THE INTERPRETATION OF ALI MUSTAFA YAQUB’S HADITH CRITICISM IN COMBATING HOAX NEWS IN THE CYBERSPACE ERA

Abstract

This article discusses the interpretation of Ali Mustafa Yaqub's hadith criticism in the context of efforts to prevent the spread of hoax news in the cyberspace era. The rise of false information in digital media has become a serious challenge in maintaining the authenticity and truth of information within society. This study highlights the significance of hadith studies, particularly the science of hadith authentication (criticism of hadith validity), as a methodological framework for verifying the truthfulness of circulating news. Ali Mustafa Yaqub, as one of Indonesia's leading hadith scholars, offers a relevant approach to scrutinizing the validity of information through the theory of hadith criticism that he developed. This article examines how the application of this theory can be adapted to assess digital information using four main approaches: source criticism (assessing the origin of information), source authority (evaluating the credibility of the informant), news validity (ensuring the accuracy of content), and comparison (comparing with other authentic sources). Through this approach, hadith criticism functions not only as part of Islamic scholarship, but also as an instrument of information literacy in confronting the era of digital disinformation.