Screen Time vs. Outdoor Time: Helping Muslim Teenagers Enjoy Both

SUMMARY: Muslim families must help their youth balance the enjoyment of screen time on technology with the value of physical activity, outdoor experiences, and healthy interactions with nature.

“It’s much more fun to play on a computer than to go outside,” a student once said at an Islamic School. It made me wonder—have today’s teenagers started choosing screens over sunlight? While technology offers education, connection, and entertainment, too much of it can make it distant from reality. Likewise, the outdoors provides physical, emotional, and spiritual refreshment. For Muslim families, it’s significant to help our teens to balance both worlds with moderation. This article will cover physical activity over technology, the spiritual power of nature, cell phone etiquette, and balancing screen time and physical activity.

Physical Activity Over Technology

Long durations of using screen time and technology can have painful joints and muscles. Also, teenagers looking at screens for a long time can have headaches and sore eyes. 

It is narrated in a hadith from Abdullah ibn Abbas that Prophet Muhammad, may Allah send peace and blessings upon him, said:

"There are two blessings that many people are deceived into losing: health and free time."

(Sahih al-Bukhari 6412)

This hadith reminds us that good health is a valuable gift from Allah, and we should not take it for granted. Taking care of our bodies allows us to worship, serve others, and live with energy and purpose.

Advantages for Lowering on Screen Time

1. Preventing health complications. Decrease eye strain, poor posture, and sleep disruptions. For example, teens often sleep better and feel more energized during the day.

2. More time for exercise and creative activities. Have more time to engage in physical exercise and use their imagination. For instance, adolescents may ride a bike or draw instead of watching TV for hours.

3. More community involvement. Connect with others and serve their local community. For example, teenagers might volunteer at a local masjid or help at a family event instead of scrolling through social media.

Encouraging Muslim teens to move their bodies brings energy and balance. The next section is learning how nature connects us to Allah.

The Spiritual Power of Nature

The outdoors is a reminder of Allah’s creations. When Muslim adolescents spend time in nature, they notice the sky, trees, animals, and seasons that reflect Allah’s power.

“Then which of your Lord’s favours will you both deny?” (Quran, 55:13)

This Quranic verse is a powerful reminder that the natural world is an example of Allah’s countless blessings. It helps Muslim teenagers have more gratitude and remembrance of Allah.

Reasons that Green Time is Significant

1. Natural light helps manage body rhythms, hormones, and sleep. 
2. Physical exercise enhances immunity, strength, skill, and mind/body coordination. 
3. Exposure to the outdoors boosts mood, mental health, concentration, and school performance. 
4. Teenagers can make more friends and have more memorable experiences with hiking, sports, or meeting at a local park. 

Strategies to make Green Time Appealing                                                    

1. Have outdoor time be a family requirement so teens don’t feel left out. 
2. Create family traditions like attending local parks or nature walks. 
3. Connect with other parents or teens to bring teenagers together outdoors in fun and creative approaches.
4. Encourage adolescents to try different outdoor activities. For example, they might enjoy playing sports, hiking, biking, or camping. 

While the natural creations remind us of Allah’s signs, technology can easily distract us from them. It’s significant for Muslim teenagers to learn how to use technology with respect.

Cellphone Etiquette

Phones should be used with caution and manners. It is very important for Muslim teeangers to know how to use their phones with respect (adab). Below are etiquette that teens can abide by when using their phones:

1. Don’t look at one’s phone when one is in the presence of others. Put one’s phone away when an individual is speaking to a person.
2. Establish rules on where it’s permissible and impermissible to use phones at home. For instance, Muslim parents can allow their teenagers to use their phones in the living room but not in their bedroom. 
3. Establish timings on when it’s allowed to use phones. For instance, don’t use phones after 10:00 pm. 
4. Answer phone calls and voicemails promptly. For example, responding within 1-2 days is a reasonable time.
5. Answer the phone in a kind and respectful manner. Use formal language. 

Indeed, having manners and boundaries when using cell phones is crucial. It can help Muslim youth use their time, attention, and values wisely. 

The next section explores how to manage technology use while staying active and healthy.

Balance Screen Time and Physical Activity

Balancing screen time with physical activity helps teens stay healthy, focused, and connected to their environment.
Below are tips on how Muslim parents can use to help their teens: 

1. Lead by Example: Show healthy behavior by lowering screen time and participating in physical activities daily. For instance, parents who don't use their phones during dinner and trails for a walk after dinner demonstrate their teen on balancing screen and outdoor time.
2. Explain the Significance of Balance: Remind the potential health risks of unlimited screen time to their teenagers, like sore eyes, low energy, and weak muscles. When teens comprehend the health complications of excessive screen time, they tend to make better choices.
3. Monitor: Keep record of the duration that adolescents spend on screens and participating in the outdoors regularly. For instance, they can use a chart or notebook to their time. Time quickly passes on screens if teens don’t notice how long they’ve been using them. 

Raising Muslim teens in the age of screens is a hardship and an opportunity. With the right guidance, they can learn to enjoy both the sun and screen. Teaching them to use technology with limits and to enjoy the outdoors while balancing both builds a path to well-being.  They will grow up to become well-rounded individuals. A Muslim parent’s role is not to avoid the digital world, but to assist them enter it with faith, wisdom, and balance. That’s how they will thrive both online and offline.

• https://raisingchildren.net.au/teens/entertainment-technology/screen-time-healthy-screen-use/screen-time-physical-problems
• https://sunnah.com/bukhari:6412
• https://www.mayoclinichealthsystem.org/hometown-health/featured-topic/5-ways-slimming-screen-time-is-good-for-your-health
• https://www.bannerhealth.com/healthcareblog/advise-me/how-to-help-teens-balance-screen-time-and-green-time
• https://quran.com/55
• https://dosaygive.com/what-every-teen-who-has-a-phone-needs-to-know-phone-safety-etiquette/
• https://www.maskmatters.org/balancing-tech-use-and-physical-activity-for-teens/

Author bio: Amanda Hasan is a graduate of the University of Toronto (Bachelor of Arts) and Humber College (Law Clerk). She is the author of Joyless, an Amazon novella that tells the story of a lonely teenage girl working at an amusement park. More recently, Amanda copyedited several children's stories for Compass Books. She also worked with Muslim Network TV writing scripts, securing guest speakers, and prepping for interviews. Amanda is currently residing in the Greater Toronto Area with her family.

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