PROBLEM IN TODAY'S YOUTH

Assalamualaikum Warahmatullahi Wabarakaatuhu!!!

Most of the times when the question of straightening our Ummah comes, the consideration of straightening the youth comes at least once. This is one of the most least talked about topics of this generation… The truth behind this can come from the greatest scholars who’ve written books on these issues or from somebody who is striving against these problems as youth too. According to what I have experienced and what I have come across the problem of the youth under lies in many paths of the road of this world and enjoyment.

FRIENDS: The biggest issue that any practicing muslimah or any muslimah in general would face is through her friends. As the famous hadith goes, you are on your friend’s deen. This is exactly how many of the youngsters have failed to come out off. Whatever the friend does, you do. Whatever language your friend speaks, You speak. Your friend curses, You swear double. Your friend hangs out with boys, so do you.

Abu Huraira reported: The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “A man is upon the religion of his best friend, so let one of you look at whom he befriends.” [Source: Sunan Abu Dawud 483 Grade: Sahih (authentic) according to An-Nawawi]

Of course there is an exception to this, not many are like this. But majority are. Unfortunately, the fitna of friends is very easy to fall in, and coming out from it is only by leaving that company itself. For the sake of Allah!

MATERIALISM: Many of the youth have become so materialistic that they think they will only feel contended if they buy a little something or eat a little something. Without that iPhone not many are happy, without that Anastasia Beverly hills liquid lipstick many are not happy. Without those shoes or dress they will look ugly or they won’t fit in. Hoarding things that majority of the crowd is hoarding has become a major disease that our ummah is being engulfed into. It’s a sad reality and many are working to lead such a life. They are earning more of the dunya. When was the last time a youth had an intention to earn to give sadaqah? To spend in an Islamic or beneficial education? To give it to parents? To spend it on relatives?

FOOD: Food is also a form of materialism. When you eat or consume something that is junk all the time or dining out all the time, you are spending way more money than you would normally spend if you were to cook at home and eat. Not only are our youth eating way too much they are spending way too much. What you consume is what you are. If you are eating what pleases you all the time you are satiating your stomach with your desires, and when you fulfill your desires you get used to that life and you are less immune into facing changes or hardships in life. When was the last time, if you as a youth had to eat food you didn’t like, didn’t become angry or irritated? We have revolved our lives so much around food that the moment we wake up, we think of what we will eat, where we will eat and with whom we will eat. This is a disease and we think it is a way of life. We should only eat what is necessary and not eat till everything becomes a calamity for us to do.

SELF-OBSESSION: Not only girls but even guys are facing self-obsession due to media outlets and it is very saddening. The high demand in the makeup world is one of the biggest causes of self-obsession in girls and it is the collecting of money and showing it off in guys. Extreme immodesty has increased in our ummah, there is no shame in doing anything. Where there is no shame, then one can do anything as they will, and this is what is happening, the youth are doing anything they want. Exceptional love and admiration in oneself is way different than being confident and Islam has not liked the behavior of a narcissist self-obsessing humans. It is one of the diseases of heart and it needs to be cured by removing the root cause or replacing it with humility.

 MUSIC: The fact that many don’t consider music to be prohibited and sinful, is a sin in itself. And only a countable number of youth don’t listen to music. May Allah accept from them. Listening of music is happening even in practicing households and every single girl and boy are listening to filthy music. It’s like a habit. It’s a routine. Parents are not stopping the kids from listening to music let alone supervise what kind of music is being heard. One has to remove this illness from the heart because Music is considered to be the whisperings of the shaitaan, and the heart where music lies is a place of darkness. Just refer to this link https://islamqa.info/en/5000 for more information on music being haram and listening to it is sinful.

Taking care of our youth is our responsibility and with responsibility comes great consistency. When these root causes are removed, naturally a normal teenager would be praying five times a day, understanding Qur’an, lowering gaze, doing hijab, staying away from haram and enjoying life within the halal boundaries and being grateful for every single thing. In sha Allah!!

May Allah guide us all and reward us for striving against these fitnas. Ameen! :D

جزاكم الله خيرا كثيرا for reading!

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-Manal Mirza