Sometimes you stare into the distance, and your heart feels unsettled. There is no peace, no epiphanies about life, no understanding that this Dunya is temporary.

Just unrest. A pinch in your heart.

All you feel is heaviness in your eyes as you rush through your Salah. You walk on the streets laughing with friends. You mindlessly scroll through social media.

Your body is submerged in the sea while your head floats without a care in the world for the fact that you are stuck.

Replace the “sea” with low Imaan.

We are all bound to go through the struggles of low iman in this Dunya, yet some of us don’t handle it as well as we think we should. Because we’re so focused on the past. The feelings of the past.

You miss when your connection was strongest with Allah SWT. Salah was your break from the world; you enjoyed doing dhikr and were stricter on the Deen’s rules. You felt guilty for even laughing with the opposite gender. You felt secure, more at home.

Right now, though? You do the actions meant for a Muslim, but you don’t feel it in your heart.

We diagnose low iman based on how we are feeling in the current moment. Feelings fluctuate, but structure doesn’t. Your routine needs to be examined: is it helping you stay on top of your deen, or is it pushing you deeper into the sea?

Let’s go back to the sea metaphor. You know you’re stuck under the water, but your arms aren’t moving or trying to save you

Why?

Because your brain is too focused on the sky or the dolphin swimming by. Your brain doesn’t feel like it’s important to save yourself, to swim to safety.

So we have to provoke that feeling of urgency. That’s why when your iman is low, you need to look within and make some changes that bring you out of your comfort zone.

I could give you basic tips, but I feel like when my Iman is low, everything flies over my head, or I feel too lazy. I’m sure many others feel the same as well.

Thus, here are my words of encouragement.

ALLAH IS THERE FOR YOU, ALWAYS

Your entire life, the only constant is Allah swt, and it has always been Allah. Even when you are distant and confused, Allah Swt is always there. Listening to your duas and adhkar even if you don’t know what they mean. Listening to your Salah even if you feel distant. Even if you’re not consistent, Allah always is there.

For me, the reason I became more ‘on my deen‘ was because of my high school experience. I suffered so much that I realized I had no one but Allah SWT to rely on. Allah has helped me out of situations I never would’ve gotten out on my own, ones that I didn’t think I’d survive. Allah SWT listened to my duas while I was in the trenches.

I know right now it feels so hard and difficult to even consider that strong feeling of connection, the certainty and comfort of being near to Allah. But all it requires is looking at yourself. You are living proof of Allah’s mercy.

Just look at a past struggle or rough time in your life. Remember how you were crying, feeling guilty, and hoping that things would pass? Remind yourself that things are not as bad as they once were because Allah SWT changed your conditions!

We get so absorbed in the past or the present that we forget there’s a future Allah SWT can change.

I used to think I would always be miserable like I was in high school. Yet my duas changed my condition, my life. Alhamdulillah.

Even if you feel low, turning to Allah SWT and crying your heart out is still a form of connection. At least you are relying on Allah. And if you aren’t doing that, carve out some time, just 3-5 minutes after Salah, where you sit there and make dua: “Ya Allah, change my condition and get me out of this rut; I need to find something that will work for me. I need to find a system that makes me closer to you.”

We must go through phases of emptiness to feel full again.

LOOK AT YOUR PERSPECTIVE

Sit with yourself and verbalize your thoughts, either through writing or filming a vlog. Remember things are not as bad as things once were. You will get through this just like you have before. Recognize that you don’t need to find a solution. Let Allah move you to one.

Allah SWT is always moving you to what is best for you. That’s why you should leave everything up to Him. Just work on perfecting your deen or finding time for yourself to relax with Islam.

There are times you won’t feel as connected to Islam, and that’s okay. It’s okay to be confused and lost. You are only human after all. The prophets even faced times of despair. Remind yourself about the true purpose of life.

YOUR COPING MECHANISMS NEED TO CHANGE

Look at your coping mechanisms also. When we want something to change in our lives, our first reaction is often to try ourselves, and we get frustrated when things don’t go our way. Why is our first reaction not to pray to Allah for things to change? To rely on Allah? Because Allah can make everything possible.

I’ve started to realize that the root cause of my issues—me worrying too much or being stressed—is because I’m missing the constant reminders of Allah’s power. I’m not being consistent enough with the deen to remember to let Allah handle things because he always does.

YOUR ENVIRONMENT NEEDS REMINDERS!

That’s why watching an Islamic lecture or sitting at a khutbah or some circle where Islam is mentioned and talked about is important. When my iman is low, any mention of Islam—watching someone talk about the deen so beautifully—it makes me crave that connection again.

Especially for those of us who live in Western countries or are more isolated from the Islamic community, we need to find a constant where Islam is mentioned in a way that touches our hearts. Where Islam is the essence of someone’s way of living, inspiring you to bring some changes in your life. Because change only happens when you feel like it, but Allah can make change happen whenever.

If going to a lecture or watching one feels like too much work, just set aside 5 mins daily to recite Quran or do any habit to keep your connection/spirits high

When our environment isn’t built around pleasing Allah, how can we expect ourselves to stay focused when humans are known to fluctuate? That’s the point of putting yourself in an Islamic environment and really pondering. Evoking that feeling of guilt or urgency will create the motivation, the basis we need. Almost like the 11 pm motivation to change your life around.

DISTRACTIONS HAVE GOT TO GO

Also looking at what’s distracting you, what’s taking away from your peace, is key. If your friendship is distracting you from being firm on your deen, it’s time to leave or set some boundaries. Same with social media, your habits, your mindset. As hard as it is, change is always for the better, a doorway to freedom. You can’t fix what you refuse to face.

YOU NEED ISLAMIC SIDEQUESTS IN YOUR LIFE

Another thing to do is to detach from the comfort of familiarity: do an Islamic side quest. Go out of your comfort zone and try something new, like a new masjid visit or a new surah to memorize. If you stay where you are, you won’t break free.

TAKE THIS QUIZ AND REEVALUATE YOUR PRIORITIES

Yaqeen Institute has a self-assessment that explores your beliefs, attitudes, spiritual practices, relationship with Islamic institutions, and contributions to your community. I’ve compiled all of the questions here so I can revisit them over time, but they may help you as well. The image below shows the assessment rubric, followed by the full list of questions. Take the Yaqeen Institute Compass Quiz and discover which area of your spiritual growth could use the most attention!

BASIC PRINCIPLES

• Focus on Centring Allah in life during difficult positions

• My belief in angels should provide my life with meaning

• Regardless of what happens, do I believe following the guidance of Islam is in my best interest?

• How relevant do I make the quran in my day-to-day life? What about the life of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ (e.g., Sunnah and Seerah) in my day-to-day life?

LIFE SITUATIONS

• Whether I make money or lose money, am I satisfied with what has been written?

• When things happen to me that I don’t like, do I understand that there may be good in it?

• When I can’t control events in my life, am I content with what has been decreed?

• Regardless of what happens in this world, am I at peace knowing Allah is in control?

IBADAH

• How do I feel when I am in the presence of Allah?

• How focused on Allah do I feel in prayer?

• How often do I feel a sense of peace and connection with Allah during prayer?

• How often do I pray?

• Do I wake up for Fajr/pray on time?

• How often do I read the Qur’an?

COMMUNITY

• How often do I attend events in the Muslim community?

• How important is attending events in the Muslim community to me?

• How attached do I feel to my local Muslim community?

• Do I consider being present in my community an important aspect of my faith?

• How much do I enjoy attending community events?

• How often do I volunteer for Islamic causes?

• Is volunteering a fundamental part of my life?

• Does my faith motivate my activism? Is Islam the major reason I engage in activism?

• Do I strive hard to contribute to the well-being of society?

Lastly, here are some general tips for young people out there for protecting your peace, which will improve your deen. I feel like this would’ve been so useful for me when I was young. (Credits to Alana Lintao’s video: How to ruin your life as a young girl.

1. Buy into the lie that having men/lots of friends to message is motion: XYZ from snap and your group chats on Instagram are not adding anything to your life; they’re stealing your time

2. Absorb the opinions of people who don’t like themselves. If your self-esteem can be destroyed by one person saying one mean thing, you have a weak foundation. To fix that, know/study yourself

3. Focusing on what you don’t have instead of your blessings. There’s always something we lack, but there are 10 ways we are blessed which we are often ignoring

And here are some simpler steps from a lecture by Dr. Haifa Younis’ lecture where she talks about simpler steps for cleaning your heart.

WHEN THINGS ARE HARD: CLEAN YOUR HEART — Dr Haifa Younis

1. What is the problem (identify/diagnose)

2. Do less: less talk, less sleep, less eating, and less interaction with people. Take time off. Refocus.

3. More dhikr, memorizing Qur’an, gratitude, reflection

Overall, those are all my points. I hope they remind you of your ambitions, your wants, and needs. Of course, if you stay on your phone, you won’t solve your low iman.

So go offline for a bit, and try to find Allah SWT. You’ll find yourself and your peace soon enough :)

Sincerely, Khadija

If you enjoyed this piece and cannot pledge monthly, consider ‘buying me a coffee’ <3! Every bit helps me to write more and support myself as a university student. Thank you for reading to the end! 🍊

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Someone I met by accident through some mutual friends

As a teenager, I always fell in love too easily. My sense of self depended largely on how others perceived me, and male validation was an addiction for a lonely teen girl like me.

I wanted a guy to tell me that I was beautiful, that I was worth it, and that I wasn't as awful as everyone—especially the girls who had stopped being friends with me—made me out to be.

Obviously, I realized in my senior year that this idea that was rooted in my morals was entirely absurd. It pushed people away and made me self-centred.

After reaching rock bottom in June 2024, I decided to change my ways. I turned back to Allah. I worked on myself. I became a better Muslim, a better person for myself.

Which is why this crush on my friend hurts twice as much.

BEING LOVED WITH ACTIONS, NOT WORDS

This guy is someone whom I never noticed at first. At first, he initiated every conversation. He visited my class to talk to my friends and me. I gave him a chocolate chip cookie in our second encounter.

As time went on and we made more memories together, I began to notice him more. He was someone who cared for everyone in his actions. Most teenage boys are all talk. But he had the thoughtfulness and generosity that you don’t see much in other people.

He brought me clementines because he knew I loved them. He noticed when I went quiet. He was the only guy who ever took aesthetic candid photos of me.

For my graduation gift, he carved a bird from wood. For his graduation, I moulded clay to make a duck. His eyes lit up when I gave him the gift; he held it with such delicacy.

I didn’t know how to express that I was glad he liked the gift because I liked him.

He once offered me his notebook so we could shake hands without really touching. I held onto the notebook longer than necessary. Perhaps that was the closest I’d get to holding his hand.

In our last interaction, I was admiring him silently when we met each other’s gazes. Our smiles grew. I looked away after a second because I didn’t want him to know how I truly felt.

Like magnets, we gravitated towards each other every time we met. An innocent sort of thing that only two Muslim teenagers could have.

I never told anyone I liked him. Truly, I kept it inside for almost a year. So when I did finally start telling people, it amplified the feeling. I felt more in “love.”

At times, I was certain we both liked each other.

I think he knew I liked him. Or he figured it out. Maybe he didn’t want to complicate things. Maybe he realized he liked me too and couldn’t make us both suffer.

Maybe that’s why he went completely silent.

I don’t mind. Truly, I don’t. (I typed this sentence with tears in my eyes.)

YEARNING/A LOVE LETTER FOR HIM

I didn’t like him for the validation or to prove something to myself or others. There was no performance in my affection.

I loved him because he was like a dandelion in a meadow, catching my heart for a moment before the wind pulled his leaves away.

I didn’t have to jump through the mental hoops of “Oh, he’s a stranger, and I want to get close to him.” We already knew each other, which is why it felt so exhilarating.

All those moments that we probably shouldn’t have had. We know the boundaries; we know the cost. We are young; our days are crowded with the work of becoming.

Did you stop talking to me because you knew it could never be? Or were you afraid? That I would love you in a way that you wouldn’t be able to return?

But don’t we just know how to listen to each other’s hearts? Or is that just my wish?

I saw you on the stage once; my heart stuttered. I was mesmerized by your demeanour, your reflection, and your presence. I refused to admit it back then because you were only supposed to be my friend. Yet the bright eyes and smile that I fell in love with in 2025 were still making me grin in 2026

But now? I must build up the threads to make a carefully woven cage to protect my split heart.

It’s better not to interact because I might say something stupid.

Yet, if you were to say a single word, my heart would shatter its protective cage, leaving me to fray at the edges of your attention.

MY THOUGHTS

Now that it’s been a while since we’ve interacted, my feelings are evaporating by the day. It’s a sobering feeling. But sometimes, my brain likes to trick me into remembering the good times, and I hang onto the hope that there is a possibility.

I was imagining him painting stars in our future home. We as a married couple, giggling down the street, hand in hand. While our future daughter would skip a few feet ahead.

I thought that this would be the start of a love story I’d tell my kids.

Yet I would wait for a text when he was online, talking to others.

I feel sad and disappointed because nothing happened. Everything just went quiet as the light May breeze turned to a June heat wave.

That’s why this crush hurts more. Because I didn’t expect myself to care for a man after I decided not to. I didn’t expect love and connection to bloom in my heart and yearn to hold onto someone else.

I realized our life experiences were so different. Your parents weren’t as strict as mine. You could go on trips with your friends and come home late. While I, on the other hand, was chained to some customs that didn’t allow me to walk farther than needed.

Our cultures are completely different. I have no idea how religious you are, but that didn’t stop me from enjoying our interactions.

Sometimes I felt hope whisper inside of me

Can’t you just make dua to Allah for him to be more religious? Dua could make your parents accept him for marriage. Can Allah SWT not make the impossible possible?

So the dua I did decide to make was, “Ya Allah, if he’s not good for me, then please distance him from my heart and give me something better.”

Maybe I’m sitting in the aftermath of the dua.

A PERSPECTIVE ON LOVE

I always see Muslim couples at my university. Halal and Haram.

I hear stories from my friends: “We promised each other we’re going to get married, but we’re keeping our distance right now.”

Sometimes I wonder why it couldn’t happen to me? Why did they get ‘halal’ love but I didn’t? Was I asking for too much?

But then I realized that ‘love story’ wouldn’t be good for me. Perhaps Allah SWT knows I would get distracted from my goals and my purpose and get lost in the thrill.

But why do all my crushes have to be character development? They always test my attachment to the dunya, my faith, and my foundation. They teach me to grow closer to my deen, to lower my gaze.

It feels like Allah SWT is asking me, can you stay away from haram while remaining committed to your deen? Are you any different from the girl you once were?

Crushes come and go; their love and the thrill are fleeting. But Allah’s love? That’s unconditional and everlasting because Allah chooses us to serve. Even when people don’t choose us or get tired of us, Allah is always willing to listen to us cry at Isha.

I’m starting to realize that we people who fall entirely in love get too consumed. We care so much that we forget ourselves.

From the ages of 13-19, love is something to fill a void. But it never will. It can never help you escape from your parents’ bad marriage or prove your self-worth. It will never show other people that you are lovable. It will never distract you from your pain. Only Allah SWT can do that.

You think you know everything when you’re young. You think marriage will be an escape, a chance for hope.

This is why young women are so vulnerable. Many haven’t developed their sense of self, their actual values. Having validation, attention, and someone giving you that sense of worth feels like love and something to cling to.

If you think you’re immune to it. You’re not. Allah can test you with love so easily.

How many girls dream of being loved? Our mothers tell us, You can’t go out right now. So we dream of the day we get married, and we’ll fly to different countries with our husbands.

When you start to fall into this line of thinking, ambitions become secondary; the places you want to see become a distant dream. The life you want to build, the person you want to become—who’s she?

All you can see is the girl who wants to experience love right now.

In some cultures, love isn’t even a constant. Marriage is. Girls believe that love will be different from their home life, their old life.

Then they are hit with a shocking realization. It’s not. Because marriage is a commitment, a responsibility, and a change.

We just get so caught up in the idea of love that we forget to enjoy our freedom now. We have so much time to learn about Islam, about ourselves, to fix our habits, and to overcome our fears. We can grow closer to Allah. We won’t have this much free time when we’re older

Because love is a privilege that some of us take for granted. Love is rizq that not everyone will get.

That’s my issue with young girls romanticizing love and marriage.

It’s time to stop making men, women, or even our past the centre of your life and start placing Allah at the heart of your being.

Because yes, if they wanted to, they would. But Allah always does.

Even if it feels like the end of the world right now, process your emotions by turning to Allah. Vent, cry, and overanalyze, but ask Allah for a better love story than this heartbreak.

Dear girl in love,

It will never fill the void. Improve yourself and your stability. Until you find a man who will do right by you and your deen. The right love will never make you feel like you’re chasing, begging, or competing for affection

A BITTERSWEET GOODBYE

We all have the right to love, to despair, and to have regrets.

We have feelings that make us see the beauty in another human being. We have feelings that make us regret loving someone.

The right to choose and the feeling that drives them is something we all have, even if it might inadvertently hurt others.

The guy I liked choosing not to stay fully in contact with me is his right, even if it did hurt me at first. Me choosing to move on from him and my feelings is my right.

Respecting people we like is a forgotten concept. In the name of love, people go so far as to stalk their crush and consistently message them. They see them as a conquest, someone to have. Not someone to learn from and know.

Islam tells us to respect other people around us. Respect your crush. Respect their answer even if you don’t like it. Stay grounded.

It’s ok that I liked him, and it’s ok if we don’t ever talk again. I think it’s better that way. Rather than me sitting around and being delusional, I’ve regained focus on myself.

Thank you for showing me I am capable of loving someone and I am capable of being loved. Thank you for showing me kindness and care.

I hope when we see each other again, I don’t fall for you once more. I hope we find our footing in life. If we are meant to be, we will find our way together. If not, fiha khair.

There’s so much time for love anyway

Thank you for reading

Sincerely, Khadija

Sidenote: Shoutout to , for giving me points to add to this article!

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Everyone has something to say about hijabs in today’s day and age. It’s a journey; it’s not. Islam is the true journey; don’t show your neck and don’t do XYZ.

The problem is that the Muslim community is treating hijab as a single issue that, if fixed, everything will be okay.

Your deen will be stronger, you won’t be beautifying the hijab, you’ll be a better person, a better Muslim, and so on and so on and so on.

This is a lie.

What we need to focus on is the fact that the hijab is a symptom of your faith.

The Muslim community treats hijab as the root issue, when in reality it is simply a symptom of one’s relationship with Allah. Fixating on appearance without addressing the heart and the foundations of faith only treats the surface level.

If your foundation is rocky and you try to fix the sin, I 100% believe you will find a way to replace that with something else. Something will replace you showing your neck, wearing tight clothes, and beautifying yourself. You might post yourself in more detail, in more makeup, and in more aesthetic clothes. Why? Because the heart itself hasn’t changed.

Instead, we always hear hateful comments: “If you’re not wearing the hijab properly, take it off. Why do you do xyz when you’re doing it wrong? Don’t do this; you’re a bad Muslim,” etc.

Those are all band-aid solutions. The inner wound is still there.

I agree with the fact that we beautify the hijab and we wear accessories and do things to make it look better. I agree that our deen is a journey that we must work towards bettering.

But when the broader Muslim community fixates on the outer appearance, we ignore the other existing factors leading people to act the way they are.

We’ve got to get out of this mindset that the hijab can solely be fixed with appearance. It cannot. Hijab is in your akhlaaq, the way you act online, with other people, and with non-mahrams, and often hijabis, even if they do full coverage, have some form of sin that isn’t 100% hijab. Because we are human too.

If you wear hijab, your desires and temptations do not magically disappear.

If you choose to leave a sin or a temptation, it does make you closer to your deen. However, if you don’t remove the root temptation/causes that make you go towards sin, it will still be there.

For example, one of my root issues with being far away from deen is procrastination. If I don’t address that, then I will struggle to fix other aspects of my life. If I want to prioritize the deen more, then I have to cut out the Dunya. Am I ready to make the sacrifice or not?

It’s the same with the hijab; you can wear full coverage, but you may be sinning in some aspect. Because the root desire, the validation for this dunya, causes you to disregard the essence of hijab. You may know it’s wrong, but it would require some form of sacrifice. Would you be ready to sacrifice your desire?

Bottom line: when you’re doing something that takes you away from Islam. You need to look at the root cause and the foundation of your deen. Until you don’t feel a connection to Allah, to serve him, your hijab will just be a cloth on your head.

I’d also like to talk about how online, when people focus on commenting and giving their opinions about other people’s hijabs, there is definitely something rocky about their level of faith as well.

Why do you feel the need to comment about it?

You’re not going to go up to someone on the street and say, “Sister, your neck is showing,” or “We know you’re shaping your eyebrows. That’s haram.”

But online, people think they can hide behind a screen and say everything, yet you will be held accountable for that.

Even if you say, “Oh, it’s technically our duty to guide our fellow muslims,” None of us will stand before Allah carrying another person’s sins, only our own. You will be held accountable for hate comments.

If you judge someone, you may even end up committing that sin to be humbled.

We need to stop hate comments and instead address people in private with love or make dua for them. Making dua for them is probably better than anything else because dua will always be heard. Your DM in the influencers’ chat will probably be overlooked.

Hate comments are just a band-aid to the actual solution.

In my opinion, in certain conditions, it is better to wear improper hijab than to take it off. How can abandoning an act of worship altogether be better than maintaining it imperfectly while continuing to grow?

Because if taking off the hijab, an act of worship, led you to sin, then how could taking it off be better for you?

Taking off the hijab won’t fill the hole in your heart. Accessorizing and beautifying it doesn’t make you closer to Allah. That’s a firsthand account from me. I don’t feel closer to Allah when I beautify the hijab. Why? Because I’m chasing the Dunya’s validation over Allah’s validation.

At the end of the day, the hijab is not just fabric. It’s powerful and perhaps gives us more benefit than we know of.

We can cover our heads and still struggle, just as we can struggle and still be strong in our deen.

Rather than obsessing over the symptom, returning to Allah and loving our deen will cause change within our hearts.

I hope one day, the hijab doesn’t feel like a motion you do before leaving the house. I hope it becomes something that makes you recognize your connection to Allah swt.

Wa-Allahu A’lam (والله أعلم), and Allah knows best.

Sincerely, Khadija

Maybe they’re right

We probably all know that social media is harmful for us. It overwhelms us; the content is garbage, and drama is rampant. How easily can you end a friendship by unfollowing a person?

So people talk about how XYZ app is better because it’s less toxic. The phrase “least toxic social media app” is inaccurate. All social spaces have some form of toxicity due to the expression of individual opinions.

But ignoring the overall aspects, let’s look at the personal impact that social media probably has on a lot of us

﷽

It’s been at least 2 and a half weeks since I deactivated my Instagram account for exams. I couldn’t scroll because that would take away from studying. Because once I’m on the app, I just keep scrolling, scrolling, and texting, but mostly scrolling.

I’ve been online since COVID started. 2020 was the first time I ever watched YouTube videos on my own device. Not with my siblings, crowded on the sofa, holding our dad’s phone; no, it was on my own. That was where the addiction started. From occasionally watching videos to bingeing during online class, I was truly consumed by the YouTube world.

As time passed, the temptation grew. I wanted to text people and scroll on TikTok, not watch YouTube compilations of TikTok videos. So I made the decision. I got social media on my chunky Chromebook.

Anyone who says that social media is not designed for scrolling on a laptop is wrong. Because that’s what I was accustomed to, sadly.

Along with Snapchat, I finally got Instagram, TikTok, Discord, and Twitter (for some reason)

I do not even know how much time I must’ve wasted on those apps in three years. When my priorities changed in high school, I ended up deleting my account for most of these apps. Although I met one of my closest long-distance friends on Twitter, I still found all these apps to be distracting.

Social media is specifically designed to capture your attention and keep you hooked. You will never find closure, which is what the brain often needs. There is no final reel or post before you close the app. Instead, it gives you endless access to content and information that often isn’t important at all. That’s the issue.

You can try to restrict yourself. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t. What I do know for certain is that deleting Instagram and blocking the path to endless reels scrolling definitely allowed me to focus more.

My attention span got better; I was able to study for 4 and a half hours straight. When I wanted to procrastinate, I would catch myself quickly and change tasks. I was more aware of when I was wasting my time, and that urgency pushed me to do better.

I even picked up writing, which is how this Substack was born. I never expected myself to be writing and posting my work online. When your brain doesn’t have scrolling, look at what it can do.

Sometimes it feels like the fatigue from scrolling, posting, and then dealing with life makes a person more drained. When I was off social media, I found that I wasn’t as tired during the day, but when I downloaded it again and scrolled, I was yawning and exhausted.

The one thing I missed was people’s stories. I missed the access, being able to see what they’re doing, and their curated aesthetic stories. When in reality, it’s honestly none of my business.

Even if they are my friends, it’s dystopian to have so much access to someone’s personal life. I know that they hung out with their friends, and they know I hung out with my friend. All available if you choose to upload it.

Why should we, as Muslims, know EXACTLY what our friends are up to?

On the authority of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) who said: The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: “Part of the perfection of one’s Islam is his leaving that which does not concern him.” [Tirmidhi]

I personally am so tired of knowing about every single thing my friends do from their stories. I’m tired of feeling the urge to upload pictures. Why is it that when I take cute pictures, I immediately think, “These would look so good on my story”? How is that even beneficial to my Akhira?

In fact, how do we know that our posts and stories won’t be detrimental to us on the day of judgment? When we are asked about every single thing we’ve done, 4 hours of scrolling and social media will probably be huge.

Imagine all the good deeds you’ve done, from the smallest smile at the cashier to the charity that helped orphans in a third-world country. Now imagine the time you’ve wasted on social media, scrolling, texting, and stalking. What if your social media time-wasting ends up being heavier on the day of judgment?

Ibn Abbas reported: The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “There are two blessings which many people waste: health and free time.”

Although entertainment and having fun aren’t entirely bad. Balance is key. But when social media easily overtakes your life, then it isn’t a question about balance; it’s about getting off the app entirely. Does your social media take away from prayer, especially at night or during voluntary prayers? How many times have you hoped to do xyz, but when the time comes, you end up scrolling? When we miss Salah or Quran, when we ignore Sunnah good deeds and instead scroll, what are we truly gaining? How can we spend time there without feeling guilty?

I feel like I shouldn’t have been on social media as much when I was 14-17. Some of my issues, whether they be friendship drama or just mental health struggles, could’ve been alleviated. I like to imagine that I wouldn’t have made bad decisions, and I wouldn’t have ended up becoming friends with certain people.

Truly, everything happens for a reason. I know those moments in my life have improved me as a person. But I’m at a point now where I’m questioning whether I want to continue wasting my life on Instagram when all it seems to do is harm me

I feel like when you’re young, especially in your teen years, we are all very susceptible to the world around us. It’s an age where our parents and traditions may start to feel embarrassing, where we want more independence.

Social media gives you the illusion of freedom with the way you present yourself online and when. But it also amplifies negative feelings: embarrassment, isolation, ignorance, disgust, desire, wants, needs, showing off, and comparison.

Social media misleads people into thinking that the goal is making a big ‘visible’ impact in ppls lives and be known for it. Islam teaches us that a nameless person will enter jannah for moving a branch out the public path

At a young age, you’re more likely to scroll than to care about the deen. I can’t believe I’ve spent around 6 years wasting time on social media when I could have improved myself and learned my deen more.

Even now, if you’re still in high school or university and unmarried, this is the time to hone your skills. I don’t know why some of us are socially conditioned to start romanticizing marriage at this age rather than focusing on our education, Islamic-wise and dunya-wise.

Instead of wasting time on social media, learn your deen, fix your salah, or learn tajweed, tafsir, or anything. Anything that will be beneficial to you on the day of judgment. Do tasbih. Remember Allah SWT more. When you care about your deen, your dunya will fall in place.

The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “Take advantage of […] your free time before your work and your life before your death. Source: Shu’ab al-Imān lil-Bayhaqī 10250

Plus, look at the comparison on social media. So many Muslims nowadays are influencers. I’ve had people tell me in the past that I would be funny as an influencer, but the thought of being questioned for everything I post and every non-mahram that sees my videos or pictures is enough to deter me. Don’t get me started on influencing people into sins. What if I post my life, then my beauty, then music, etc.? It’s a whole cycle.

Narrated Abu Huraira: I heard Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) saying. “All the sins of my followers will be forgiven except those of the Mujahirin (those who commit a sin openly or disclose their sins to the people).”

The entire idea of being on social media revolves around some sort of harm. Either you're posting or scrolling. If you’re not doing either, I wish I had your restraint. But truly, our perception gets so skewed by being on these apps. We think and follow more of the masses rather than our own thoughts. We need assistance in creation for inspiration rather than thinking on our own.

Even being on social media is likely to lead you to use more AI. When you scroll so much, you’re going to get tired to the point where schoolwork or X task looks intimidating. Who will you go to for help? AI.

Along with posting about everything—your achievements, your Umrah trip, or the wedding you went to—it’s really just something. People don’t need to know your every problem. Or even your opinion. It’s better to be more private.

“Seek help in having your needs met by being discreet, for everyone who is blessed with something is envied.” Narrated from the hadeeth of Mu’aadh ibn Jabal, ‘Ali ibn Abi Taalib, Ibn ‘Abbaas, Abu Hurayrah and Abu Bardah.

Something I keep thinking about is why I was able to deactivate the app for school but not for Allah. If I know it’s taking me away from my deen and tiring me out, then staying in contact with people really isn’t worth it in the long run. Those people won’t be in the grave with me or on the Day of Judgement when I’m being questioned.

To have a pure heart, we need to remove everything that makes us forget Allah. Remove the love of this dunya, the things in it—every single disease of the heart. Slowly, Allah with place something better in our heart and life.

Of course, deleting may not make you more disciplined if your brain is accustomed to scrolling. You will find a way to procrastinate for the first few days. But once the feeling wears off, two weeks in, you might find yourself feeling a bit better.

Anyways. This is all just food for thought. I hope this pushes someone to reconsider their relationship with social media. Who knows, staying away might transform you into an entirely different person!

Don’t let social media take away from your already short lifespan.

Sincerely, Khadija

Bismillah hir-Rahman nir-Rahim (بِسْمِ ٱللّٰهِ ٱلرَّحْمٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ)

It’s been 2 weeks since Ramadan ended. I truly forgot to be grateful for having the ability to eat again or even just having food to eat.

Do we even find joy/happiness in the provision we have? Especially when around the world, there are so many people suffering with barely anything to eat?

I can’t remember when it started, but in my senior year of high school, I would be at school at least 10 minutes before the bell rang. It wasn’t for studious reasons like being to class on time. Nope, I could walk in 20 minutes late and still function like the 90s student I was. The only time I was ever early... for the clementines.

My school had a breakfast cart. A nice teacher would stand by, monitoring and smiling as students walked to their classes, grabbing a yogurt cup, granola bar or apple on their way.

The food was all free, specifically meant for students who didn’t have breakfast or maybe didn’t pack a lunch and needed a small snack with them until the canteen opened. Although my Mama ensured I walked out the door with a classic desi breakfast, I still couldn’t resist the clementines. That is where the love story began.

High school was a bit of a difficult time for me, but those clementines every morning would light up my day. I’d speed-walk from the entrance of the school, down the hallway, trying to make it before they ran out. What if they were finished?! Oftentimes, they were not. But sometimes they were.

On a day when they were finished, my friend magically put a clementine in my hand, and I gasped out of joy.

It got to a point where my friends would ask me if I got my clementine in the morning. If I were late to school, my dear friends would save one for me. I even have a video of me pulling out three clementines from my pocket, grinning ear to ear.

Honestly, I called them tangerines for all of highschool. I just looked it up, but the fruits I ate look more like clementines. Perhaps it was a mandarin; who knows. All I know is that it is a part of the citrus family.

Maybe it’s the juicy flavour when you munch on the slices, or the nice aroma. Perhaps it’s the act of peeling away the layers to come across the beauty of a skin protecting its treasure. Whatever it is, as soon as I’d put a slice in my mouth and the flavour melted on my tongue, the arrival at school 10 minutes early was all worth it.

It’s a little random, but we really don’t reflect on how these small things are meant for us—the rizq we are given.

I’m in university now, and there is no cart to grab clementines from before going to class. No little sparks of joy and whimsy every morning. It made me a little sad at first.

Isn’t it interesting? We have so many blessings and cool things around us; technology, clothes, people, but the smallest of things often make us so much happier.

Allah gives us so many blessings throughout the day, whether that be food, friends, or family. Food is always given in the most random ways at times! Your friend might share their lunch or snack. Your mother might cook you an amazing meal that you weren’t expecting. Your father might bring home some cake or cookies from work. The rizq we are given is always meant to find us

Everything we eat, have or do is all meant for us. We may not know the reason behind it, but Allah gives us these blessings for a reason. So if you ever feel a little down or lost, take a minute to notice the small joys or blessings around you because Subhanallah (سُـبْحانَ الله), we take too much for granted.

I hope you find a fruit or two that makes you elated and reminds you of Allah’s power and love.

Side note: Imagine the fruits that will be in Jannah? Probably 10x better than the tangerines here. The thought of it is making me happy. In Sha Allah (إن شاء الله), we will get to taste the fruits there as well!

Sincerely, Khadija