Dr Mohamed Kirat
By Dr Mohamed Kirat
Public relations in Islam revolves around the individual and the community. It seeks to build up individuals and communities – Umma - within the principles and teachings of Islam. Communication and public relations are practices intended to achieve the interests of all. These tools should be used within the context of the morals and the ethics of the Islamic society. The philosophy of public relations in Islam is based on the following: Public relations in Islam is the task and responsibility of every Muslim in the Umma; it has a holistic and macro approach with the intention to build the Islamic Umma on the principles and the teachings of Islam. Public relations in Islam is based on ethics, credibility and the welfare of all and not only the rich and the wealthy, and those who have the means and the power. The principle here is, once you have healthy and decent relations between members of the Umma and its organisations you will reach a society based on the teachings and the principle of Islam. Public relations in Islam starts from the family: This is a micro approach to the philosophy and practice of public relations in Islam where the family is the corner stone of society. The family in Islam should enjoy harmony, respect, solidarity – Takaful — and love. The conduct and the behaviour of the family from inside and with the outside world should be dictated by the teachings and principles of Islam.
The methods and practices of public relations in Islam are centred on love, care and harmony in the Islamic Umma.
Ruler and citizens
The duties of the ruler vis-à-vis the ruled are clear. He is accountable to Allah and to them and he is subject to control, questioning and investigation. Citizens in the Umma have also their duties vis-à-vis the ruler, and the community as a whole. Everybody works within the confines and teachings of Islam for the welfare of the Islamic Umma. Furthermore, the Islamic state has to establish healthy, ethical and fruitful international relations with countries and nations in the world built on mutual understanding, benefits and cooperation. The principles of public relations in Islam are based on good conduct, mercy and forgiveness, modesty, justice, loyalty, and ethics. The objective here is to be a good Muslim to serve Allah, the Islamic Umma and the Muslims. These apply to the ruler, the organisation, the family and the citizen. All actions undertaken by organisations toward their public in the community are motivated by an ultimate conviction in the betterment and empowerment of the community to help establish the perfect Umma of believers. Public relations in Islam is also based on the general human relations that ought to prevail in the Islamic Umma, among individuals, and between socio-political and economic organisations, on the one hand, and community members, on the other hand, though in an institutional framework. The notions of solidarity, mutual benefit, responsibility, trust, and fraternity which characterise human relations in the Islamic community also mark public relations in general. The end objective is solidarity, cohesion, spirit of the community and the welfare of all in a harmony dominated by faith and belief in Allah.
The success of organisations in the community is assessed through their success in developing and advancing their relations with the community, rather than in terms of material profit making. This is what is called in modern public relations terminology social responsibility. Both organisations and publics are seen as homogeneous players committed to the development of the community in accordance with the commandments of Islam. Public relations in Islam is best conceived of as an integral part of an intricate web of human relations prevailing in the community, and therefore, are governed by Islamic principles and values. In its institutional manifestations (involving organisations and general publics), public relations is a process of reinforcing social solidarity “takaful”, and fostering a sense of affiliation and loyalty to the community.
It is now evident that an Islamic model of public relations would be a community-oriented model in which publics and organisations are not viewed as two opposing elements but rather as two components of one community, working together for its advancement and welfare. Relations with members of Umma, are viewed not as means of maximising the interests of the organisation itself to the detriment of those of the community. In the holistic view of Islamic community, the organization is the community and the community is the organization.
Public relations in the Islamic Umma is the responsibility of all –organisations and individuals — to build up a public consent and a social consciousness based on the virtue of Islam, faith and the belief in Allah. The objective, here, is to strengthen the community orientations of organisations. Organisations can build schools, hospitals, homes for the poor, the needy and the elderly, mosques and health centres. They can sponsor cultural, educational and sporting events… etc. In the broad Islamic concept of ibadah (worship), all these activities are acts of worship carried out to win the pleasure of God. An organisation might sponsor the building of a school, a mosque, a cultural club, or a health centre as a form of voluntary public support to the community. The fact that such sponsorship is highly encouraged in Islam would serve as a catalyst for further attachment to the community on the part of the organization. While the original intention behind such support is based on religious convictions, organisations may still benefit from it in establishing relations of trust and respect with their publics. Public relations in Islam is conceived of as a vehicle of creating a healthy environment and atmosphere for both the individual and the organisation to set up and establish the Islamic Umma which should be characterised by harmony, mutual understanding, mutual respect, and mutual interest governed by the Islamic principles and values. The final objective is to reinforce social solidarity and a strong community in terms of faith and welfare.
the peninsula
Kirat is a professor of public relations and Mass Communication at the College of Arts and Sciences, Qatar University.
By Dr Mohamed Kirat
Public relations in Islam revolves around the individual and the community. It seeks to build up individuals and communities – Umma - within the principles and teachings of Islam. Communication and public relations are practices intended to achieve the interests of all. These tools should be used within the context of the morals and the ethics of the Islamic society. The philosophy of public relations in Islam is based on the following: Public relations in Islam is the task and responsibility of every Muslim in the Umma; it has a holistic and macro approach with the intention to build the Islamic Umma on the principles and the teachings of Islam. Public relations in Islam is based on ethics, credibility and the welfare of all and not only the rich and the wealthy, and those who have the means and the power. The principle here is, once you have healthy and decent relations between members of the Umma and its organisations you will reach a society based on the teachings and the principle of Islam. Public relations in Islam starts from the family: This is a micro approach to the philosophy and practice of public relations in Islam where the family is the corner stone of society. The family in Islam should enjoy harmony, respect, solidarity – Takaful — and love. The conduct and the behaviour of the family from inside and with the outside world should be dictated by the teachings and principles of Islam.
The methods and practices of public relations in Islam are centred on love, care and harmony in the Islamic Umma.
Ruler and citizens
The duties of the ruler vis-à-vis the ruled are clear. He is accountable to Allah and to them and he is subject to control, questioning and investigation. Citizens in the Umma have also their duties vis-à-vis the ruler, and the community as a whole. Everybody works within the confines and teachings of Islam for the welfare of the Islamic Umma. Furthermore, the Islamic state has to establish healthy, ethical and fruitful international relations with countries and nations in the world built on mutual understanding, benefits and cooperation. The principles of public relations in Islam are based on good conduct, mercy and forgiveness, modesty, justice, loyalty, and ethics. The objective here is to be a good Muslim to serve Allah, the Islamic Umma and the Muslims. These apply to the ruler, the organisation, the family and the citizen. All actions undertaken by organisations toward their public in the community are motivated by an ultimate conviction in the betterment and empowerment of the community to help establish the perfect Umma of believers. Public relations in Islam is also based on the general human relations that ought to prevail in the Islamic Umma, among individuals, and between socio-political and economic organisations, on the one hand, and community members, on the other hand, though in an institutional framework. The notions of solidarity, mutual benefit, responsibility, trust, and fraternity which characterise human relations in the Islamic community also mark public relations in general. The end objective is solidarity, cohesion, spirit of the community and the welfare of all in a harmony dominated by faith and belief in Allah.
The success of organisations in the community is assessed through their success in developing and advancing their relations with the community, rather than in terms of material profit making. This is what is called in modern public relations terminology social responsibility. Both organisations and publics are seen as homogeneous players committed to the development of the community in accordance with the commandments of Islam. Public relations in Islam is best conceived of as an integral part of an intricate web of human relations prevailing in the community, and therefore, are governed by Islamic principles and values. In its institutional manifestations (involving organisations and general publics), public relations is a process of reinforcing social solidarity “takaful”, and fostering a sense of affiliation and loyalty to the community.
It is now evident that an Islamic model of public relations would be a community-oriented model in which publics and organisations are not viewed as two opposing elements but rather as two components of one community, working together for its advancement and welfare. Relations with members of Umma, are viewed not as means of maximising the interests of the organisation itself to the detriment of those of the community. In the holistic view of Islamic community, the organization is the community and the community is the organization.
Public relations in the Islamic Umma is the responsibility of all –organisations and individuals — to build up a public consent and a social consciousness based on the virtue of Islam, faith and the belief in Allah. The objective, here, is to strengthen the community orientations of organisations. Organisations can build schools, hospitals, homes for the poor, the needy and the elderly, mosques and health centres. They can sponsor cultural, educational and sporting events… etc. In the broad Islamic concept of ibadah (worship), all these activities are acts of worship carried out to win the pleasure of God. An organisation might sponsor the building of a school, a mosque, a cultural club, or a health centre as a form of voluntary public support to the community. The fact that such sponsorship is highly encouraged in Islam would serve as a catalyst for further attachment to the community on the part of the organization. While the original intention behind such support is based on religious convictions, organisations may still benefit from it in establishing relations of trust and respect with their publics. Public relations in Islam is conceived of as a vehicle of creating a healthy environment and atmosphere for both the individual and the organisation to set up and establish the Islamic Umma which should be characterised by harmony, mutual understanding, mutual respect, and mutual interest governed by the Islamic principles and values. The final objective is to reinforce social solidarity and a strong community in terms of faith and welfare.
the peninsula
Kirat is a professor of public relations and Mass Communication at the College of Arts and Sciences, Qatar University.
