(Adopted by the First International Islamic Mass Media Conference, in Jakarta on 1-3 September 1980. The Islamic Mass Media Charter is an integral part of the Jakarta Declaration.)
In keeping with our belief in Allah and Allah's Apostle; and in implementation of Islamic Shariah; and in complete awareness of the imminent dangers besetting the Muslim Ummah and impeding its religious reawakening and in appreciation of the important role of the various forms of mass media and their worthy aims, the integrity of the profession and its tradition; and conscious of the goals and aspirations of the Ummah, we workers in the Islamic media who are now gathered here at the First International Islamic Mass Media Conference, hereby endorse this charter for Islamic Media. We solemnly pledge to conform to it and regard it a torchlight for all our endeavours as well as a source of rights and obligations.
Article 1
Consolidation of the faith of the Muslim individual in Islamic values and ethical principles.
Work towards achieving integration of the Muslim individual's Islamic personality.
Endeavour to present real facts within the framework of the Islamic rule of conduct.
Endeavour to acquaint the Muslim individual with his duties towards others, his basic rights and liberties.
Article 2
Muslim media men should strive to unite the ranks of Muslims, and to advocate resorting to wisdom, Islamic brotherhood and tolerance in solving their problems.
Islamic media men should be committed to the following: combat all forms of colonialism, aggression, fascism and racism.
To combat zionism and its colonialist policy of creating settlements as well as its ruthless suppression of the Palestinian people.
Islamic media men should keep vigilance against anti-Islamic ideas and trends.
Article 3
Islamic media men should censor all material which is either broadcast or published in order to protect the Ummah from influences which are harmful to Islamic character and values and in order to forestall all dangers.
Islamic media-workers should follow a decent style in carrying out the duties and in preserving the integrity of the profession and Islamic traditions, avoid using offensive words and refrain from publishing obscene material, nor indulge in cynicism, slander, provocation of "Fitna'' rumour-mongering and other forms of defamatory actions.
To refrain from either broadcasting or publishing anything that goes against public morality and the rules of decent demeanour. This also means any condoning of crime, violence, suicide or anything that arouses terror or provokes the lower instincts, whether directly or indirectly, should be strictly avoided.
Commercial advertisements which go against morality should be strictly debarred from either broadcasts or publications.
Article 4
Islamic journalists must be committed to the propagation of Da'wah, to elucidating Islamic issues and to the defence of the Muslim point of view. They should also seek to introduce Muslim peoples to one another. They should also be interested in Islamic history, Islamic civilisation and the promotion of the Arabic language and its dissemination among Muslims, especially Muslim minorities. They should also be committed to re-establishing the dominion of Shariah, in lieu of man-made laws and principles. They must be committed to struggle for the liberation of Palestine, especially Al-Quds. They must be totally dedicated to the idea of the Islamic Ummah which must be untainted by either regional, national or tribal chauvinism. They must also strongly advocate the fight against under development in all its manifestations and support the effort towards full development which should guarantee to the Ummah its betterment and power.
