OFFSTONE JAN EDITION 2026

70 Importantly, tabayyun should not be understood as a concept relevant only to religious communities. According to Kovach and Rosenstiel, its emphasis on verification, restraint, and accountability closely aligns with universal principles of ethical journalism, such as accuracy, fairness, and harm minimization. In this sense, tabayyun offers a moral vocabulary that complements contemporary media ethics, particularly in an era shaped by algorithmic amplification and the economics of attention. The persistence of trial by media raises pressing questions about responsibility in digital communication. While journalists bear professional obligations to uphold ethical standards, audiences are no longer passive recipients of information. Social media users actively participate in the circulation and interpretation of news, often without recognizing their ethical agency. Islamic ethics, by framing communication as a moral act with consequences, extends responsibility to all participants within the media ecosystem. Closing By framing ethical communication as a form of peacebuilding, this article positions Islamic communication ethics as a meaningful contribution to global debates on media responsibility. The principle of tabayyun offers a moral counterweight to the harms of trial by media, emphasising verification, restraint, and justice as foundations for social harmony in an interconnected world. In conclusion, the Zara Qairina case underscores the urgent need to re-evaluate communication practices in the digital age. Trial by media flourishes in environments where speed eclipses accuracy and emotion overrides ethical reflection. By contrast, tabayyun offers a principled approach to communication that safeguards justice, dignity, and social harmony. Reasserting this principle, within journalism, education, and digital citizenship may not eliminate speculation entirely, but it provides a necessary moral anchor. In an age of instant judgment, the discipline to verify before speaking may be one of the most radical and ethical acts of communication. BIBLIOGRAPHY Al-Quran. Kovach, B., & Rosenstiel, T. (2014). The Elements of Journalism (3rd ed.). Three Rivers Press.