Should Muslims be using facebook?

[Alim Apprentice]

So far I have heard people use many analogies here. The most common seems to be with the internet. The argument is that facebook is an instrument, and like any instrument, its use depends on the person.

This is essentially true, were it not for a huge internal fallacy in that statement!

Some things are banned in most countries, with the full knowledge that were it not, some people in the community would misuse it, and hence cause corruption in the entire society. If drugs were indeed legalised, more people would have access to it. You could of course argue that it is up to an individual to make the choice of actually buying the drug and using it.

However an addict's fall, is the fall of the entire community! Everyone suffers from the destructiveness that drug abuse brings, not just the people using it.

If everyone relied on other people's inculpable ethos, and fastidious sagacity, we would not need police!

It is the fact that some people will misuse facebook, that makes it a prerogative for everyone to cease. No one here has refuted that it can, and is, used for free mixing by some Muslims. As far as I am aware, no one is refuting the dangers of free mixing, and its evil in society.

The intenet does have its disadvantages. Surely the worst use of the internet is in fact related to zina. So which is worse to the end user? A dating site that helps them commit zina, or a pornographic website? If in fact due to free mixing on facebook, people do come together, then surely facebook can be used for the worst the web has to offer?

The internet brings enormous benefits as well. It is difficult for me to see how facebook has anywhere near the same set of advantages as the net.
So far, the only justification for its is 'dawah'.

I disagree.

To master the art of dawah, one must look at the masters of dawah - the Prophets.

Dawah is a personal, and intimate process, which requires face to face communication, devotion, and patience.

More importantly, it is ones actions and demeanour from human interaction that is the greatest dawah! Could anyone argue that the character of the prophets were more profound than anything they said, other than the very words of God they uttered from revelation?

I have not heard of any other uses for facebook, apart from staying in touch - and for all its evils, I think this is a menial advantage at best!

I pretty much agree with this post. Well put, brother.

True, its well enough that some of us somehow manages to use Facebook without falling into fitnah. But aren't you worried about the rest of your brothers or sisters who could? Facebook's sole aim was to be a place for social networking, interaction, and mixing. I very much doubt there was any intentions to make things "safe" for Muslims to interact in a halal way. Woodrow's article link already showed the devious ways FB had to make money during its initial run.

Instead of trying to defend Facebook by virtue of using it "properly", acknowledgment of its issues and vigilant caution to the rest of your Muslim peers would be a much better approach =)

 

[Nσσя'υℓ Jαииαн]

^^There are other things such as facebook...its not only fb!! Don't forget that...the net encompasses all of these things...so we should worry about them in all aspects of life...not just facebook or the net I'm not speaking for or against FB. I just find it silly that some people are forgetting other things that could cause fitnah...

 

[Raphael]

I just find it silly that some people are forgetting other things that could cause fitnah...

This thread is related to facebook sis.

Agreed other things cause fitnah, but the thread is specifically devoted to a particular fitnah that a huge number of Muslims are subscribed to (and defending)! I agree with Alim Apprentice. I also think acknowledging the problem is the first step towards a solution.

I had written in a previous post, and Woodrow had written something similar, that the people who can potentially use it without having any non mahram members on their friends list, and not fall into free mixing, or harmful use are also the people who are most likely to leave it!

There are exceptions, however they are rare, and people have a tendency to defend their own use, even if they know they are doing something wrong - we all do this!

We could expand this to all social networking sites, but I think fakebook is the most popular?

 

[Fishman]

Like Marmite and the pet guinea pig lobby, Facebook is a product of the Zionist Illuminati that run the world. They aim to ensnare Muslims into using Facebook, which will somehow lead them to devil-worship and will destroy Islam so they can take our natural gas reserves!


More seriously, I would say that it depends how you use it, yeah. Facebook can be used for flirting and getting porn, but so can many other things that are not haram.

 

[aadil77]

I've started usin facebook and all my contacts are guys, but when you go on some other peoples pages its just loaded with fitna, you get muslims openly sinning there. I've got people who run the isoc in my uni having all kinds of uncovered girls on their friends list. The mentality of some muslims is just piss taking, some take the whole brother/sister thing to another level. Some of these arabs just take the mick as well, tryin their best in the most obvious ways to get girls and arab girls doin the same

 

[Nσσя'υℓ Jαииαн]

This thread is related to facebook sis.

Agreed other things cause fitnah, but the thread is specifically devoted to a particular fitnah that a huge number of Muslims are subscribed to (and defending)! I agree with Alim Apprentice. I also think acknowledging the problem is the first step towards a solution.

I had written in a previous post, and Woodrow had written something similar, that the people who can potentially use it without having any non mahram members on their friends list, and not fall into free mixing, or harmful use are also the people who are most likely to leave it!

There are exceptions, however they are rare, and people have a tendency to defend their own use, even if they know they are doing something wrong - we all do this!

We could expand this to all social networking sites, but I think fakebook is the most popular?

I know this is about only facebook but that doesn't mean we rule out the rest. I'm one of those people who leaves it but then I end up signing back in just cause people want me to see something. I dnt look at other peoples photos, i dont have randys on my list either. And I dont AGREE that those who do not fall into fitnah will leave it totally. I've never come across fitnah so alhamdulillah for that. Those who do should just leave it. End of story.

Anything can become fitnah central. I'm not for facebook nor against it. Even if I knew i was doing something wrong I dont support it. I dont know about you but I dont do it! I acknowledge when im doing something wrong. Whether we can/try or do avoid it, is a different matter. I suppose it is the most popular alongside myspace? Maybe more. YES facebook HAS fitnah. Of course.

 

[Eliphaz]

Like Marmite and the pet guinea pig lobby, Facebook is a product of the Zionist Illuminati that run the world. They aim to ensnare Muslims into using Facebook, which will somehow lead them to devil-worship and will destroy Islam so they can take our natural gas reserves!

Finally someone agrees with me!

I know this is about only facebook but that doesn't mean we rule out the rest. I'm one of those people who leaves it but then I end up signing back in just cause people want me to see something. I dnt look at other peoples photos, i dont have randys on my list either. And I dont AGREE that those who do not fall into fitnah will leave it totally. I've never come across fitnah so alhamdulillah for that. Those who do should just leave it. End of story.

Anything can become fitnah central. I'm not for facebook nor against it. Even if I knew i was doing something wrong I dont support it. I dont know about you but I dont do it! I acknowledge when im doing something wrong. Whether we can/try or do avoid it, is a different matter. I suppose it is the most popular alongside myspace? Maybe more. YES facebook HAS fitnah. Of course.

I also must agree that Facebook does not equal Fitnahbook. I wouldn't go that far.

Because in its essence it is really only representing your social life in a virtual way, and thus, as in real life, its a case of 'the company you keep is the rewards you reap'. My sister uses FB and has only female friends on there, and would never ever add a male friend quite simply because she has no male friends in real life. Problem averted.

However if you're the kind of brother/sister who mingles with the opposite sex in real life, and smile and says 'salaam' and then get carried away asking about each others 'studies' and so forth (you know who you are!) and say to your friends 'he's just my brother' or 'she's just my sister' then Facebook does potentially equal Fitnahbook.

As I said before, saying no to a friend request is just so difficult to do in Facebook. How can you stop people sending you friend requests if they know you from campus? In real life nobody comes up to you and says 'Will you be my friend' and then you say, 'No, I reject you! Be gone!' Of course not. But this is the flaw of Facebook, it is almost an overblown caricature of your real social life, where all the little blemishes filled with fitnah get multiplied by ten and you either need a really good (think industrial-strength) blackhead remover or it's best just not get into it.

Twitter on the other hand looks pretty fun (if not sooooo timewasting). If only I could figure out how the dickens it works.

 

[Kabeer]

That is true Elizabeth, but sometimes its not just us, shaytaan can trick us at moments of weakness, regardless of how strong we feel we are.

Salaams,
Maybe then you should castrate yourself in case you suddenly get a 'weak' moment?

See how silly that sounds?

Peace

 

[cat eyes]

they should change its name to fitnah book:haha:

 

[cat eyes]

my sis sent me a video of lee evans (comedian) talking about facebook;D he used some bad language but i could't help laughing what he said was so true

 

[Raphael]

Salaams,
Maybe then you should castrate yourself in case you suddenly get a 'weak' moment?

See how silly that sounds?

Peace

Islam has many systems that help one avoid moments of weakness. Consider it like a gate, preventing entry to a road that ends in a treacherous fall.


It is better for an iron nail to be driven into the head of a man, than for him to touch a woman who is not permissible for him

Narrated by at Tabrani
al-Mu'jam al-Kabir (Vol.20 Pg.211)


The purpose of the hadith is not to imply that one should cut ones hands off, in fear of touching a non mahram woman, or to have a set of nails, and power tool ready, should the desire impose itself. Rather it is to show the necessity of knowing ones bounds.

Therefore putting a knife to oneself does not need to be an option. Thank you for your well thought out suggestion.

 

[Kabeer]

Islam has many systems that help one avoid moments of weakness. Consider it like a gate, preventing entry to a road that ends in a treacherous fall.


It is better for an iron nail to be driven into the head of a man, than for him to touch a woman who is not permissible for him

Narrated by at Tabrani
al-Mu'jam al-Kabir (Vol.20 Pg.211)


The purpose of the hadith is not to imply that one should cut ones hands off, in fear of touching a non mahram woman, or to have a set of nails, and power tool ready, should the desire impose itself. Rather it is to show the necessity of knowing ones bounds.

Therefore putting a knife to oneself does not need to be an option. Thank you for your well thought out suggestion.

Salaam Raphael,

Do you really think my reply was well thought out or are you just saying that?

The hand can be used for many things. That narration is specifically saying not to touch the non mahram lady.

So an equivalent to facebook, would be facebook can be used for many things. And specifically dont use it for "X, Y, Z".

Peace

 

[Nσσя'υℓ Jαииαн]

Finally someone agrees with me!



I also must agree that Facebook does not equal Fitnahbook. I wouldn't go that far.

Because in its essence it is really only representing your social life in a virtual way, and thus, as in real life, its a case of 'the company you keep is the rewards you reap'. My sister uses FB and has only female friends on there, and would never ever add a male friend quite simply because she has no male friends in real life. Problem averted.

However if you're the kind of brother/sister who mingles with the opposite sex in real life, and smile and says 'salaam' and then get carried away asking about each others 'studies' and so forth (you know who you are!) and say to your friends 'he's just my brother' or 'she's just my sister' then Facebook does potentially equal Fitnahbook.

As I said before, saying no to a friend request is just so difficult to do in Facebook. How can you stop people sending you friend requests if they know you from campus? In real life nobody comes up to you and says 'Will you be my friend' and then you say, 'No, I reject you! Be gone!' Of course not. But this is the flaw of Facebook, it is almost an overblown caricature of your real social life, where all the little blemishes filled with fitnah get multiplied by ten and you either need a really good (think industrial-strength) blackhead remover or it's best just not get into it.

Twitter on the other hand looks pretty fun (if not sooooo timewasting). If only I could figure out how the dickens it works.

Again, this is in the end an individual problem. I don't find it hard to reject friend requests. I simply hit IGNORE. If i dont want guys then I dont. I dont see why it should be offensive. I know why Id be rejecting it so it doesnt matter to me what the person on the other end THINKS. All these social programmes are potentially the SAME. If you cant HANDLE using it then get off. Simple as. For example this forum. Initially it's meant to be fitnah free, but you will ALWAYS have someone who can start fitnah for themselves and for others. This is why I keep bringing in other sources, it's the same THING for the love of Allah.

And I havent disagreed that facebook can be fitnah. OF COURSE it can. ANYTHING can be, depending on how it's used. People can mingle here as well. If not on here specifically, but off the forum. Would you then say one should avoid this forum? You can have the BEST privacy settings on the planet, but if one certain individual doesn't want to use it, fitnah can spread. And of course more than one like these exist. My advice is, stay away from something when u feel it may harm u, especially in your deen. Not just facebook, anything.

 

[syilla]

i think this thread will never come to an end...huhuhu... just one of those debate.

 

[Humbler_359]

IT IS TIME TO CLOSE THIS THREAD~ 100 PAGES still !

Depending on YOU based your control or leave it ! Simple answer.