Assalamu Alaikum my dear 

I hope you're doing well and that these past few days brought moments of presence, clarity, and barakah to your life. I want to thank you again for your kind responses to our last {Heart to Heart} email—it touched me deeply to know that the reflections around time and health resonated with so many of you.

Today, I want to continue that reflection. After reflecting on time and health—the two most wasted blessings the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ warned us about—I found myself thinking deeply about something else. Something that quietly threatens both, day after day, without us even realizing.

It lives in our pockets. It wakes up with us. Eats with us. Sleeps next to us. It’s designed to capture our attention—and hold onto it as long as possible.

Yes, I’m talking about social media on our phone.

Now, I’m not here to say it’s all evil. It has its benefits—I’ve used it to learn, to teach, to share reminders, and to stay connected. But if I’m being honest, its dangers often outweigh its benefits. When left unchecked, social media doesn't just distract us—it slowly chips away at our attention, our relationships, and even our connection with Allah subuhanawut’ala.

Let me share a story.

One of my clients—a practicing brother in his thirties, a passionate daee—once came to me feeling stuck. His business wasn’t growing, his spiritual connection was fading, and his family life felt tense.

We talked. We explored.

And slowly, one of the root causes began to reveal itself: he was spending more than 7 to 8 hours a day on his phone.

Social media was swallowing his time, his focus, his energy—and over time, it had started swallowing parts of his life too.

Alhamdulillah, after months of coaching and committed effort, we brought it down to under two hours a day—and even that was structured and intentional.

This isn’t just one story. This is becoming a pattern.

Study after study shows us:

• Mental health issues like anxiety and depression are rising.
  
• Sleep is disrupted. Minds are constantly overstimulated.
  
• Real-life connection is diminishing.
  
• Our perception of reality is getting warped.
  

And spiritually? It’s devastating.

Instead of filling our hearts with dhikr, we fill our feeds with distractions. Instead of turning to the Quran, we scroll through endless stories. Instead of feeling gratitude, we compare—and envy.

And what about emotionally? We carry a constant load of unprocessed emotions—jealousy, fear, sadness—all stirred by what we consume, and all left unresolved.

Worst of all, it robs us of what matters most: The people right in front of us. The barakah in our moments. The stillness of our souls.

And there’s something else I want us all to remember:

We’ll be asked about our time.

“Your feet will not move on the Day of Judgement until you are asked about your life and how you spent it...” (Hadith in Tirmidhi)

When I catch myself falling into a loop of mindless scrolling, I feel it—deep in my body and soul. I feel drained. Regretful. Disconnected. And often, I find myself making istighfar, just to reconnect again. Sometimes, all it takes is getting up, making wudhu, and resetting.

So what do we do?

Here’s a simple 3-step approach I’ve seen work—not just in theory, but in real lives:

1. Create physical barriers.
   Make your phone out of sight and out of touch during focused times. Meals. Salah. Study. Work. Make those pockets of your life sacred again.
   
2. Create virtual boundaries.
   Set time limits on apps. Use tools that lock you out after a certain period. Turn off notifications. Make distraction harder and intention easier.
   
3. Replace, don’t just remove.
   Don’t just unplug—replug into something meaningful. Read. Reflect. Recite the Quran. Learn something new. Invest in your akhirah or your growth.
   

Even if it’s just 10 minutes a day—you’ll feel the shift.

My dear, I’m not writing this as someone who’s figured it all out. I’m writing this as someone who’s fighting the same fight.

Let’s not let the hours slip away unnoticed. Let’s not let our health drain in the name of “relaxation.” Let’s not let our hearts grow numb while chasing pixels.

Let’s take our time—and our lives—back.

May Allah subuhanawut’ala grant us clarity, presence, and the ability to protect what He has entrusted us with.

With love and gratitude,
Rushdhi