Must I Contact App Developers to Remove My Past Sinful Posts?

Answered by Shaykh Yusuf Weltch

Question

I previously posted kufr, shirk, and other haram content on social media and also used a false date of birth when creating my account. Am I required to request the app developers to delete my past messages?

Answer

In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful and Compassionate.

If the posts you made contained the propagation of kufr, shirk, or haram, or the glorification of them, you must take any steps reasonably available to you to have them removed. If this means you message the developers, then so be it.

Regardless of the outcome, whether you successfully get the posts down, you must still repent to Allah (Most High) sincerely for such a prohibited action. This is especially true if you are unable to get the posts down. You must pray to Allah to rid you of the initial sin and to protect you from being accountable for the sins of others who are negatively affected by those posts.

Related

• Is Repentance Sufficient for Forgiveness If Someone Commits a Major Sin? – Shaykh Faraz Rabbani
• Am I Sinful If Someone Acts on UnIslamic Content from My Psychology Book?
• How Can One Repent from Shirk, and What Role Do Good Deeds Play?
• Should I Delete All the Posts That I See in Our Family Messaging Group?
• Allowing Others To Watch Questionable Content

Hope this helps
Allah knows best
[Shaykh] Yusuf Weltch
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Shaykh Yusuf Weltch is a teacher of Arabic, Islamic law, and spirituality. After accepting Islam in 2008, he went on to study at Darul Uloom Seminary in New York and completed his studies at Darul Mustafa in Tarim, Yemen.

There, he completed the memorization of the Quran and his study of Islamic Sciences. Throughout his years of study, he was blessed to learn from many great scholars: Habib Umar bin Hafiz, Habib Kazhim al-Saqqaf, Shaykh ‘Umar bin Husayn al-Khatib, and others.

Upon returning, he joined the SeekersGuidance faculty in the summer of 2019.