/05/2026]

[3] The Holy Qur’an with English Translation by Maulawi Sher Ali, Chapter 22, verse 31

[4] The Holy Qur’an with English Translation by Maulawi Sher Ali, Chapter 61, verse 3

[5] The Nine Evils to Avoid to Achieve Moral and Spiritual Excellence. Accessed at: https://www.reviewofreligions.org/41332/the-nine-evils-to-avoid-to-achieve-moral-and-spiritual-excellence/

[6] Concluding Address at the National Khuddamul Ahmadiyya Ijtema 2024. Accessed at https://www.pressahmadiyya.com/press-releases/2024/09/head-of-ahmadiyya-muslim-community-concludes-majlis-khuddamul-ahmadiyya-ijtema-with-faith-inspiring-address-3/