To those born in 475 BC, it is submitted that the first collective “means of communication” in human history is the book, and this means of communication was first used from the heavens. The era of books written by humans came much later, and even now, heavenly books reign supreme.
We all know that many things become obsolete over time and are replaced by others, but the marvel of the book is that it has never become obsolete and never will. Books were written, books are being written, and books will continue to be written.
The second major form of communication was to gather prominent members of society and discuss collective social issues with them. Thus, the first formal means of communication among Muslims was the pulpit of the Prophet.
In the ancient times, communication at the grassroots level took the form of gatherings of friends and learned people. This means of communication still held great importance in old Karachi many thousands of years after its inception. Intellectual, philosophical, and literary gatherings would take place throughout the city on weekends. For example, discussions about the weekly gathering in the library of the eminent lawyer Khalid Ishaq are still remembered by scholars.
A very important means of communication emerged in the form of journals and newspapers, which indeed accelerated the pace of intellectual development. Being informed has always been crucial for humans. For instance, after the creation of Adam, Allah gave him some news, such as “Stay away from this tree, otherwise…”.
And then, right before sending him to Earth, a whole package of future news was given. Hence, the responsibility of the Prophets (peace be upon them) was also to deliver news, news that the rebels of God do not like.
Thus, through journals and newspapers, humans began to receive news of every small and large event in the world, which increased the pace of life and intensified the process of competition among the nations.
When the 21st century arrived, it brought with it, almost at its very beginning, a new means of communication known as social media.
Keeping this entire background in mind, understand a point for those who were born in 475 BC and remained on the platform of that era: every means of communication has its own distinct style, tone, and environment.
In the book-based means of communication, the response also comes in the form of a book, and this response is often filled with questions. This means of communication does not have a single style. From the first heavenly book to the collections of Jafar Zatli, books of every color and tone are available.
In the pulpit-based means of communication, the speaker speaks, and there is no formal cross-talk because it is the house of Allah. If this practice starts, the sanctity of the house will soon be compromised. However, cross-talk has happened on some very important occasions and can happen, but one important thing is that the speaker on the pulpit must keep their language very cautious. Why? Because it is the house of Allah. So the principle of this means of communication is to control the language.
The means of communication in gatherings is entirely different. In a gathering, the main person speaks first, and then the other participants also join the conversation. Here, the conversation is informal and free. Every kind of banter happens except for obscene language.
The issue with the means of communication through journals and newspapers is that they reach every home, where children of all ages are present, and their reach extends to millions of people of all temperaments. Thus, it was decided that the informal and free conversation of gatherings would not be kept here, and the language would be cautious.
The means of communication through social media is still in its infancy, but one thing is certain: it is neither a mosque nor is it accessible to children like a newspaper. It is closer to the means of communication through gatherings in that initially, each person states their point through a post, and then their Facebook friends join the conversation.
If there is any difference from a gathering, it is only that the participants are not under one roof facing each other. Therefore, here the manners of the mosque and newspaper will not apply but those of the gathering will. Hence, those who understand this secret are successful here. Whoever tried to impose the environment of a mosque or newspaper on Facebook, no matter how great a scholar, has failed. Here, people like us with sharp tongues succeed, who do not use obscene language but understand the secret of keeping the environment of the gathering informal and free.
So, O those born in 475 BC! Not only is every means of communication different from the other, but their styles, requirements, and etiquettes are also not the same.
