Assalamu Alaikum
In 2012, I got my first mobile, which was enough for making calls with my parents and elder brothers as well as with friends. Then in 2013, I was introduced to a touchscreen mobile for the first time, which wasn’t a smartphone at that time, and I started consuming video content and browsing. Everything was going stable in my life — a normal guy who used a mobile to listen to some Qur’an and Islamic audio, and watch some shows and movies. Anyway, let’s try not to watch movies and try to be a good Muslim.
Started Using Android Device?
In 2014, I finally got a smartphone — an Android — that runs applications and captures great photos and videos. To be genuine, I purchased it saying it would be useful for my Hadith studies, to my parents (which was actually not the case). I actually wanted it because some of my friends got smartphones — smartphones with more browsing facilities and more platforms to watch videos and shows.
And I kept upgrading my smartphone every year. Through the years 2015–17, I purchased 7 smartphones including an iPhone 5s. iPhone is generally good, but I purchased it because of the hype and publicity an iPhone has. Buying a new one for the full amount and selling the old one for just a few $$$ made me out of pocket. Maybe you’re thinking that a guy aged just 18 years bought 8 smartphones in a single year — where did the money come from?
I’m a guy who always wanted to earn and handle himself on his own — which I couldn’t, even though I was earning a good amount, more than enough for expenses as a student. I never asked my father to pay me to buy a smartphone. Even when I bought it on my own, I always asked him before buying, and he never said “don’t buy it.” But yeah, I still regret getting involved in the smartphone game — buying and selling again and again.
At the end of the Arabic year, when I was leaving my Madarsa, I checked my statistics and saw that I’d taken money I couldn’t pay back unless I sold my current smartphone. So I sold it and paid the amount. I started living without a smartphone again, shifting to a mobile phone that simply allowed me to talk to someone when needed. That’s how a smartphone harms your pocket — but that’s your choice. And I’m now talking about it.
Some Great Days Without a Smartphone
When you don’t spend time on your smartphone, it feels good — so good, like you never owned a smartphone. But there is still some issue. I’ve noticed that a smartphone is not only a technology everyone wants for calling or internet access. It is a kind of gadget that is always being shown off. I mean, people — including me — want to let others know what device they’re using, whether it’s an iPhone or a Samsung. As soon as I sold my smartphone, I started realizing why I didn’t own a smartphone. I felt sad about what happened with my smartphone and how I ended up selling it.
I was really upset, but after a few days, I finally convinced myself that “Life is possible without a smartphone.” That’s when great days started without a smartphone. I was able to write 20 pages of a Maqala — something similar to a guidebook in Arabic — on a useful topic and send it to my brothers and my father. I was reading more Islamic books, visiting the library. I was spending time reading and writing. When not writing, I was playing volleyball in the evening, which I love so much.
The Smartphone is Something You’re Used To?
In the final quarter of 2017, after spending about 5–6 months without a smartphone, I entered a speech competition and won the final prize. I won somewhere around $130 and some books as the prize, and I purchased a smartphone again (a brand new Honor smartphone). This time, I realized the actual need for having the technology — because I was traveling to different states and facing issues with searching locations and online ticketing.
Man with a smartphone image by Pexels
But I still regret using that money to buy a smartphone. I could have bought hundreds of books or purchased something else. Again, the day-to-day started with the smartphone. I was watching and consuming so much YouTube and using other things. But this time, the smartphone I got became a tool for my career. That’s what took my regret down to almost nothing.
With that smartphone, I started learning blogging and online writing, which provides some sort of career opportunities in the online world. And this time, I actually learned a lot of useful things using that smartphone. Fast forward to July 2020 — I broke my smartphone and needed an upgrade. I already upgraded, and this time I got a device that was a little bit expensive, but I am happy with the purchase.
Got into the Trap of Smartphones Again?
After using that device, I realized that my screen time on a smartphone was getting higher and higher because I had nothing else to do during the lockdown. I noticed the deadliest screen time of all — around 10 hours and 40 minutes in a single day. That’s so bad. But as always, it’s not what you planned — it just happened.
I tried a lot of methods to get rid of it and ended up using the smartphone for 4–6 hours a day — which I still do. Still far away from the target of using smartphones for 90–150 minutes. But I’m trying to recover, and maybe I will, InshaAllah.
Why I’m Sharing This Story on My Blog?
You may wonder why I’m writing this blog even though I couldn’t stop using my smartphone for hours. Your question does make sense. I’m doing it for two reasons.
Firstly, to make a change within me. I am sharing this because I feel that it’s not fair for me to use a smartphone for hours in a single day, and I need to get rid of it as soon as possible. This blog will work as a reminder for me — how far I’ve come. It will keep reminding me what to use the smartphone for, and what not to use it for. In other words, I’m forcing myself — along with you — to maintain a strict routine when it comes to digital devices.
Secondly, I want you to know what the bad side of a smartphone can be like. It’s good if your screen time is lesser than mine, but I want you to know how selling and buying smartphones can put you out of budget, how it can lead you to mental health issues and other things I’ve gone through. And with this blog, I wanted to be honest and general with my readers with a simple message. It’s not about me — it’s the story of all, and I was able to bring it.
What’s for a Muslim Inside This Story?
It is not hidden anymore that the internet is full of nudity and adult content, and you are not to be blamed for everything you see. There is something called Artificial Intelligence which recommends content depending on the location you are in and your interests. There are an infinite number of algorithms that work behind the scenes. Everything is designed to get you to spend more of your time on social channels. Ads are getting more friendly with the human brain and distracting people toward something harmful.
Since I was/am not able to maintain the same thing, I wouldn’t call it a piece of advice — but I will definitely say: don’t get into this game of wasting time. It has a unique name (“so-called technology and development”). I don’t hate smartphones or smartphone users, but there is a lot more in this world beyond smartphones. I also don’t recommend you delete your social channels, but do set some limits in your usage pattern. Make your time more useful. One thing I will definitely say: don’t give gadgets to a 4–13-year-old kid just to keep them busy with games, movies, and other stuff.
I hope this blog is helpful for you. And I’m going to come up with a similar blog on how to avoid the usage of smartphones and save your time in the future, InshaAllah, with a bit of research on the impact of these things on health. Have some suggestions? Send me a direct message on social.
Take care,
