Blog 01: The Battle Of Faith Over Trends
Let’s talk about it, we’re currently in the era of being online. We’re all online, our parents, our children, our friends, maybe even our grandparents. Some of us as consumers and some of us are creators. Creators of all sorts. Nowadays I see sisters doing it all, whether she’s in digital marketing, UGC, content creating, business promoting, you name it. The internet we knew back then and the internet now? I’m a 90’s baby so lets just say….its a whole new world out here!
The online world is now full of endless opportunities for an average sis like you and I. We’ve all seen the overnight success story, the lives changed in an instant or the slow growth of individuals we have been following a long time. Alhamdulillah, we now have opportunities that allow us to work, build businesses, and generate income on our own terms. We can set our own hours and work from the comfort of our homes – all while continuing to honour our roles as mothers and wives.
The internet can be an amazing space when and if we use it correctly, and just like any other job, there are conditions that Allah, our Creator put in place that must be followed for it to be permissible for the Muslim women.Conditions such as ḥayā’ (modesty) and avoiding music in our content, just to name some. Yet, many of us have fallen into the trap of creating content that we know does not align with what pleases Allah. It’s a hard truth – one we often don’t like to hear, SubḥānAllāh. But lets truly reflect, and have an open, honest conversation – sis to sis.
It’s almost become normalised, in fact we have reached a point where it is normalised. It’s so much easier to be out in the digital world without all these restrictions. It’s so much easier to grow an audience, it’s so much easier to succeed and hit those goals we so desperately want to reach. It’s so much easier to start earning an income to help our families and to help ourselves. I know, but lets not forget the mercy of our Lord, lets not forget when Allah said “And whosoever fears Allah and keeps his duty to Him, He will make a way for him to get out (from every difficulty) And he will provide for him from (sources) he could never imagine” (Quran 65: 2–3). So I ask you my dear sister, Is it worth it? Is it worth losing the blessings you could receive from the One who you need it from most?
You might feel like you’re not as successful or doing as well as ‘so and so’, but by Allah, if you’re in the digital world like everyone else but you’re sticking to your values, sticking to your obligations and doing it in the way that’s pleasing to Him, then you are the most successful, you are the winner. Why? Because when we act in the way that’s pleasing to Allah, we are showing gratitude and Allah said ‘If you are grateful, I will certainly give you more’ (Quran 14:7).
Leaving the haram trends for the sake of Allah will not decrease us in anything, in fact it will only be replaced with something better. The prophet Muhammad (s.a.w) said, “Certainly, you will never leave something for the sake of Allah, the Mighty & Majestic, except that Allah will replace it with something better” (Musnad Ahmed 23074; Al-Silsilah Al-Saheehah, Shaykh Albani: Isnaaduh Saheeh).
I can personally share a little story about leaving something for the sake of Allah. There was a time in my business when opportunities came my way, but they didn’t align with my values. I kept turning them down, which eventually made me feel quite drained and directionless. It was disheartening to feel like I was getting nowhere. But I placed my trust in Allah – and as always, He showed up for me.
Not long after, I was given the opportunity to create content for a local mosque’s Ramadan event. Subhan’Allah, Allah allowed me to work in His house, in the best of months, surrounded by incredible people. It was a reminder that His promise is true – when you strive to please Him, He replaces what you leave behind with something far better than you ever imagined. Islam is such a beautiful religion my dear sister. When you and I do things the way Allah has instructed us to, the fulfilment you have in your heart is like no other. The contentment, peace and gratitude that washes over you is a feeling we all seek. And this is coming from someone who was once on the other side, doing things without heeding Allah’s words, and now the contentment I live with I would not replace with anything else.
Having Allah at the centre of your digital journey will also help you to avoid the stress, anxiety and the mental health toll the internet can often bring. Whether you’re just starting out or you have been navigating the digital world for some time, the need for validation can eventually catch up to you. However, when you remain conscious of Allah, you can quickly regain a sense of grounding and peace, knowing your worth is not defined by online approval.
So let’s talk about some practical ways that can make it easier for us to navigate this digital world in a Muslimah friendly way:
Intention
Firstly, before starting any new venture, we should always pause, look into our hearts and set a clear intention. Setting an intention right from the beginning will give you a clear direction of the actions you take when your creating your brand or starting your business. The prophet (saw) said “Actions are but by intention and everyone will be rewarded according to his intentions” (Bukhari & Muslim). We’re all humans and none of us are perfect. You might sometimes fall into something that’s not really aligning with your values and be tempted to go in the wrong direction. Stepping back and remembering your initial intention will help and hopefully pull you back to the righteous way.
Get to know Allah
Another amazing way to navigate this social media journey in a Muslim friendly way is by getting to know Allah, getting to know your Lord. When we learn about Allah, about His names, His attributes, and how merciful He is, naturally you develop a deep love and relationship with Him, you naturally begin to only want to seek validation from Him and your mindset shifts dramatically. Subhana’Allah, the way you start looking at this dunya changes and you realised that falling into the haram and the traps of Shaytaan is not worth it. You start to see that there is beautiful wisdom behind Allah’s commands.
Your fyp page
This tip here really helped me as I found that what my brain was consuming day to day influenced my views and outlook in life. Your For You Page (fyp) is more powerful than you think. The content we’re feeding our brains everyday shapes our thoughts, shapes our emotions and ultimately shapes the content you will feel inspired to make. So again it’s important for us to be intentional with the type of content we consume.
The algorithm is pretty good at showing you what you want to see. The more we engage in trends and videos that do not align with our values, the more our For You Page (FYP) will be filled with it. But the opposite is also true – If we make an effort to watch beneficial, muslimah friendly content our fyp page will eventually reflect that. This shift not only protects our hearts and minds but also makes it easier to stay true to our values. Over time, it becomes natural to create content that fulfills your soul and, most importantly, pleases Allah (Subḥānāhu wa Taʿālā).
The digital world is constantly evolving – new trends will emerge, and different opportunities will arise. But through it all, our faith remains a steady guide. When you place Allah at the center of your journey, He will always lead you to what is best. So step forward with confidence, knowing that you can thrive in this space while staying true to who you are. May Allah bless your journey and make it a source of success and barakah, both online and offline. Ameen 🤲🏾
