Staying Clean in the Digital World
There is a strong connection between Islam and cleanliness. Islam is about remaining clean and purifying oneself from all kinds of visible and invisible impurities, filth, and dirt, as well as keeping our surroundings clean. Ultimately, it is about being admitted to the divine presence with the quality of tayyib (pure and wholesome) character. In this article, we aim to highlight some ways to remain clean in the digital world, which everyone has, in one way or another, fallen into or become a part of, knowingly or unknowingly.
The digital world is, of course, a part of the world we live in. It is a testing ground for humanity, which is tried with both good and evil. In this arena of trial, there are countless windows of opportunity for benefit and harm, good and evil, and virtue and vice. In this sense, it is possible to turn the digital world into a means of attaining paradise, just as it is possible to make it a vehicle for rolling toward hell. Since the possibility of calamity and destruction within blessings, and blessings and salvation within trials, always exists, it is not correct to pass a prejudiced judgment about the digital world. However, it is a fast-paced world. It offers opportunities to multiply and spread goodness, as well as to spread evil and deepen deviation. The faster the vehicle, the more important steering control becomes. It demands heightened attention. A small pothole on the road can sometimes lead to major accidents. In such a world, where both good and evil are facilitated and amplified, maintaining integrity and staying clean is undoubtedly challenging. Especially for someone navigating the dense communication network of the digital world accompanied by their nafs al-ammarah (the commanding self), the danger is indeed much greater.
The most dangerous aspect of the digital world is that it isolates individuals, thereby weakening them. When a person is removed from the protective and watchful oversight of their social environment, they are left alone with the limitless desires of their *nafs*, which knows no halal or haram, and the misleading whispers of human and jinn devils. In such a state, staying clean is not impossible, but it is certainly not easy. In the face of the digital world’s allure and its seductive calls of “Come to me” (hayta laq), the only refuge and protection is to say, like Prophet Yusuf (peace be upon him), “Ma’adhallah—Protect me, O Lord! I seek refuge in You.” In such an environment, even if the shirt cannot remain untorn, at least tearing it from the back is a virtue worth preserving and perhaps even commendable.
Often, a person becomes polluted through their visible organs, such as the eyes, ears, tongue, and hands. External impurities—dirty sounds, images, and information—contaminate the mind, emotions, imagination, and heart. To remain clean, it is essential to safeguard each of these organs.
It is natural for the heart to incline toward what the eyes see. In this sense, every screen image enters the recording field of the eye’s camera, and each frame leaves an impression on the heart. Among these images, there may be scenes of wisdom, lawful and permissible presentations that serve our interests, as well as forbidden images that require us to lower our gaze. In such situations, the divine command should guide the believer’s attitude: “Tell the believing men to lower their gaze and guard their chastity. That is purer for them. Indeed, Allah is Acquainted with what they do. And tell the believing women to lower their gaze and guard their chastity…” (Qur’an, 24:30-31). The situation is no different when walking on the street. Undesirable images may appear unexpectedly. In such cases, the advice of the Prophet (peace be upon him) to Hazrat Ali should be our guide: “O Ali! Do not follow the first glance with a second. The first glance is your right (and natural), but the second is against you.” (Abu Dawud). If gazes are prolonged in such situations, the eye and heart will become spiritually polluted.
It is said that “a person is nurtured through the ear.” In this sense, the most dangerous viruses of the virtual world often pollute a person’s essence through the ear. The speeches, seminars, discussions, and debates of many deniers of truth cloud minds and darken hearts. Today, one of the most widespread and influential virtual tools is music. The effects of prolonged exposure to various music applications on people’s morals, behavior, and personalities are evident. While there are natural shutters to protect the eyes, no such protection exists for the ears. The only remedy is to exercise the will not to listen and to remove oneself from toxic environments. For a believer, the divine warning against this danger should be: “When you hear Allah’s verses being denied and ridiculed, do not sit with them until they engage in another conversation, or else you will be like them.” (Qur’an, 4:140).
Voice, text, and video chat environments also serve as influential, stimulating, and often unnecessarily distracting functions. While it cannot be said that all of them have a negative impact, it is not difficult to judge many of them as unnecessary and superfluous. Considering that even idle talk hardens the heart, it can be said that many such chat environments bring more harm than benefit. In this regard, the following divine messages should serve as a shield for a believer: “Man does not utter any word except that with him is an observer prepared to record.” (Qur’an, 50:17-18).
It is nearly impossible to list all the windows of evil in the virtual world. There are countless uncontrolled gaming sites, gambling channels, and indecent images that cater to all levels. In such an open marketplace, staying clean is only possible with exceptional discipline. The backbone of this discipline will be strong faith and a powerful will. In this realm, those who can exercise their will to choose will remain clean, while those who let themselves drift with the current will become polluted. The digital world, like a black hole, will swallow many personalities and turn them into mere waste.
In conclusion, what needs to be done is to seek refuge in Allah, both in word and deed, to protect ourselves and our offspring from the evils of the digital world, and to pray to the Almighty for insight and wisdom to benefit from it while striving on this path.
Source: Adem Ergül
