The Rise
The rise of social media is one that is unprecedented in human history to a degree we haven’t seen before? Think about it, have people ever been this connected since the dawn of man? Not even the internet connected people as much as social platforms do now. Before, people lived within their own communities, in their country. Sure they were aware of world events, trends, culture, through different news media, word-to-mouth, etc. But what social media did, I like to relate is similar to Neil Armstrong taking his first steps on the moon. As he said in that famous saying “A small step for man, a huge leap for mankind”. We are so connected now by everyone in every single aspect of each others lives. There are no barriers, by country line or water to mixing and showing humans on a global scale on earth.
Analysis from Kepios, a statistical company, said almost 60%, that’s 4.7 billion people are on social media. Its everywhere and everyone is on it, with it coming the good and bad. But we’ll get to all that very soon.
All Good Right
So what’s the bad news? If we are all connected, there is so much potential to cut the things that have plagued mankind as a whole. We could be activists for events that effect us all such as world wars, climate change, etc. We could learn to look past racisms and stereotypes, and learn to live as a single race rather than always be divided. We have so much information at our fingertips now more than ever. You can find a social media centered around anything. Say you like cooking, you follow some cooking channels. You like cars? Follow your favorite brands. There is an endless amount of knowledge you can pick up from it. Even when it comes to Islamic knowledge, what previous generations went around the world to collect and read, can be found through so many different avenues. You could learn tajweed by following an instructor, learn the seerah, learn your deen! I don’t see any negatives, so where is the double-edge sword in all this?
Overexposure
Believe it or not, social media can be detrimental to one’s state of the mind in so many ways. If you don’t set the boundaries from the beginning, you are going down the path of an addict. Many different scientific studies have shown, the same levels of dopamine addicts get from drugs, is shown in similar levels to users on social media. Think about it, first thing you check in the morning, before you go to sleep. Even now, you are probably itching to check one of your many different social media platforms. Why? You’ve checked a thousand times, what is different this time? Probably nothing. The overexposure of content though it may have its advantages, it comes with many harmful side-effects if one is not aware. As uncle Ben said to Spiderman, “With great power comes great responsibility”.
Wasting Time
The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “There are two blessings which many people waste: health and free time.” (Bukhari 6049). Now free time is spent is for the majority of people on their phones, with a majority of that time being on social media. Everyone talks about how quickly time is passing and though no doubt that is a sign of the latter days, but how much time is lost because of your heedlessness? Think about it, some of the points I mentioned above about the benefits of social media, how much of that do people really follow? Let me give you an example of the average Muslim user. They follow their friends, they follow their interests, and maybe the follow some Islamic pages/channels. All good right? Well the problem is the mixing of content and how it effects your ability to absorb what is in front of you. The design on many of these apps, TikTok and Instagram in specific are designed that you are constantly being fed different information by algorithms. You might get an Islamic snippet about a reminder, but ironically that reminder goes out of your head the second the next video pops up, about something else, maybe it has music. Do you see what’s wrong? We have turned the words of the divine and mixed them as casual as we do with our daily content. The people of the past and the majority rule that you can not touch the Quran in its print copy without wudu(ablution). Also it is disliked to play the Quran when there is conversation being made over it. This is the respect we Muslims have to the words of Allah. Yet now they are passed and mixed between one video and the next. We are not absorbing any knowledge and nothing is benefitting us.
The Haram
Its no surprise the level and amount of haram that is all over social media. From music, to nudity, to backbiting and everything in between, we are constantly involved in some aspect of it. If you post on social media, do you actually think about what you are posting?
Modesty
As a woman, are you are posting your ‘Awrah on display for the world to see? Allah commands the woman in the Quran … “And reveal not their adornment save such as is outward; and let them cast their veils over their bosoms” (Qur’an 24:31). In another verse, “O Prophet, say to your wives and daughters and the believing women that they draw their veils close to them…” (Qur’an 33:59). Women are meant to be guarded like pearls in terms of their beauty and honor and to display it openly on social media for the world is inviting sin to you. Those videos will stay as long as they do, even after you pass away and you might earn the sins of those, even into your grave? Isn’t that a scary thought? Imagine, when you are in your grave, and no one even knows the harm its doing for you, you can’t tell them to stop or delete it, nothing. A believer always prepares for what they put forward for tomorrow.
Backbiting
Another harm comes in the form of backbiting. A vile sin as Allah S.W.T says in the Quran “O you who have believed, avoid much [negative] assumption. Indeed, some assumption is sin. And do not spy or backbite each other. Would one of you like to eat the flesh of his brother when dead? You would detest it. And fear Allah.” (Quran 49:12) The first part talks about assumption, how much does social media deduce that for us? Everything we see, we make our thoughts about it, whether good and bad. There is sin in this. Next is the big one, backbiting. How social media has made this so common it’s sad and quite terrifying. With everyone’s life on display, you have all the assumption and information you need to spread tales about someone. “Hey did you see what she posted? I can’t believe she posted that, I think…”. How common is this saying? You are ready to make a narrative about a person, probably even someone who you have never even met in real life! This is a major sin and so many Muslims are falling for this. If this alone keeps you off social media, it’s for the better!
Evil Eye
This is probably the most common one in terms of quantity whether people are aware or unaware to it. Social media has made evil eye become the plague in terms of its outreach. The definition of evil eye is misfortune that is transmitted from one person to another out of jealousy or envy. The misfortune of the victim may manifest as sickness, loss of wealth or family, or a streak of general bad luck. The person inflicting the evil eye may do so with or without intention. Re-read the last sentence, “with or without intention”. So even if you had no reason or intention, this is what you sent forward to that person and social media is 100% the perfect platform for this. As the Quran says “Say: ‘I seek refuge with the Lord of the Dawn, from the mischief of created things; from the mischief of darkness as it overspreads; from the mischief of those who practice secret arts; and from the mischief of the envious one as he practices envy’” (Quran 113:1-5). Brothers and sisters, you post everything on social media when a lot of your life should be kept private. Think about it, how many people follow you? How many people are actually happy for you? Probably less than 5%. Most don’t care or…they envy you. You may say, “that’s their problem, not mine” but you couldn’t be anymore wrong because the evil eye will effect you regardless unless you seek protection and take steps to prevent it. Say you get married, you post every detail about it to your social media and then you post your life as a couple. But in that group of people that follow or see you, there are unmarried, divorced, or single people who yearn for companionship. It’s human nature to want what others have and they could cast evil eye upon you. You have a child, you post it. How many married couples have tried years to have kids to no success. This will draw envy towards you. You got a house, you’re eating food, so many people don’t have these blessings. Don’t invite other people to cast their evil eye on you, and it’s 100% real. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “The evil eye is true. If anything could outdo the decree, it would be the evil eye.” (Muslim)
Comparing Your Life With Others
Now we come towards the one thing that eats the mind of every person who is consumed into social media. You start neglecting the blessings Allah has bestowed upon you and you start comparing yourself to what others have. For example, you work minimum wage, and can barely meet ends yet your “friends” on social media have nice cars, vacations, big weddings, etc. You start thinking, why can’t I have what they have? This leads to a cycle of never feeling good enough. You see people with bodies you wish you had. You neglect every good in your life, and focus on the wants. You focus on filling that gap at any means, even if it causes you to lose the person you are. Your perspective changes, you forget slowly the purpose of this world, and neglect the hereafter. You run after the world, not realizing these “friends” who post these things aren’t happy in their own lives, and want the satisfaction of other people.
Abu Huraira reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “Look at those below you and do not look at those above you, for it is the best way not to belittle the favors of Allah.” (Bukhari 6490)
Closing Statement
If you feel you are on social media and constantly get emotionally affected by others and what they have, then maybe it’s a sign to step away from it and focus on yourself. Remember we are all in tests, no one is free from it. Also remember how fake social media is. It only shows you the good moments, never the bad. It never shows you the tears behind the smiles, or the constant depression behind the laughter. Be careful how you use it, it can be the difference between your place in heaven or hell. We always ask Allah to protect us and guide us. Ameen. Do some self-reflection and make the decisions best for you. This is our one shot at life to earn our place in Jannah In shaa Allah. Choose very wisely what you do with your time. There isn’t a moment to lose!