We live in a world of spectacular technologies that grants people access to a wide range of media; including mobile phone, internet, movies, music, video games, magazines and books. Some of the information in the media can improve your learning abilities and develop your mental horizon, however, some of the information can lead you astray.
Satan gladly utilizes the media to deceive people by making what is evil attractive and hilarious while making what is good appear dangerous and unattractive. He goes further to get you into thinking that disobeying Allah has no negative consequences since we are all here to air our views besides human beings have freedom of speech.
Decision on whether to use the internet in a good or bad way is entirely up to us. We should avoid using it in any way that shows immorality, vulgarity or violence. Let us have the courage to step back whenever we come across anything that is out of the norm.
SOME WAYS THAT SATAN USES TO DECEIVE US WITH MODERN TECHNOLOGY
1. Pornography
In all forms, pornography can be very addictive and dangerous. It could actually start as a result of curiosity or unexpected exposures (pop-ups) which results into the most destructive habit. Muslims that watch pornography are very sinful and can lead to other sexual urges. It is very poisonous as it weakens down your self-worth, self-control and dignity. It also affects the manner you have relationship with your spouse. Muslims have to avoid pornography at all costs because it destroys society. Examples; sheikh Assim Al Hakeem had received several questions about men addicted to pornography, how they have abandoned their ways and what they can do to minimize/avoid it completely. So it has truly penetrated in to the Muslim society.
2. Bad utterances against Islam
Social media has encouraged bad name calling, bullying, immoral acts, spreading false information and most dangerously some blasphemous utterances against our beloved Prophet (PBUH) and on Islam as whole. For example; the most common one in the internet is about how he married an under aged girl. Some more examples;
“Modern critics have criticized Muhammad for preaching beliefs that are incompatible with democracy; Somali-Dutch feminist writer Ayaan Hirsi Ali has called him a "tyrant" and a "pervert".” Source; Wikipedia.
“The Dutch Party for Freedom leader Geert Wilders calls Muhammad a mass murderer and a pedophile”. Source; Wikipedia.
3. TABLEES
One of the Major destructions by Satan on the media is to make good look bad and make bad look good. Example; an arrogant person may be misled by shaytan to believe that he just has an elevated sense of pride. Likewise, it can make one believe that debasing himself is very good and exhibits humility. When debating for Islam, easily a Muslim may think he’s just exhibiting elevated healthy pride while they are clearly very vein, haughty and self-righteous. Just as it is also very easy for Muslims to appear as cowards or modest in a way that they won’t be able to stand and defend the religion into thinking they are exercising wisdom or patience. In sunnah Ibn Majah 4008, we are told that staying silent out of fear when others are saying negative things about Islam is indeed a disgrace.
4. A tool for illicit affair
It normally starts with a casual ‘like’ oh she’s just a friend etc. This gradually leads to private messaging through Inbox. Before one knows it, he is hiding things from his wife, having a verbal or even physical affair. Example; Facebook is the most common platform that affair starts from. We have seen it overwhelm some of our very close and religious friends.
5. Images, videos and pictures
Our relationship with the almighty should be put first. Endless scrolling at the news feed makes you come across some nudes, pictures or even videos of non-mahram and you will find yourself struggling to fight your lust. Shaytan whispers that there is no harm in looking since you are not touching, nobody will know etc.
6. Time waster
Look at the tafseer of suratul ASR, it emphasizes on the value of time. But we still have time in this dunya to spend hours and hours scrolling to things that will add absolutely to single value to our lives in the name of entertainment.
Because we are not worshipping Allah enough, we try constantly to fill the void with forms of entertainment.
4. Satan makes you to seek worship
Just buy getting likes or praises from Facebook, people start to feel cool, pride comes in and before you know it, it gives us some feeling of being like mini-gods, striving and looking forward for praises from people. Satan will make you obsessed with yourself, constantly taking pictures and uploading them by the minute, seeking for attention. Satan makes it as if your self-worth comes from those praises instead of occupying yourself with worship. We become so self-absorbed. We become less compassionate to to others because Satan has buried our faces in the screen which keeps us further away from noticing our people.
6. Spreading false information
“O you who believe! If a Faasiq (liar — evil person) comes to you with any news, verify it, lest you should harm people in ignorance, and afterwards you become regretful for what you have done.” [Quran, 49:6].
We have to make sure we verify issues before forwarding it to other people otherwise you lose your credibility with others if you keep sending false messages. Examples; there was a time message was sent to incite violence accusing Muslims of killing thousands of Christians in Kaduna, Nigeria. It was later found out that it was someone who was behind construction of such messages just to incite violence and increase religious intolerance.
7. Backbiting
We all know the dangers of backbiting hence social media makes it appear so casual. We shamefully gossip about others, exposing their sins sometimes to the world. Let us remember that when we say bad words, they get reposted and retweeted, re shared over and over again, just imagine 500 people liking a statement posted by you on backbiting? Imagine the grievous sin, multiples of sin.
“The Prophet (PBUH) said: Verily a person utters a word, that he deems harmless, but it results in his falling into the depths of the Hellfire”. [At-Tirmidhee, Ibn Majah]
8. Discussing marital secrets
The Prophet (PBUH) said: Among the most evil of people before Allah on the Day of Resurrection will be a man who is intimate with a woman and she with him, then he spreads her secret. [Muslim]
Unfortunately there are so many platforms that women come together to discuss marital issues. O0ne is supposed to post of any problems and as a result sometimes talks about the sexual experience with their spouse. People themselves post updates and pour out their hearts on how mean their men were. It is called divorce diaries. Some people constantly put pictures of all the activities with their husbands; gifts, where they went for dinner, this can incite hasad.
9. Comparison and inferiority complex
Social media has taken the level of competition and jealousy to an entire new level. Satan makes us believe that our life is boring, less fun, less romantic compared to others. Satan wants to lure us into being unappreciative. These platforms aren’t real life. These online appearances brings out a false image of a perfect life with no trials and tribulations. Examples; study has shown that 13% of people who committed suicide in America is as result of envy and jealousy of other peers on Facebook.
It is important to remember that every tweet or post on social media becomes permanent in our records that will either count for or against us. We may have privacy settings that allows certain people we trust to view what we do, let us not forget that Kiraman Kaatibeen (honorable recorders) write everything. “Not a word does he utter but there is a recorder by him, ready (to note it)” [Quran, 50:18].
Let us imagine the day our book of deeds will be given to us, we scroll down and see all the nasty Facebook comments, backbiting, name calling especially, pictures.
“[It will be said], Read your record. Sufficient is you against you this Day as accountant”. [Quran, 17:14]. If we delete the accounts, messages will not be there any longer both the deeds will remain unless we make sincere Tawbah.
Bibliography
1. Baran, S. (2013). Introduction to mass communication: Media literacy and culture. USA: The McGraw-Hills Company.
2. Creech, K. C (2003). Electronic media law and regulation. Oxford: Focal Press.
3. Daft, R. L., Lengel, R. H. & Trevino, L. K. (1987). Message equivocality, media selection and manager performance: implications for information system, MIS Quarterly, 1 (3), 355- 360
4. DeMott, A. (ed.). (2008). What is the impact of cyberlife? Detroit: Green Haven Press/Thomson Gale. Sage publishing.
5. Eastin, M. S (2013). (Ed). Encyclopaedia of media violence. California: SAGE Publications, Inc.
Signed
BeingMuslimah