麻豆约拍

From Sarah Joseph, Editor of a Muslim lifestyle magazine:

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A short while back my husband bumped into an old friend at an event. They hadn鈥檛 seen each other for a long while. They chatted, catching up with each other鈥檚 news. Eventually, the friend coughs an uncomfortable cough, 鈥淪o have you remarried, then?鈥�

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鈥淩emarried?鈥� repeats my husband, confused, 鈥淲hy would I get remarried?鈥�

At this point, my husband describes how his friend鈥檚 face drained of colour, as he blurted out, 鈥淵ou and Sarah鈥� You got divorced鈥︹��

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There followed an entire description of what my husband鈥檚 friend had heard. It included all sorts of precise details of why we had split up 鈥� all of which were entirely false, but very specific, and intriguing, and quite absorbing actually!

I find it truly startling that someone, somewhere, thought my husband and I were interesting enough to concoct a whole story about a phantom divorce, but it did stir in me feelings of annoyance that someone had chosen falsehood over truth.

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Now, I grew up in a model agency. The London and Los Angeles offices were run by my Mum, and the Milan and Tokyo offices were run by my aunt. Believe me, I got used to hearing bizarre stories about them both. The industry seemed bent on creating fantastical stories about the two, larger-than-life, sisters; although to be honest, the actual truth of their lives was often more startling, than the fiction created about them.

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However, that experience of being a child hearing lies about my mother, instilled in me a strong loathing of gossip, and an absolute regard for the truth.

The Qur鈥檃n is emphatic, 鈥淲e hurl the truth against falsehood, and truth obliterates it- see how falsehood vanishes away.鈥�

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But, in an age where all sorts of things get made up and spread through the internet in nano-seconds, I believe we have to remain alert to the reality that not everyone is invested in truth, indeed many will profit from falsehood. We simply can鈥檛 believe everything we hear, and even see.

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With ever more powerful computer-software, even pictures and videos can trick us. Which is why I think it鈥檚 really important to verify the truth before we share information.

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And in that spirit Chris, I would like to confirm to all several million of your listeners, as well as to any friends I haven鈥檛 seen in a while, that I am indeed well and truly married. Indeed, today, is our 26th wedding anniversary!