AI Content and Fake News About Abdullah Hashem Floods the Internet

In April 2025, Aba Al-Sadiq, leader of the Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light, publicly declared that he is the awaited Mahdi and the rightful Pope. This announcement, made in a filmed address before hundreds of witnesses at the UK headquarters of the AROPL community, rapidly circulated across major social media platforms including X (formerly Twitter), TikTok, and YouTube. Within days, it became one of the most widely discussed religious topics of the month.

The online response was immediate and intense. Social media users with an interest in religion and spirituality found their feeds flooded with posts and videos related to Aba Al-Sadiq’s speech. A significant number of content creators, especially on TikTok, shared reaction videos. However, these videos frequently repeated the same statements, with little to no original insight or constructive commentary. Some of them alleged that Aba Al-Sadiq had claimed to be the Messiah, while others falsely stated that he had declared himself the return of Jesus — both claims he never made. This pattern suggested that many creators were more interested in capitalizing on the speech’s viral nature to increase their viewership than in engaging seriously with its message

A concerning portion of this content was negative, mocking, or derisive in tone. Much of it appeared designed to generate attention through ridicule rather than encourage informed or respectful dialogue.

Shortly afterward, a second wave of content emerged in which influencers escalated their efforts to belittle Aba Al-Sadiq and his followers. These included videos of individuals dressing as Aba Al-Sadiq and mimicking him, as well as the use of artificial intelligence to create cartoons or digitally manipulated images—such as fake cereal boxes featuring his face.

The situation worsened with the appearance of more sophisticated AI-generated images and videos. These manipulated media falsely depicted Aba Al-Sadiq in fabricated scenarios, including speeches and video appearances that he never participated in. Such content is increasingly difficult for the average viewer to distinguish from genuine footage, raising serious concerns around misinformation and the erosion of trust in authentic public communication. The proliferation of these materials contributes to an environment of confusion and potential harm.

An AI generated video of Aba Al-Sadiq

In a further development, some online users falsely claimed that the original video of Aba Al-Sadiq’s announcement—published on the official YouTube channel The Mahdi Has Appeared—was itself created using artificial intelligence. These claims are demonstrably false. The video was recorded in the presence of a live audience, and assertions to the contrary appear to be deliberate attempts to discredit the message and mislead the public. This incident shows how digital disinformation can blur the line between reality and fabrication.

Warnings from experts about the dangers of AI-generated disinformation have been well documented. In January 2024, the Information Technology Industry Council (ITI) released a report highlighting the use of artificial intelligence to spread misleading stories, fake narratives, and political propaganda. The report noted that much of the content disseminated on platforms like TikTok and YouTube remains unverified, yet continues to be widely shared and accepted as fact. These trends have deeply troubling implications for internet safety, digital integrity, and social cohesion.

There have also been reported incidents of fraud linked to the online response. A fake YouTube account operating under the username @themahdihasappeared-qd posed as the official Youtube channel of the Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light and solicited donations under false pretenses. This constitutes a clear case of impersonation and financial deception. Although the official channel issued a public warning and the fraudulent account was eventually forced to change its name and taken down due to impersonation reports, a new account soon appeared under the username @themahdihasappeared01.

Members of the AROPL community have also been personally targeted. Some individuals have had their full names and profile pictures stolen and used to create fake accounts. In one documented case, Farzana Alghaniubillah discovered that an impersonator account had been set up using her name and profile picture. The fake account rapidly gained over 900 followers. AROPL Studios TV Presenter Bushra Tahir reported a surge of fake accounts using a private photograph as her, harassing her during her Tiktok live streams. These forms of impersonation are not only violations of privacy but also have the potential to result in serious harm, including social ostracism, reputational damage, and physical danger.

Tiffany Oldany reported that during a TikTok live stream on May 7, 2025, an individual with the screen name "Abdullah Hashem aba al-Sadiq" falsely claimed to be the leader of the faith. Instances of people impersonating him have been occurring and are very dangerous.

Due to these incidents, the Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light issued an official statement on April 28, warning against impersonation.

Due to the recent popularity of the Mahdi Has Appeared channel, we have noticed an increase in false profiles pretending to represent us. These fake accounts have left misleading comments or attempt to deceive the audience. Please be aware that only our official channel represents us. We encourage you to verify the authenticity of any account before engaging.

In parallel with these personal attacks, there has been a growing trend of using AI tools to create websites, videos, and textual content aimed at spreading disinformation about the Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light. These materials often misrepresent the community’s beliefs and practices, and in many cases, intentionally fabricate false rumors to generate online engagement. Influencers and content creators have played a significant role in the spread of these false narratives— without verifying the information they amplify. This has contributed to an increasingly hostile online environment, fueling misunderstanding, intolerance, and potentially violence against members of the religious minority.

The Security Department of the Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light has taken a firm stance against the spread of fake news and false rumors propagated by these content creators.

According to Newsguard as of January 2025 there are at least 1,254 AI-generated news and information websites operating with little or no human oversight, producing content largely or entirely written by bots. 

“These sites often have generic names and publish hundreds of articles on topics ranging from politics to entertainment, frequently including false claims or misleading information.”

News Guard also reports 60% of all internet users have encountered a deep fake in 2025. 

The Institute for Technology in the Public Interest (ITIC) has issued research echoing these concerns. They write in their 2025 report that deepfake technology and AI-manipulated content are now being used to mislead not only voters or political audiences but also to target vulnerable and minority communities. As their report states:

“Deepfakes: Mis- and disinformation can also be spread through the human creation of deep fakes or other purposely manipulated or altered content… These tools have already been used to manipulate footage or commentary of candidates... False or human-generated content that is spread or adapted by AI… If not properly labeled or moderated… AI can spread fake content generated by humans.”

These developments represent a serious threat The Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light and its vulnerable members.

In response to the escalating spread of fake news, AI-generated content, and misinformation following Aba Al-Sadiq’s viral speech, the Security Department of the Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light launches a campaign urging our members to actively participate. We encourage everyone to report false information, call out AI-generated content as fake news, and boycott deceptive blog posts to protect the integrity of verified information and foster a more truthful digital environment.