Can I Use Social Media After My Parents Have Forbidden Me from It?

Answered by Ustadha Shazia Ahmad

Question

My parents have forbidden me from using social media, and at 16, I still don’t have permission. Given my isolation as a homeschooler, can I use social media for permissible purposes without disobeying them?

Answer

Thank you for your question. I can’t tell you that it is fine to go against your parents’ wishes, but I do urge you to communicate with them and come to a compromise.

Social Media

Social Media has changed the way people communicate, not necessarily for the better, but I can see how it would make life a little easier for a homeschooler.

I encourage you to communicate with them openly about setting limits on social media usage and reaching a compromise. Tell them that your intention will be for learning, da‘wa, religious events, and staying connected with relatives and friends. Tell them that it will be a tool to avoid isolation. Of course, set limits to avoid harm, inappropriate content, or excessive use.

Tips

Social media is not the best solution for a homeschooler’s happiness. Some would even say that it causes more loneliness and solitude. True and lasting solutions for a balanced lifestyle would include:

• Regular prayer, dhikr, dua, and reading and reflection on the Quran
• Developing real-life friendships with positive, religious people
• Registering in sports, recreational, or competitive
• Frequenting the mosque and their religious/social events
• Volunteering for the needy, poor, orphans, widows, or at shelters
• Picking up beneficial and productive hobbies
• Learning new skills
• Getting fresh air and exercise daily

Dua

I encourage you to make this dua for them daily and insha’Allah, you will find their hearts soften to your needs:

رَبِّ ٱرْحَمْهُمَا كَمَا رَبَّيَانِى صَغِيرًۭا

“My Lord, have mercy upon them as they brought me up when I was small.” [Quran, 17:24]

Please see more details here:

• How Do We Regulate the Use of Social Media?
• The Fiqh of Social Media: SeekersGuidance Critical Issues Seminar
• How Should I Help a Teenager Using Social Media Inappropriately?
• How Do I Use Social Media in a Balanced Way During Ramadan?
• Is It Permissible To Share Islamic Knowledge via Social Media?
• When May Parents Be Disobeyed, and How?
• Is It a Sin To Be Indifferent to Parents, Not Disobeying nor Honoring Them?

May Allah give you the best of this world and the next.
[Ustadha] Shazia Ahmad
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Irshaad Sedick

Ustadha Shazia Ahmad lived in Damascus, Syria, for two years, where she studied ‘aqida, fiqh, tajweed, tafsir, and Arabic. She then attended the University of Texas at Austin, where she completed her Masters in Arabic. Afterward, she moved to Amman, Jordan, where she studied fiqh, Arabic, and other sciences. She later moved back to Mississauga, Canada, where she lives with her family.