What Is Your Advice on the Overuse of Social Media?
Answered By Shaykh Dr. Muhammad Fayez Awad
Question
What is your advice on the overuse of social media?
Answer
All praise is due to Allah, Lord of the worlds. Blessings and peace be upon the Master of the Messengers, his Family, and all his Companions.
Positive Aspects of Social Media
We live in an era of global technological revolution, which has brought with it what we now know as social media.
While social media offers many positive aspects, such as expanding social networks, sharing ideas and opinions with large audiences easily, from anywhere and at any time, encouraging open dialogue, fostering opportunities for expression, and forming an active public opinion on various issues, as well as staying updated with world news without waiting for news broadcasts, it also has downsides that are apparent to those who reflect.
Negative Impacts of Excessive Use
If misused, social media can have significant negative effects, including distraction from one’s main responsibilities, such as worship, work, and family care. Spending excessive hours on social media and engaging in virtual interactions can distance a person from family members and weaken those close relationships.
Additionally, it can lead to the spread of content that contradicts our Islamic values and societal principles. One of its most visible impacts is social isolation, as many people now use social media as a replacement for genuine, in-person social interactions between individuals and families.
Social media also affects students, especially at the start of their educational journeys. Excessive use can lead to a decline in academic performance by distracting them during school hours and, afterward, from focusing on their homework.
Moderation and Responsibility
It is essential for each of us to be aware of these dangers, to use social media in moderation, and to monitor family members’ usage of these platforms with ongoing guidance. All of this is part of the duty of care emphasized by the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace), who said,
“Each of you is a shepherd, and each of you is responsible for his flock. The leader is a shepherd and responsible for his people. A man is a shepherd for his family, and he is responsible for his flock. A woman is a shepherd in her husband’s home, and she is responsible for her flock. A servant is a shepherd for his master’s wealth, and he is responsible for his flock.” [Bukhari; Muslim]
We ask Allah to protect us, our families, and all Muslims. And all praise is due to Allah, Lord of all worlds.
[Shaykh] Dr. Muhammad Fayez Awad
Shaykh Dr. Muhammad Fayez Awad, born in Damascus, Syria, in 1965, pursued his Islamic studies in the mosques and institutes of Damascus. A graduate of the Islamic University of Medina in 1985, he holds a Ph.D. in Islamic Studies from Bahauddin Zakariya University in Pakistan.
He has extensive experience developing curricula and enhancing the teaching of various academic courses, including conducting intensive courses. Shaykh Awad has taught Fiqh, Usul al-Fiqh, Quranic sciences, the history of legislation, inheritance laws, and more at several institutes and universities such as Al-Furqan Institute for Islamic Sciences and Majma‘ al-Fath al-Islami in Damascus.
He is a lecturer at the Sultan Muhammad al-Fatih Waqf University in Istanbul, teaching various Arabic and Islamic subjects, and teaches at numerous Islamic institutes in Istanbul. Shaykh Awad is a member of the Association of Syrian Scholars, a founding member of the Zayd bin Thabit Foundation, a member of the Syrian Scholars Association, and a member of the Academic Council at the Iman Center for Teaching the Sunna and Quran.
Among his teachers from whom he received Ijazat are his father, Shaykh Muhammad Muhiyiddin Awad, Shaykh Muhiyiddin al-Kurdi, Shaykh Muhammad Karim Rajih, Shaykh Usama al-Rifai, Shaykh Ayman Suwaid, Shaykh Ahmad al-Qalash, Shaykh Muhammad Awwama, and Shaykh Mamduh Junayd.
