The War Within Our Hearts by Habeeb Quadri

Author:Habeeb Quadri
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781847740120
Publisher: Kube Publishing Ltd

Chats, Blogs, Facebook, Oh My!

Internet

Each generation is identified by a certain characteristic. Generation X was the generation of rebellion. Generation Y was the generation whose inquisitive minds led them to question everything. The Mobile or Cell Phone Generation is known by its incessant talking into a machine no matter where they are. Now, inarguably the most fitting name for the current generation of young people is the Internet Generation. Not yet armed with a mobile or cell phone, yet still trying to stay in touch, this generation has tapping into a new method of communication that their seniors are still trying to discover. The internet life of these teens, or rather “professional instant messengers,” is quite complex. It is fascinating to watch a teenager simultaneously instant message someone, post on their Xanga, and update their Facebook or Twitter accounts while handling a multi-conversation box screen and three types of messenger at once. This type of performance makes these teens’ operation seem truly professional. Yet with these new and awe-inspiring complexities comes a whole new set of problems.

With the advent of Instant Messenger, communication has been taken to an entirely new level. For those who are not aware of how communication has further progressed, imagine that the average youth has nearly a 100 buddies on their buddy list. People adjust their conversation box and begin to arrange them along their computer screen so that they are multi-conversing. This scenario sounds essentially harmless but consider the potential hidden dangers.

In the past, it was much easier to distinguish between an appropriate and inappropriate friendship with someone of the opposite gender. Previous generations didn’t have computer screens to shield them from the temptations of the opposite sex. Hence not too many of these sisters and brothers got involved in activities that were improper. Nowadays, however, with the Internet being the most often popular method of communication among a younger generation, the variables affecting an average Muslim student’s life have changed.

In the past, when a young person wanted to begin talking or getting to know someone of the opposite gender, there was always an embarrassing moment in trying to get a contact for that person. Be it a cell or mobile phone number or a home number, asking for that initial contact information was very awkward. But now, with the spread of instant messaging, youth have a list that at times consist of over 100 people. And then each of these 100 people may have lists of hundreds of more people. Subsequently, this leads to a great opportunity for friends to exchange the names of people from their buddy lists. Now, that awkward moment no longer exists and the obstacle that once prevented youth from stepping into haram has been undermined.

Another temptation that the Internet has made easier is for individuals to manipulate their image. By projecting a more ideal version of ourselves online, we add to our allure whereas in a face-to-face meeting we cannot mask ourselves and the real us is more apparent.

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