Navigating how to Stay Spiritually Conscious in the Age of Social Media
Author: Zayna Amin
Instagram, TikTok, YouTube. Every scroll, every second like a battle against the nafs.
Social media is a minefield of sin and without careful navigation can cause distancing from Allah (swt). It was narrated by Abu Hurairah that the Prophet (pbuh) said, “When the believer commits sin, a black spot appears on his heart. If he repents and gives up that sin and seeks forgiveness, his heart will be polished. But if (the sin) increases, (the black spot) increases.” [83:14].
99% of 16 to 24 year olds use social media, making 42.5% of 17 to 24 year olds feel unsafe. Social media is a form of communication, viewed as essential to every young person’s life. The challenge isn’t avoiding it but using it with intention and purpose. Social media can cultivate creativity and ignite inspiration. An incredible tool when used in the right way; you can shape your feed to construct a space for faith and knowledge. But how do we create these healthy boundaries? What are the dangers of social media that every young Muslim should be aware of?
Our feeds can expose us to fitnah in various forms – music, immodest content. To safeguard our hearts and minds is to honour the amānah entrusted to us by Allah (swt). As young Muslims we must protect ourselves by avoiding parts of social media that expose us to fitnah, whether that be the explore page on Instagram or mindless scrolling through TikTok. We must take charge of our algorithms. The more we engage with a certain type of content, the more it will be fed to us. Be selective with what you like or comment on and use the ‘not interested’ button to hide content.
Regulating the content we see starts by adjusting the influencers we follow. An influencer is someone who affects and changes the way other people behave. If we are consuming content that shapes our thoughts and values, we must realise the power of this. Do the influencers we follow live a lifestyle we aspire to? Use this as a reminder to cleanse your feed. Replace these influencers with Muslim content creators who share content reminding us of the akhirah instead of showcasing the distractions of the dunya.
Intermittently we must take breaks from the hyper-reality social media displays to us. Constantly consuming dunya-focussed content can foster jealousy and producing it can bring about a desire for fame or pride. Clearing our minds allows us to connect with Allah (swt) because when we pause to reflect on our blessings, our hearts grow more grateful and content.
Young people naturally feel a desire to connect to their peers and find similarities in the way they spend their time. Limiting time online can leave some young Muslims feeling disconnected, highlighting the importance of strengthening our faith and learning to please Allah (swt) alone. When our intention is solely on Allah (swt), we will be drawn closer to people who similarly strive towards this goal InShaAllah.