Thank you for your question.

It is indeed a pressing one. I recently reviewed a book on this subject entitled Virtually Islamic (see www.virtuallyislamic.com) which, although it was based on a survey of Islam on the internet done a couple of years ago, is still largely valid today. Someone wanting to find out about Islam on the internet today is just as likely to first encounter a site hostile to Islam or from an obscure and esoteric branch of Islam, as they are to find a site about the solid authentic teachings of Islam – such as Islamonline.net. This no doubt causes many problems. But with a little bit of effort, I am sure that most people will discover a range of material and realize which material is more reliable.

Then how can people on the internet know which website is most accurate? Well there are a number of things. Firstly, major search engines such as yahoo.com or google.com tend to rank sites according to popularity, on the number of links to the site and sometimes on the activity on the site in terms of new content being added.

In this way, if people visit sites such as Islamonline.net regularly and if they add links to it from their websites, it gets a much greater chance of being found and used. You can help this process along by not publicizing in any way sites with misinformation about Islam and by publicizing the more authentic sites. Sending out emails warning people about sites with misinformation about Islam doesn't help, it hinders.

This of course is not perhaps the ideal and we really need to have a more proactive presentation of Islam both on the internet and through other media. The effort devoted to this is increasing but it still only has a tiny fraction of the resources that are needed to deliver the message of Islam properly.

The best way to stop misinformation is to make those who misinform seem like idiots in the eyes of everyone else, because "everyone knows what they say is not true!". So much needs to be done! We are doing our bit on Ask About Islam but it is largely just reacting to others. Islam needs to be presented clearly, coherently and in a way that at least 90% of Muslims can agree to it!

It would be good to see an organization that takes this task on. First, raising funds for presenting Islam across all media forms throughout the world and then consulting widely across the scholars and the Muslims in general to reach a clear consensus as to how the money should be spent.

Most organizations online are inevitably focused on answering every question and challenge given to them. This means that the message is often not as clear and as simple as it needs to be. This is largely because the web is a reactive type of media waiting for people to visit the sites. Delivering the message of Islam requires positive action to put the message where people will find it without looking for it.

One of the big tactics of those who spread misinformation about Islam is to distract the investigations of those looking to find out about Islam. They focus on areas which are quite minor issues and away from the profound message of Islam to the world.

I am hopeful that in the coming months and maybe next few years, this work will begin in earnest. It is becoming vital in the current political situation where many people are being encouraged to see Islam and Muslims as the enemy, hostile to everything they value. This is very dangerous for the Muslim world and others besides:

And fear tumult or oppression, which affecteth not in particular (only) those of you who do wrong: and know that God is strict in punishment.

Surah 8 Verse 25

By those who range themselves in ranks,
And so are strong in repelling (evil),
And thus proclaim the Message (of God)!

Surah 37 Verses 1 – 3