Youth; Under a threat

Trapped under the illusion of a falsely meritocratic, west-endorsed, education system and ambitiously competing against sophomores and fellows who were supposed to be collaborators in learning, youngsters today face greater threats. I would specify colleges/schools here since this is, usually, the beginning point of all the noxious cultures I have stated below and feeds continuation of many.

The concert, Kawali nights, movie nights, and field trips culture:

To avoid the risk of appearing as an idealistic personality, I will not deny: West is the new globe. Contemporarily, West overrides any other ideology in many people’s lives. Ranging from individual choice to the constitution of a country, nobody is vaccinated against the contagion. Saying this, I also admit to the necessity of acquisition of modern education and the use of western means. Nevertheless, we are not forced to abandon our values, especially the ones that are distinctive features between us and many. Violation of Islamic values in colleges/schools has become normative. Youngsters today increasingly attend music concerts, movie nights and field trips with combined gatherings. They sing with the band, dress with the trend, and do not let anyone abuse them with words like; old fashioned, shy. This can be liberalism. Yet never be liberty. These are attempts to menace the freedom of mind and engender addictive servitudes to dopamine (Dopamine is responsible for allowing you to feel pleasure, satisfaction and motivation. When you feel good that you have achieved something, it's because you have a surge of dopamine in the brain.). Plenty of students capitalise such events, while seeking to replace their lost peace. They end up with short-lived happiness, but prolonged melancholy and desolation. Even more disappointing is when the same myopic give a huge coverage of such malpractices on their social media handles. Doing a wrong is sinful, doing it openly is greater. Dopamine effect is too transient to resist this greater wrong. Such practices are stringently prohibited in Islam. To be blunt, they are wickedly sinful, even if they fulfill the merit of being cool.

The relationship culture:

Another very egregious and problematic practice that has permeated in almost every high-school is the need to be in an illegitimate relationship with the opposite gender. Extremely disheartened to state, this has reached the position of a trend. And just like any other trend, a person who unfollows this is a weak follower of the Western culture; hence not looked up to. Girls and boys deliberately dress up in sexually appealing ways and try their best to maintain a relationship. Without anybody forewarning, these adolescents engage in intimate relationships that may confer upon them the sense of security, their family members failed at. Many suffer from the trauma of unsuccessful relationships while some undergo the constant pressure of concealing it from their family members where it may be punished. But the problem is even deeper. This culture is gaining excessive acceptance as opposed to how it should be strictly punished and brought to a cessation. We have outrun Britain and America. Maulana Shah Ahmed Noorani, an extraordinary scholar, (May Allah shower his mercy on him) states in one of his historical speeches’ That I was an eye witness to practices in some universities of Pakistan that I did not see in Oxford university’. Not only does this violate the values of our religion but also jeopardize the society. It threatens the sacred institution of marriage. And I fear its prevalence since the damaged version is already available in the West. A culture like this entails serious and immediate actions from parents, families, college heads and students who still have some level of faith in them.

Social media culture:

When we do discuss the dilemmas of youth, do not miss the social media lie. I call social media addicts as ‘the generation with consistent snapchat streaks but inconsistent mental peace’. Pictures that were supposed to be memories are the only memories. Days that were meant to be enjoyed were only captured. Social media is the largest market of hypocrisy. Where people trade fakeness, sugarcoating, editing, and filters for likes and comments. Absolute impartiality is rare. Suicidal souls disguised behind thrill-filled hashtags covet for hearts. An addictive, more pernicious than any drug. Let your children out of the mirage of social media. Nurture them with confidence, the kind that is not shattered with a mean comment or the absence of enough likes.

The weak friendship culture:

Friendships have culminated into familiarity. And this new version of friendship only requires you to enjoy, attend and a better word to describe ‘party’. While we all are aware that teenage life is also filled with sorrows and problems that never seem to find a way out, you can sure deal them alone. Your sorrows will not be catered by your friends. This is the new norm; to appear happy, look happy, post happy even if the world under you has broken into a million pieces. Your happiness is distributable, though shortcomings need not be on display. Many might disagree but majority would get their answers when they ask themselves; How many times do I share a very personal problem of mine with my friends?

To conclude, there is one identification of problem that might light up a ray of hope. Know that parroting the West outrightly is not an expression of freedom, modernity, or open-mindedness. It is blind slavery. A servitude that would debunk the internal flaws of European culture in future by causing a ferocious and uncontrollable destruction at mass level. Is it sensible to agree upon losing your religious identity out of fear of ostracism (being shunned out of group) or weak sense of belonging or humiliation?

We all urgently require a reality check!

Therefore, it is important to take action prior to losing a way to return. Every single person needs to be conscious of his/her decision. From individual to the heads, we all should brace ourselves for a shift that may question our idea of liberalism but will surely protect us from being questioned on the day of judgement.

Stop where you can. Leave where you should. Protest where you have the power to do so. Learn to negate. Bring awareness. Maintain distance. Say no.

People in authority are the firsthand culprits, but there is light at the end of tunnel. They can be the firsthand flag-bearers of modesty Those who organize and initiate harmful and unislamic practices in institutions they run, little do these partakers realize the forth coming pitfalls. Heads and organizers can execute immediate and effective changes. And if they fail, they take part in the wrong, make others contributors, and should now be ready to welcome accountability on the day of judgement.

We are stuck in a hole, deeper than we perceive.

We have lost our values. We risk our faiths.