Respected readers! Every era has its own identity. There was a time of pen and book, then came the era of radio and TV, and today we are living in the digital age where social media has become an essential part of human life, especially the young generation, which is the asset and future of the Muslim Ummah, is directly affected by its effects. In such a situation, it is very important to know what guidance Islam gives us while living in this fast-paced digital world and how the youth can maintain their religious and moral identity.
Currently, all the affiliates of SIO belong to the generation called digital natives. That is, the generation that opened its eyes in the environment of computers and the Internet and is naturally familiar with this environment. Therefore, it is natural that a large part of their time is spent on computers, the Internet, and social media. In this way, the Internet and social media have now become an important part of our organizational culture. A large part of the activities is being carried out on social media. Through social media, we connect with each other and also establish relationships with the society. It also has a role in our intellectual, religious, and organizational training, and we also use it for the dissemination of our invitation and message, for scientific and intellectual works, and for advocacy, protests, and public opinion.
Social media is undoubtedly a great blessing for the preachers of Islam. The greatest desire of a preacher of truth can be that he reaches as many people as possible. His message should reach every servant of Allah. Everyone in the world should hear what he wants to say. Social media has fulfilled this desire of the preacher of truth.
Thirty or forty years ago, the people of Islam complained that big capitalists controlled the mass media. Capitalist colonialism considers Islam an obstacle for itself all over the world, so the world sees only the opponents of Islam on the TV screen. They read them in newspapers.
While social media is an important means of bringing about social change, creating awareness in the society, and mobilizing and uniting people for a greater cause, some experts also consider it an obstacle in the society. Even today, how many people prefer to watch the live streaming of a rally instead of coming to a protest rally. Their conscience is satisfied by signing the online petition that the right to protest has been fulfilled. For many people, social cause also becomes a means of improving their social position on social media. The person who posts the truth is less interested in how many people agree with his purpose and his invitation, the focus of interest is how many people liked his post? How many comments came, how many shares.
Today, the number of Facebook users has reached two billion. That is, if Facebook were a country, it would be the largest country in the world. So, it has become extremely easy to convey your message to a very large part of humanity. In this way, social media gave voice to the voiceless. It made it possible that if there is power and attraction in the message, it spreads and influences on the strength of its internal attraction and power without the support of resources and wealth. This is a great opportunity for Islam and the people of Islam. The real power of the people of Islam is the power of the message. They have the message of God, which has immense attraction within it. In this way, social media has increased the opportunities to put this original power into practice many times and has opened the doors to a vast world of possibilities, but this is one aspect of the picture, what is the other aspect of the picture? Its explanation is given by the following facts.
In the early years of the Internet, Muslims quickly made a good place on the Internet. Even until the end of the last decade, many Islamic sites remained among the ten most popular religious sites. The youth associated with the Islamic movement had also started active activity on the Internet. But then the scenario started changing rapidly. Highly biased anti-Islamic sites became active on the Internet with large resources. Today, the situation is that if you search for any topic related to Islam, a large number of Islamophobic sites appear on the first page. Whenever any topic related to Islam is raised in newspapers, discussion forums, or social media, a flood of intensely opposing posts comes immediately. From profanity and abuse to serious but harsh criticisms, opposing posts of every level start coming. This situation is global as well as in our country. It seems that organized networks are engaged for this work. When we analyze the social media activity of the people of Islam in comparison to this, it is found that it is mostly related to the following types.
Maintain the necessary distance from non-Mahram women. Remember that inappropriate mixing is prohibited in the same way in real life as it is in online life. Serious exchange of views and exchange of information for scientific, intellectual, and movement purposes while keeping appropriate limits is certainly not wrong, but if this series goes ahead and enters the limits of casual conversation, jokes, flirting, exchange of pictures, unnecessary discussion on domestic affairs and matters, etc., then understand that satanic tricks are starting to succeed.
Whatever you write or forward to someone else, investigate it. It is mentioned in the Hadith that it is enough for a person to be a liar that he conveys what he has heard to others without investigation. Remember that social media is a powerful means of communication. The greater the impact of every word written and spoken on it, the greater the accountability. We have to present every word to God.
Try to have a mentor on social media who keeps an eye on your posts and online activity. Give timely advice for improvement. Make the activity of the person you make a model for yourself and consult him freely wherever there is any confusion. Similarly, we have to fulfill the obligation of mutual advice on truth on the Internet and social media as well. If we keep personally paying attention to each other's weaknesses in a timely manner and fulfill it. Blaming each other's good activities and pointing out opportunities to each other, it is possible to avoid many mistakes and wrong attitudes through such mutual cooperation.