Family life
Screens and physical well-being
Guidance of Hazrat Khalifatul Masih V (aba) concerning idleness before screens, and the importance of physical exercise and useful occupation for children.
Resources
Verified guidance from the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat
Directly sourced from Friday Sermons, Q&A sessions and official publications — no paraphrasing.
Khalifatul Masih V · Address to children
A direct warning to children themselves: idle scrolling can harm body and mind
“Idly watching TV, or scrolling endlessly on electronic devices can damage your physical and mental health.”
Germany · 2019-01-01
Verified source
Publication: Cited in Review of Religions, 'Phones: A Love-Hate Relationship'
- TextThe Review of Religionshttps://www.reviewofreligions.org/47816/phones-a-love-hate-relationship/
Khalifatul Masih V · This Week with Huzoor — timestamp 19:58
'How can we safeguard ourselves from the addiction of mobile phones?'
“19:58 – How can we safeguard ourselves from the addiction of mobile phones?”
Broadcast mulaqat with Waqifaat-e-Nau, Belgium · 2023-11-24
Verified source
Publication: alislam.org video archive
- VideoAl Islam (Official)https://www.alislam.org/video/this-week-with-huzoor-24-november-2023/
Khalifatul Masih V · Friday Sermon, later referenced in This Week with Huzoor, 15 Feb 2019
Fortnite named as the flagship example of a wider category: online games with spending & stranger contact
“Nowadays, a game called Fortnite is being played regularly amongst the youth in which their money is going to waste. Parents as well as the auxiliary organisations such as Khuddam-ul-Ahmadiyya and Atfal-ul-Ahmadiyya in particular must protect them from getting involved in it because one step leads to another and they will eventually get hold of bank cards and spend money on it.”
Not specified · 2019-01-04
Verified source
Publication: Al Hakam retrospective, 2021 & 2022
- VideoYouTube — Official channelhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D6cfG0zqw84
- Textalhakam.orghttps://www.alhakam.org/hazrat-mirza-masroor-ahmads-warning-about-fortnite
Khalifatul Masih V · This Week with Huzoor
Parents must watch children's mobile phone time — and explain why, with kindness
“It is the duty of the parents as well that they should watch that their children are not spending too much time on mobile phones and make them realise, with love and kindness, that they have a purpose and they should try to achieve that purpose instead of wasting their time on online games.”
MTA studios (mulaqat broadcast) · 2025-12-12
Verified source
Publication: MTA News, 12 December 2025; cited in Review of Religions
- VideoMTA Internationalhttps://www.mta.tv/news/120717/this-week-with-huzoor-12th-december-2025
- TextThe Review of Religionshttps://www.reviewofreligions.org/47816/phones-a-love-hate-relationship/
Khalifatul Masih V · This Week with Huzoor — timestamp 33:35
A child himself asks how to stay safe on the iPad his school gave him
“33:35 – A Tifl mentions that has received an iPad from school and asks how he can be safeguarded from the ills of social media?”
Broadcast mulaqat with Atfal, Norway · 2024-10-11
Verified source
Publication: alislam.org video archive
- VideoAl Islam (Official)https://www.alislam.org/video/this-week-with-huzoor-11-october-2024/
Khalifatul Masih V · Friday Sermon
Screen time at night undermines the quality of morning prayer
“You can observe this in most homes that the eldest to the youngest are not offering Fajr Salat on time as they were either watching TV or were online on the Internet until late, watching some program and, as a result, they could not wake up on time.”
Baitul Futuh Mosque, London · 2013-03-15
Verified source
Publication: Al Fazl International, 5 April 2013
- VideoAl Islam (Official)https://www.alislam.org/friday-sermon/2013-03-15.html
- TextAl Islam (Official)https://www.alislam.org/book/social-media/excessive-use-of-tv-internet-leads-to-neglect-of-worship/
Trusted online-safety guidance
Verified advice on this topic from recognised child online-safety organisations.
Internet Matters
Keep Children Safe Online: Information, advice, support
“Working with online experts, we're here to provide parent, carers and professionals with advice and support to keep children safe online”
https://www.internetmatters.org/
Common Sense Media
Online Safety — Parenting, Media, and Everything in Between
“Get advice about Online Safety from Common Sense Media editors.”
https://www.commonsensemedia.org/articles/online-safety
ParentLine
Free Parent Helpline
“Free 24/7 parent helpline and online safety helpline for families worldwide. Professional guidance on parental controls, keeping children safe online, internet safety advice, and child protection. Available in 20 languages.”
https://parentline.ai
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