Social Media

At the beginning of this year I made the intention to change the way I use social media so that it is a more beneficial part of my life. Since then, I’ve truly contemplated the reality of social media. There are many pros and cons of social media, and the link between these worldwide platforms and our real lives, the effect that it is having on our faith and well-being, must be explored.

First, we have to reflect on why we post what we post. It took me a while to admit to myself the real reason why I posted. This generation is so overly self-obsessed. It’s all about being ahead in a race; a race to see what you can show off for more likes and comments. It’s a toxic behaviour that just feeds the ego. It makes us all subconsciously too self-aware, until, without even realising, we become dependent on the rush of happiness experienced from every notification received. Our minds become focussed solely on our appearance. This isn’t to say caring about appearance is wrong, a common misconception, but it’s to say that people are now failing to see past it. Appearance has become everything. Even above reality – because if you didn’t snap or post about your holiday or amazing night out, ‘did it really happen?’

Maybe once in a while sharing memories with your friends online is nice, but when you become literally obsessed, overwhelmed with anxiety, by the photos that you post, when you scrutinise how you look and pose, when your mental health becomes dependant on how well your post did, then there’s a serious problem. This inherent obsession and attachment to social media is what has led to the destructive effect on our well-being and faith. For some, it has come to the point where social media is worshipped. Perhaps this is not in the literal sense, but just as some millionaires worship money, just how the power-hungry worship power, people are beginning to worship social media and their own looks. That’s not to say all who post selfies etc. are vain and inevitably affected, but it’s to say those who are affected devote irrational amounts of time to perfecting their page, worrying constantly about their online appearance.

It’s true, we all do it; and to a certain extent, for some, this may not even be the case. Posting on social media is simply something that has become a part of our lives – it neither effects our daily lives or has any effect on our well-being, it simply exists like the phone exists – to stay in touch, or like TVs exist – for entertainment. It is what it is. And yes, it can be a great escape from real life and just simply good fun. It can even be a positive place. Social media can be used to spread awareness about society’s issues, raise funds for devastating events around the globe, it can be used as a source of education, positivity and enlightenment. It can be engaging, allowing people who wouldn’t have met otherwise to meet, it builds connections, brings communities together. But it’s something that can only benefit us when used in the right way. When used in the wrong way, you can give it the power to become a threat to your way of life.

Everyone has their own idea of what their ‘private life’ is and what is public, but I encourage you all to reflect on this carefully. Sharing to much of your life can be very dangerous. I’ve seen a difference in how we, as young people, behave in social events compared to how we used to be, before social media. We used to actually live in the moment, be fully present and spend time with one another. Now, it’s almost become the norm to be on your phone even when in the middle of a conversation with someone; or at least the phone is on the table or in a pocket – close by, just in case. People have stopped caring for social interactions that don’t involve using a phone. Whether it’s watching a funny video or scrolling through Instagram together, it’s almost become strange to meet up with friends and not take selfies.

It also has an effect on one’s personal mental health. Posting too much gives the public an opportunity to judge. Prying eyes on what we choose to share, which, for most of us, is just the best moments of our day, opens the door to the possibility of ayn (evil eye) which is driven by hasad (jealousy). This in of itself has been a part of the Muslim community since the time of the Prophet (pbuh), but with the rise of the online world, it is experienced more often than not.

When people begin to over post, the real memories can become less meaningful, because the world saw it too. This is your life, not the world’s. I think sometimes people forget this, and they become so intertwined with the outside world, they end up having nothing left for themselves, nothing private, nothing special. So please, and I’m telling myself this first and foremost before anyone else, be careful of what you post. ‘Spilling the tea’ and ‘drama’ culture has gone too far and it’s so unhealthy for this generation. We are better than this. We can rise above it if we want to. We can’t just waste our time over it, life is too short to be looking at other people’s lives, because we’ll end up leaving our own life behind. We should focus on changing our habits so social media is used in a healthy way only.

This then got me thinking about how fixated we have become as a generation on this world, and how our focus must shift to be on the next. Yasmin Mogahed, a public speaker/ author, described a really beautiful analogy. She explained how life is like travelling on a boat in an ocean. The ocean represents this world and superficial things, and the boat represents the heart of a person. She then asks the very simple question: ‘What happens when you allow the ocean water to enter the boat? … it sinks.’ If we allow the superficial materialism of this life to control us, our actions and thoughts and feelings, such as social media’s impact on us, then we run the risk of the ocean consuming us whole. Then how do we stay afloat? By changing our focus to something bigger than ourselves; this is where we will find peace, and we’ll find ourselves sailing by in full control over the sway of the waves.

In short, let’s take control over our lives and make sure our focus is directed towards the right place. Let’s check ourselves and really evaluate our mental health and well being to ensure it isn’t being affected by the strong currents of this world. I pray that we all find peace and balance in our lives, and may God help us navigate through the rough waves of the ocean with strong sails, Inshallah (God-willing).

❤