Raqif Makhdoomi
Social media addiction in Kashmir is at an all-time high. From adults to the youth, people across age groups are riding high on social media usage—often crossing the thin line between use and addiction. Many, especially the younger generation, remain awake till late night just to scroll through social media apps.
Instagram reels and YouTube Shorts top the list of addictive platforms, followed closely by X (formerly Twitter), where Spaces and endless timelines now include video content capable of keeping users engaged for hours without even realizing it. Facebook continues to hold popularity among the older generation, while Instagram dominates among the youth. Instagram today is flooded with daily vlogs, and almost everyone has suddenly become an “influencer”—though much of the content neither influences positively nor adds value, but instead degrades social standards.
Social media is playing a significant role in eroding moral values and portraying ethical conduct as something outdated or “backward.” Mobile phones were invented to bridge distances, yet today they have created emotional gaps within families. Family members often communicate not verbally, but through WhatsApp groups or private messages—even while sitting under the same roof.
Social media platforms were designed to connect people, but they have increasingly become spaces where vulgarity is normalized. Unfortunately, many now believe that being vulgar equals being “cool.” It does not. It is simply the normalization of indecency.
Today, everyone wants to be a singer or a rapper—and that in itself is not wrong, if one truly possesses talent. However, the problem arises when lyrics are filled with abuses and slurs. Rap, in many cases, has become a medium for belittling and browbeating others. Using abusive language in rhythm, layered with music, does not make it art—it makes it vulgarity. Giving it fancy labels will not change that reality.
Late one night, while scrolling through reels, I came across a video of young boys performing rap. Within seconds, the lyrics turned abusive. What disturbed me more was that as the abuses intensified, the people around them began cheering. It forced me to reflect on what we have become. Things that were once unacceptable are now treated as entertainment. This is moral degradation.
Abuse has become casual, crossing age boundaries. Young and old alike hurl insults without restraint. What is more alarming is the normalization of abusing each other’s mothers and sisters, even among friends. How can this ever be considered normal? If someone abuses your mother or sister and you accept it in the name of friendship, it reflects a deep moral collapse.
Islam strongly condemns such behavior. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ warned of a time when people would abuse mothers. When the companions (RA) expressed surprise, he ﷺ clarified that people would abuse others’ mothers—and that abusing someone else’s mother is equivalent to abusing one’s own. This warning is deeply relevant today.
It must also be stated clearly that this sin is not limited to men. Women are equally involved and accountable.
Another narration warns of severe consequences in the Hereafter for abusive speech. Such teachings are meant not to terrify, but to awaken conscience. Whatever goes against the teachings of Islam must be rejected, no matter how normalized it becomes.
What compelled me to write this piece was my experience on Clubhouse—an audio-based social app where people interact through discussions. While the app has many informative and positive spaces, over time certain rooms have turned into hubs of vulgarity and indecency.
Recently, I entered a room where people were abusing each other relentlessly, sparing neither the living nor the dead. It deeply saddened me. One individual was stopped by his friend, who reminded him that he was a Muslim. Shockingly, he responded by denying his identity altogether, merely to appear “cool.”
At that moment, I realized that some people are no longer open to correction. They sacrifice values, faith, and dignity just to fit in.
We must understand this clearly: losing moral sense to appear cool is not bravery—it is failure. Vulgarity remains vulgarity, regardless of how normalized it becomes.
