The Use of Social media is not Permitted in Atiqaf

Raja Kamran

People addicted to social media should avoid connecting online while in the days of Atiqaf اعتکاف. because its use is not permitted by religious scholars for any sort of communication or information in anyway.

All sorts of social networking and micro-blogging sites are strictly prohibited for worshipers in Atiqaf as these platforms engaged them in useless activities and divert the attention of the people from prayers.

Young people passionately perform Atiqaf nowadays but they often find ways to pass their times in the mosques in useless and prohibited activities such as gup-shup with friends of their own age. But now they use alternative ways to keep themselves busy and they start using social media mainly via their mobile phones.

Mohammad Azam a religious scholar and Kahteeb of Madian Masjid in Karachi said, “Atiqaf is a unique and different kind of ritual, which demands isolation or loneliness of the person. It provides you an opportunity to show that you can leave everything for Allah”.

On the other hand, scholars said that religious websites or videos mainly for the sake of knowledge can be viewed.

Use of Mobile Phone in Atiqaf

Though the mobile phone is allowed for people performing Atiqaf on strict condition for indispensable communications but its undue utility will lead to spoil your worship, so take it seriously please and don’t communicate to friends of yours who are performing Atiqaf.

Scholars say the mobile phone could only be used if someone needs essential items such as food or clothing from home but it can’t be used for sharing experiences of Atiqaf with anyone because it is a worship not a tour.

Even reading SMSes containing useless stuff such as jokes are extremely prohibited whereas playing games via handsets is also not allowed.

Hence, keeping mobile phone during Atiqaf is prohibited in many masjids because of mobile phone misuse.

Scholars said that the spirit of Atifaq refers that you must cut yourself from your business, friends, your family and your other relatives and confine yourself only to the Hujra حجرہ to concentrate on you prays.

It is not obligatory فرض ritual so if you can’t live without socialization you should not be forced to sit in Atifaq. Socialization is prohibited during the Atifaq.