The Moment of Truth.

I was toggling through the channels on Starhub Cable TV when I stumbled upon Channel 5’s The Moment of Truth.

Contestants were challenged to answer up to 21 questions pertaining to their lives truthfully, in order to win a maximum cash prize of USD500,000. What disgusts me so much was that the nature of the questions asked was very encroaching into people’s private spheres and secrets. Understandably so, the appeal in such questions rest in the fact that they reveal ‘interesting’ information about individuals. This same appeal has been abused by Satan and the Nafs to excite people, to make them want to gossip, backbite, slander etc. This age old tactic has long been exposed by the Quran and the Prophet s.a.w. when he declared that gossiping if Haram and is one of the greatest sins. The hadith about the 2 ladies who vomited out fresh meat of their brethren whom they gossiped about comes into mind.

It is uncalled for; to look into or spy or expose people’s private spheres and secrets. Indeed, the Quran and Sunnah explicitly prohibit spying into another person’s life, if there is no pressing investigative need. Wa laa tajassasuu…Jangan sepai-menyepai.

The implications of this reality show can be devastating. It is broadcasted on national TV, in fact worldwide! The very fabric that holds together an entire family or the bond between friends are at risk of being obliterated just by the questions that seek to expose the ‘truth’. Note that how the computer gets the ‘correct’ answer is in itself demanding to get an audit.

Man, in pursuit of money, can sometimes be willing to expose their personal inequities even when Allah As-Sattar has covered up their faults for them. Do not reveal what Allah has covered up for you. And this is done risking their marriage, family bonds, friendship, and God knows what other costs are involved. It is essesially trading one’s dignity, self-worth, family, friendship for a meager sum of a maximum if USD500,000.

I have not been offered such a sum in my face, so I myself do not know how I would fare if I were to be in their shoes. But the least I can say is that my mind knows the stakes involved. So May God guide us all and Forgive us, Amin.