Internet Addiction: Donate your 3rd Kidney!!!

Asslamo Allaikum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatuh,

We are increasingly being approached by practising Muslims brothers and sisters who are concerned by their Internet usage so here are some thoughts...

Many of our practising brothers and sisters have only a “traditional” understanding of addiction which is to say that they associate addiction with drugs, alcohol, smoking or even when they associate addiction with the Internet its generally thought  to be “P ornogrpahy addiction” etc.

The sad reality is that many practising brothers and sisters could be addicted to Internet in continually surfing:

• Islamic sites
• Islamic forums
• Continuously and repeatedly checking emails
• News sites (BCC etc)
• Watching youtube
• Watching movies or TV shows etc

You could be spending your time on the Internet on Halal and STILL be addicted

You must know and realise that “Internet Addiction” is a very serious public health issue and a growing endemic and it has health professionals concerned all over the world, here are some signs that you may be addicted to the Internet and some of the signs may show a severe addiction which may need to be professionally treated!

1. Do you feel preoccupied with the Internet (think about previous online activity or anticipate next online session)?
2. Do you feel the need to use the Internet with increasing amounts of time in order to achieve satisfaction?
3. Have you repeatedly made unsuccessful efforts to control, cut back, or stop Internet use?
4. Do you feel restless, moody, depressed, or irritable when attempting to cut down or stop Internet use?
5. Do you stay online longer than originally intended?
6. Have you jeopardized or risked the loss of significant relationship, job, educational or career opportunity because of the Internet?
7. Have you lied to family members, therapist, or others to conceal the extent of involvement with the Internet?
8. Do you use the Internet as a way of escaping from problems or of relieving a dysphoric mood (e.g., feelings of helplessness, guilt, anxiety, depression)?
9. Failed attempts to control behaviour (i.e. limit Internet usage)
10. Heightened sense of euphoria while involved in computer and Internet activities
11. Neglecting friends and family
12. Neglecting sleep to stay online (or staying online in the bed on your phone or tablet or ipad)
13. Being dishonest with others
14. Feeling guilty, ashamed, anxious, or depressed as a result of online behaviour
15. Physical changes such as weight gain or loss, backaches, headaches, carpal tunnel syndrome
16. Withdrawing from other pleasurable activities

Although Internet addiction is a far more serious issue in the developing countries it is increasingly affecting a number of people in the west.

Before proceeding I would like to frankly admit that I am neither a Sufi nor know much about Tassawuff but I try to analyse the writings of our Akabir and learn and based on my limited understanding our Mashaykh (particularly Shaykh (Maulana) Ashraf Ali Thanwi (RA) from the past and Shaykh (Maulana) Hussain Sattar (HA) from the present) state that:

1. A sincere believer shouldn’t concern himself/herself with matters which are outside of their domain and the “web” is a tool which is totally opposed to the noble Hadeeth of Sayyidina Rasul-ullah (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam) which states, “Indeed among the excellence of a person’s Islam is that he leaves alone that which does not concern him [Tirmidhi]". There are hundreds/thousands of people on a forum at any given time talking and discussing matters which don’t concern you at all! And social media works on spinning a web around you of people over half of them you don’t even know! And someone puts a facebook entry or Google+ about Tax laws in Louisiana when you live in Manchester (UK) isn’t that a direct violation of Hadeeth? Why do you care to read about this and clutter your mind about this nonsense?
2. It is easier to substitute and direct attention towards another Mubah (permissible) matter then to try to STOP oneself when indulging in something.

So here are some steps which may help you...

1. Admit that you have a problem and  just because you are spending time on an Islamic forum and Islamic sites doesn’t mean that you don’t have a problem!
2. Turn to Allah (SWT) and make dua to assist you in your cause
3. Set yourself an Islamic penalty for failing (e.g. 20 Rakaah Naf’l or 500 times Salutations upon the Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam)
4. Make a plan to engage in your favourite “Non-Internet activity” of your choice e.g. doing some household chore, do Dhik’r, working out, reading a book, listen to an Islamic talk (not on a device which involves the Internet) and then STOP for a finite time (e.g. 12 hours):
   1. 
      Don’t cheat and do this when you sleep
   2. Logoff your all  email Accounts
   3. Logoff from your Islamic forum and don’t click on “Daily updates”
   4. Prune your contacts in your social media group, do you really need to read everybody’s update? Half of them you don’t even know and are someone else’s friend? Are you interested in reading about Tax changes in Louisiana when you live in Manchester?
   5. Signoff from facebook, twitter and other Social Media sites
   6. Switch off your 3G/4G/5G phone data conenction and simply use it as a phone!
   7. Leave your phone at home, no need to carry it to the Masjid or to the Gym, there are plenty of people around the world who cope fine without having a third kidney attached to their belt buckle!
   8. Maintain your 12 hours (or whatever you have agreed) offline

5.     When your offline time is up, check your emails respond to the necessary people, check your social media and again respond to the necessary people, check the Islamic sites for updates (e.g. askimam.org etc) then LASTLY check the Islamic forums and let the Hadeeth (abandon the thread if it doesn’t concern you) be your guide

6.     If you fail and don’t reach the set offline schedule then pay the penalty and set a lesser offline schedule and try again

If you are not meeting your offline schedule, not paying a penalty and more importantly think that this blog is a joke you may have a problem.

If you are spending time on watching movies, listening to Music or “P ornogrpahy ”you obviously have a much bigger issue!

If you can't sleep comfortably at night and lie awake for hours it may be because your brain is being overloaded with all the browsing which you are doing and although you have switched off browsing but your brain is still processing the information and trying to make sense of all the nonsense which you read which DOES NOT concern you or your life at all!