Of course, Rida Deraoui (21) needs social media for his work as a presenter, but he also dares to admit that he is addicted to TikTok and Instagram. “I spend an average of nine hours a day on my phone, which is really not normal,” he says. Deraoui has therefore decided to at least halve his screen time this month of fasting. “The essence of Ramadan is that you are more aware of your faith, your family and your friends. You can’t do that if you spend hours scrolling stupidly on your phone.”
A good time
The presenter is not alone, many of his friends are planning to put their phones aside, just like him. Imam Azzedine Karrat also notices that it is a topic that is alive among young Muslims. “Many young people ask me what is and is not allowed to use social media during Ramadan,” he says. “I then explain that it is of course not forbidden or bad, but it is important how you deal with it.”
Of course you will not find any rules about social media in the Quran, but according to the imam there are guidelines about how to spend your time. “As a person you have to make the most of your time, although there is of course room for relaxation. With all the apps we communicate with, the hours fly by and you sometimes have no idea where your time is going. If your screen time scares you, it’s good to be more aware of this during Ramadan.”
Apps removed
Nassira Laoikili (42) decided to take a break from social media during Ramadan six years ago. “I’ve been doing this every year since then and it’s a conscious choice that I feel very good about. By not being on my phone, I stay focused on what really matters during Ramadan: more attention to prayer, reading of the Qur’an and doing good deeds, so that I can strengthen my contact with Allah.”
The perfect picture
Psychologist Soumia Kasmi strongly encourages detoxing from social media during Ramadan. She coaches young Muslim women and sees in her practice that many women become insecure due to excessive use of social media. “They see a lot of perfect pictures. Not only about motherhood, but also about religion. When they see a post from someone who takes a break to pray or read the Quran, they feel guilty because they can’t always do it themselves.”
A shame, because you can use that time to work on your self-image. According to the Kasmi, Ramadan is therefore a good time to ask yourself why you actually spend so much time on social media. “Often it’s a kind of numbness. Take a good look at what’s really going on and what feelings you’re trying to avoid.”
Imam Karrat hears from young people who spend a lot of time on social media that it sometimes makes them feel lonely. To encourage young Muslims to get the most out of the Ramadan period, he is organizing a Ramadan challenge for the third time this year via the Ask Islam platform. “And ironically enough, we do that precisely through social media,” he says with a laugh.
Social assignment
“We send the participants three assignments every day: a spiritual one, one for personal development and a social one. One of the assignments could be, for example, that you visit your neighbors and bring them something nice or give them a compliment,” he says. “In this way we try to show young people how valuable real social contact is.”
Livestream
Presenter Deraoui does not yet dare to say whether he will manage to stay away from his mobile phone. “I’ve never tried it, so I’m very curious. I hope to keep this up after Ramadan, because social media doesn’t always help you to be the best version of yourself.”
The fact that he is going to cut down, but not stop completely with social media, has everything to do with Ramadan. “I’m going to do a weekly live stream on Instagram where I talk to an interesting guest about faith. Because many people think of not eating during Ramadan, but it’s about much more than that.”
