Using Social Media to Gain Spiritual Benefits
Social media is a widely used medium that holds the possibility to damage our spiritual being. Through the excess use of social media, the young generation is driving itself away from spirituality and hence losing the essence of Islam. Social media affects our life to such an extent that we become oblivious. Further, we do not understand where we are leading ourselves. It gradually impacts our lives by making it our only purpose in life.
No doubt social media has a powerful and magnetic influence on its users that it fascinates, attracts and draws users towards it tremendously. First, we need to understand this powerful and magnetic aspect of social media and its effect on us. Hence, only through this awareness, we shall be able to work towards controlling our social media excess usage.
How Social Media Controls & Impacts us Today
We do not realize that we are being programmed through social media. That is to say, if we are addicted to something, our life will not just revolve around it but it shall overpower us and hence our life will be oriented on it. Therefore it will not be wrong if we say that if we let something overpower us, we are submitting and giving in ourselves to it. As a result, we make ourselves weak by being its slave and depending on it for pleasure.
This was just a reminder to beware of social media’s negative impact. Having talked about its negative affects shortly and the impact it has on us, let’s not be hopeless and see its positive side and how it helps us spiritually in understanding Allah and His religion. Therefore, let’s look at a few suggestions that shall help us limit our social media use and overcome its addiction.
Benefit Yourself from Social Media’s Useful Apps
We are fortunate that knowledge today is at our fingertips and that we do not have to put effort into acquiring it. Understanding Allah and His message have become a lot easier today due to the abundance of knowledge provided to us. We must avail this opportunity at its fullest and hence use social media for more constructive purposes.
Use social media to gain peace and stability of the heart. Consequently, spend time everyday either on listening to YouTube Islamic videos or learn Quran with Tajweed (Pronunciation) online through various online Quran teaching platforms. Therefore, boost your Iman (faith) through social media instead of letting it deviate you from your real purpose.
Follow People and Groups that Impact Positively
It is imperative to follow such influential personalities or groups and channels that create a positive impact in our lives. The posts that we receive and the things that we watch or read impact us immensely. We must know that our each and every action in this world must be either a direct or an indirect way to connect us to Allah or to let us understand Allah or the world’s purpose. Therefore we need to investigate the people that we follow and how their personalities are impacting us.
We need to think deeply if Allah will be pleased with us. Also, if these are helping us to connect to Allah in any way. An example of this can be following celebrities and stars. Mostly such followings have a negative impact on us without us realizing it. Following celebrities aimlessly is a huge waste of time. It draws us closer to the world fantasies and awakens unending desires. They further awaken our need to attain worldly fantasies.
Unfollow such figures that impact us negatively and have toxic effects on us. It is harmful to be influenced by such people. They can in no way benefit us spiritually and in relation to Allah. In other words, follow authentic Islamic scholars, motivational speakers, and influential figures. They have the potential to impact us positively, for example, Mufti Menk, Nouman Ali Khan, Yusuf Estes, Tariq Jamil, Zakir Naik and many many more. We can find these influential figures everywhere on social media from Twitter, Facebook to YouTube. They are all motivational and inspirational speakers. Their lectures have an impactful effect on us.
Block Social Media Notifications
By continuously getting notifications, we affect the quality of our attention. Moreover, we affect the quality of our worship as well. As a result, our minds are continuously focused on our mobile phones. Consequently, we are not able to focus on crucial matters that deserve all our attention and heart, for example, our worship.
Hence, ensure that the notifications are kept off. Most importantly, during times of worship, for example, while praying or while reciting the Quran. Certainly, our Creator is worthy of all our attention and time. Therefore such useless and frivolous mediums such as social media must not be a reason to draw us away from our Creator and displease Him. Also, we must make it a habit to intentionally leave our phones for specific hours during the day and limit its use.
Conclusion
Social media makes our minds busy by continuously drawing our attention to it. Hence it leaves no time for us to ponder over other important aspects of life; most importantly religion and Allah. Consequently, some people try to completely detach themselves from social media to gain spiritual benefits. On the other hand, others try to limit their social media use. Consequently, they use it for more productive ways instead of letting it ruin their soul and peace.
Islam teaches us to be moderate in all aspects of life. Similarly, excess usage of anything is harmful to us. Social media has both positive and negative aspects. Therefore, it is for us to decide if we want to use it for our benefit or subserviently give in ourselves to it. We can understand this well through the instance of the knife. The knife is used for cooking as well as for harmful purposes. It is for us to understand how to use a knife so that it does not harm us. Similarly, social media too needs to be used wisely. Certainly, we should adopt its positive aspects and leave the elements that are harmful.