Sultan Ibrahim also cautioned against extremism, particularly concerning issues related to race and religion.

“Do not shame others or viral shameful contents, as this will only cause division and conflict,” he said at the national-level Maal Hijrah celebration at the Putrajaya International Convention Centre today.

Sultan Ibrahim acknowledged the challenges faced by the public today amid the unrestricted flow of information through social media, which was difficult to regulate.

He emphasised how important it was for Malaysians to exercise caution when seeking religious knowledge on social media, ensuring that the content obtained was authentic and from authoritative sources.

He said there was growing concern about the dissemination of misleading, inaccurate, and misinterpreted information related to Islam, as well as teachings that deviate from true Islamic principles.

“In the past, religious education primarily involved reading books and attending ‘kuliah’ (religious classes) in mosques. Today, however, society increasingly turns to online sources like ‘Ustazah Facebook’ and ‘Ustaz TikTok’ for religious learning,” he said.

Sultan Ibrahim also reminded Muslims to be more discerning, and stressed that the spread of inaccurate religious information via social media can lead to confusion, division, and deviations from authentic religious practices.

He urged the government to enhance enforcement measures against deviant content and establish a religious reference centre to disseminate accurate knowledge and information.