Screens, phones and social media

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Verified guidance from the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat

Directly sourced from Friday Sermons, Q&A sessions and official publications — no paraphrasing.

• Khalifatul Masih V · Friday Sermon

  Household defences against distraction and Satan

  “It is important to erect defenses against Satan in our homes that not only protect us from each attack but are also able to launch a counter attack. Do not let Satan enter your life by accepting his love as [true] love.”

  Gothenburg Mosque, Sweden · 2016-05-20

  Verified source

  Publication: Al Fazl International, 10 June 2016

  • VideoAl Islam (Official)https://www.alislam.org/friday-sermon/2016-05-20.html
  • TextAl Islam (Official)https://www.alislam.org/book/social-media/excessive-use-of-tv-internet-leads-to-neglect-of-worship/
  WatchRead

• 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/
  WatchRead

• Khalifatul Masih V · Friday Sermon

  Modesty is not what television and the internet now define it to be

  “The latest inventions such as TV and Internet have redefined the historically established standards of modesty... The standard of modesty of an Ahmadi is not how it is shown on TV and the Internet.”

  Baitul Futuh Mosque, London · 2010-01-15

  Verified source

  Publication: Al Fazl International, 5 February 2010

  • VideoAl Islam (Official)https://www.alislam.org/friday-sermon/2010-01-15.html
  • TextAl Islam (Official)https://www.alislam.org/book/social-media/believer-shuns-all-that-is-vain/
  WatchRead

• Khalifatul Masih V · Friday Sermon

  Local evils have become international evils through media

  “The evil of the neighborhood remained in the neighborhood, a city's evil stayed in the city, and a country's evil remained in the country... Now, however, with the ease of travel, television, Internet and various media these individual and localized evils have turned into international evils.”

  Baitul Futuh Mosque, London · 2013-12-06

  Verified source

  Publication: Al Fazl International, 27 December 2013

  • VideoAl Islam (Official)https://www.alislam.org/friday-sermon/2013-12-06.html
  • TextAl Islam (Official)https://www.alislam.org/book/social-media/believer-shuns-all-that-is-vain/
  WatchRead

• Khalifatul Masih V · Friday Sermon

  Children copy their home environment — including its screen habits

  “If the parents are virtuous, observe the Salat, read and recite the Holy Quran... then the children under their influence will adopt virtues... And even within the home they should keep an eye on the programs that they watch on television or their Internet usage.”

  Baitul Futuh Mosque, London · 2013-12-13

  Verified source

  Publication: Al Fazl International, 3 January 2014

  • TextAl Islam (Official)https://www.alislam.org/book/social-media/role-of-parents-in-training-of-children/
  Read

• Khalifatul Masih V · Address, National Atfal-ul-Ahmadiyya Ijtema Germany

  Mobile phones, strangers contacting children, and the case for saying no

  “Through phones, some people contact children directly and then incite them into bad habits. Hence, the phone is also a very harmful thing due to which children lose all good sense and get involved in wrongdoings, so avoid this.”

  Germany · 2011-09-16

  Verified source

  Publication: Al Fazl International, 9 March 2012

  • TextAl Islam (Official)https://www.alislam.org/book/social-media/role-of-parents-in-training-of-children/
  Read

• Khalifatul Masih V · Meeting with Virginia Khuddam members

  Social media addiction named as plain 'foolishness' once you know the harm

  “Social media – you know that it is harmful. We all know it causes addiction. We know it damages our family relationships, our social relationships, and even affects our work and businesses. It is causing harm, and you are aware of it. When you know all this and still continue using it in the same way, what else can it be called except foolishness? The only solution is to have firm determination that you will not fall into these harmful practices.”

  USA (virtual/in-person meeting) · 2025-12-01

  Verified source

  Publication: Press & Media Office, December 2025

  • Textpressahmadiyya.comhttps://www.pressahmadiyya.com/press-releases/2025/12/virginian-khuddam-meet-with-his-holiness-hazrat-mirza-masroor-ahmad-world-head-of-the-ahmadiyya-muslim-community/
  Read

• 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/
  WatchRead

• 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/
  Read

• 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/
  Watch

• 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/
  Watch

• Fareeha Aleem (Canada) — Al Hakam contributor · Opinion essay (companion reference to entry #45)

  Instagram, Snapchat, X and WhatsApp named directly as the platforms most used by Ahmadi teenagers

  “Social media apps such as Instagram, Snapchat, X (formerly Twitter), and WhatsApp are widely used by the majority of teenagers all over the world.”

  N/A — publication · 2025-03-29

  Verified source

  Publication: Al Hakam, 29 March 2025

  • Textalhakam.orghttps://www.alhakam.org/appropriate-use-of-social-media/
  Read

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/

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• 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

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• UK Safer Internet Centre

  UK Safer Internet Centre

  “Welcome to the UK Safer Internet Centre, where you can find online safety tips, advice and resources to help children and young people stay safe online.”

  https://saferinternet.org.uk/

  Share or save this

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