Social Media and Moral Decline of Muslim Youth in Sabah
Ahmad Tarmizi Abdul Rahman1*, Nor-Ina Kanyo2*, Santi Hairuddin1*, Nurul A’fifah Muarifin Sufianto1*
1 Faculty of Islamic Studies, Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS), Malaysia
2 Faculty of Science Sosial and Humanities, Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS), Malaysia
*Corresponding Author: [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected];
Accepted: 15 June 2022 | Published: 30 June 2022
DOI:https://doi.org/10.55057/ijarih.2022.4.2.2
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Abstract: Social media is a medium for communication that can connect users around the world easily and quickly. Social media is a popular application used by youth to interact with each other. However, the role is changing when users do not use social media properly and ethically to have a significant impact on the formation of their behaviours and personality.
Therefore, this paper discusses the development of social media today that it is able to decrease moral values especially among Muslim youth in Sabah. In general, this study is a descriptive quantitative study, and a questionnaire is used as a research instrument. A random sample was taken of 400 respondents consisting of 287 women and 113 men in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah. The results show that social media can influence youth to the negative values that do not parallel to culture and religion. Therefore, every youth must have a strong religious appreciation to be able to protect themselves from being influenced by negative values.
Keywords: Communication, social media, Morality, Muslim Youth, Sabah
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1. Introduction
Nowadays, the internet technology is a very important to human life. In the modern world, the development brought from internet technology has become the mainstay of the existence of various types of services available today, especially in communication technology. The development of internet technology has led to a world without borders especially in making it easier for humans to interact without borders.
According to Van Dijk (2006), society's living norms will be influenced by the development and progress resulting from technology or communication revolution. It is in structural or technical forms that sometime can change human communication with sophisticated equipment. Human communication is currently in the fifth phase which is related to interactive communication using the internet and computing to create new. Holmes (2005) states that based on these developments has created a new platform with features such as digital network, global access, interactivity, and unlimited communication by combining all elements of communication whether verbal, written, visual, data and sound to communicate information.
On that basis, the social interaction of the community has undergone a renewal by using the online tools that have been created and known as social media (Bertot et al., 2012). This has improved the way we communicate. Social media is a communication that shorten
communication period between two people. This development has changed the norms of society, that previously take a long time to communicate with each others because of different area and distance. Thus, with the development of social networks has helped human beings to communicate easily without any problems.
According to Aswati (2007), the formation of a society with high morals and spirituality is one of the main agendas of the country. This desire is aimed at producing a strong society with spiritual attributes and having progressive and dynamic morals. However, Samsudin (2008) states that one of the factors in the moral decline of today's youth is due to social media and mass media materials and programs displayed in the country. Bushman and Heusman (2001) support the statement and state that the display of electronic media and print media exert a great influence on the behaviour of youth especially school students. The explosion of inaccurate, false, and distorted information has damaged the minds of several people, causing them to lose their identity and noble moral personality. Moral decline among youth is seen with the existence of a crisis of behavior, discipline, dignity, and actions whether physical or mental.
2. Research Methodology
The data obtained is extracted from 58 questionnaire that previously in the research “Penelitian Pengaruh Medium Komunikasi Rangkaian Sosial Maya Terhadap Sistem Nilai Yang Terdapat Dalam Agama Dan Budaya” by Prof Madya Dr Ahmad Tarmizi and his research that must be answered by respondents. This study uses a quantitative approach to conduct a comprehensive study on the influence of virtual social network communication mediums on culture, religion, and values in Sabah. The questionnaire distributed has 5 parts, namely part A the background of the respondents, part B value issues in virtual social network communication medium, part C community value response in the context of religion and culture, part D the impact of value clash on local religion and culture, and section E is a general form of question. The respondents were randomly selected, a total of 400 people in the Kota Kinabalu area in the age range of 15 to 35 years. The selection of Kota Kinabalu district is due to the factor of ethnic diversity, the population is more vulnerable in the use of virtual communication and the population density is large.
3. Morality According to Islam
The Qur'an is the word of God revealed to the Prophet Muhammad SAW. Nasarudin et al.
(2018) stated that the main purpose of the revelation of the Qur'an is to improve human morals as the Prophet Muhammad SAW said: "I was not resurrected except to improve human morals"
(Malik b. Anas). In the current era of globalization, the morality is greatly influenced by social media due to its increasingly widespread and rapid use.
Morality is an indicator in shaping a nation's civilization. Good morals are able to produce a strong society with a strong identity. Therefore, the responsibility in shaping good morals is crucial needs for Muslims as prophet Muhammad SAW said "That I was sent to perfecting morals" (Reported by Ahmad, al-Hakim and Baihaqi). A country progress is based also to appreciation of pure values, noble morals, and good ethics. These include of appreciation balanced spiritual, physical, emotional, and intellectual (Nasarudin et al., 2018).
The ethimology of morality in Malay derived from the word ‘khuluq’ which means behaviour, attitude, or habit. Al-Ghazali (1996) defines morality as a trait that is embedded and ingrained in a person personality to produce a good ethics without unnesseccy consideration, and
coercion. Therefore, Islamic scholars classify a person's behavior into two groups, a group with good morals (Akhlaq Maḥmūdah) and bad morals (Akhlaq Madhmūmah) to muslim formation a good society is from a good morals. Good morals contribute to construction of a qualify, competitive and excellent Muslim that can form a good civilization. Therefore, the content and materials disseminated by the media must contain a message that can shape the ethics and morals of the Muslim society.
4. Findings
In this study, a few specific items of questionnaire is discussed. Overall, the profile of study respondents involved in this study is based on 15 categories namely age, gender, place of residence, location, period of residence, citizenship status, educational status, marital status, number of dependents, number of spouses, number of siblings, child number, parental status, occupation and workplace location. The results of the analysis of the respondents' profile showed that the respondents who were not married were the majority of 301 people (75.25%).
In addition, a total of 246 respondents (61.5%) showed respondents in the range of 15-24 years followed by a total of 154 respondents (38.5%) were in the range of 25-35 years. From the aspect of gender, most respondents are female, which is 287 equivalent (71.75%) out of 400 respondents. While from the aspect of residence a total of 229 respondents (57.25%) lives in the suburbs of the Kota Kinabalu and the rest live in the city center.
Table 1: The Impact of Social Media on Youth Moral Decay
No Questions Strongly
Disagree
Disagree Neutral Agree Strongly Agree 1 Youth Are More Easily Trapped
By Negative Acts
26 (6.5%)
41 (10.25%)
78 (19.5%)
172 (43%)
83 (20.75%) 2 Youth Are Less Emphasizing the
Importance Of The Value System
23 (5.75%)
39 (9.75%)
72 (18%)
189 (47.25%)
77 (19.25%)
3 Youth Are Less Emphasizing The Importance Of Religion
22 (5.5%)
40 (10%)
79 (19.75%)
182 (45.5%)
77 (19.25%) 4 Youth Are Less Emphasizing the
Importance of Culture
24 (6%)
39 (9.75%)
91 (22.75%)
170 (42.5%)
76 (19%)
Based on the study conducted, social media is clearly capable of damaging the morals of the Muslim youth especially who are too involved in socializing. In keeping with this current of modernition, youth often use social media as a medium to establish social relationships through Twitter, WhatsApp, Facebook and Instagram. Muhammad Hazwan et al. (2019), view that social media is the main attraction for youth to browse because the services offered are too fun such as in chatting, typing status, uploading photos and videos.
Aswati (2007) stated that the symptoms of moral decline are often associated with the phenomenon of degradation or the state of moral degradation. This phenomenon is also known as the symptom of moral decadence. From a linguistic point of view, ‘decadence’ means the deterioration of value or the decline of value compared to the previous value. From a societal
point of view, decadence describes a state of depreciation of the perfect norms and value systems that have been practiced and adopted by the society.
Muslim moral values in Malaysian society are formed from the acculturation of absolute and sacred spiritual values that have been enshrined in religious teachings. It is the system which is acted as a guidence to general behaviour, discipline, dignity which is related to common sense, beliefs of Muslim community in Kota Kinabalu (Aswati, 2007).
Youth Are More Easily Trapped By Negative Acts
Based on the data obtained, majority of respondents, 172 people representing 43% agreed that social media has had a negative impact on youth behaviour, especially when they are easily influenced by violent acts that viral on social media such as in Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and WhatsApp videos (Ab Halim & Muslaini, 2018). This is because, violent actions displayed on social media are not filtered according to the age suitability of its users before being uploaded by some individuals. The nature of youth who always want to try something new influences them to try to do it. Youth act aggressively when exposed to action movies they watch so they tend to adapt violent actions in their behaviour. This has caused the crime of bullying to become more prevalent among youth, especially students living in dormitories.
The morals of youth are also increasingly problematic when exposed to pornography displayed on social media. According to Nor Azrina et al. (2021), the existence of video applications and online games that display sexy appearances is also a pornographic threat to adolescents and children. Pornographic displays are widely displayed on social media and society is seen to be increasingly insensitive to this matter and does not even consider it as a threat and an offense that can damage the minds of the current generation. One of the criminologists in Malaysia stated that among the factors behind the occurrence of sexual crime cases in the country is due to the dumping of pornographic elements in social media that are not filtered according to the age limit of users (Jasmi & Kamarul Azmi, 2017). He also believed by using wrong elements can gain many followers in social media.
Exposure to pornographic materials over a period of time can cause the human brain to be stimulated to produce dopamine which induces reward-based behaviour. This stimulus will evoke a sense of extreme pleasure accompanied by a desire for years (inquiry) so as to cause a person to fall into the world of sexual fantasy (Nor Azrina et al., 2021). If this continues out of control, the individual is motivated to commit sexual acts and is even able to influence him or her to commit sexual crimes.
In addition, social media is also used as a medium in today's gambling activities. Internet - based gambling centres capable of generating multi -fold real money are very prevalent among teenagers such as casinos or online bookmakers, sites or slots, scratch and win cards, purchase of lottery tickets and more. Furthermore, today's video games are also used as a bet to win prizes or money based on the results of the game such as Online Poker and Blackjack (Muhammad Hazwan et al., 2019). Gambling activities like this can damage the morale of teenagers and encourage them to lend large sums of money to other friends in an inappropriate way.
Youth Are Less Emphasizing the Importance of Culture
The results of the data obtained prove that adolescents are now less concerned about the importance of culture. Respondents who disagreed with this statement represented only 9.75%
of the total responses. This clearly shows that the good culture that has been practiced since time immemorial is increasingly tarnished due to influence social media. The life of Muslims at the end of this age should be more prosperous and beautiful but it is starting to get chaotic due to society's neglect of the negative agenda which is deliberately to destroy Islamic religious institutions as mentioned in a hadith narrated by Imam Muslim:
Meaning: Abu Said al-Khudri RH said, "Prophet Muhammad SAW said," You would tread the same path as was trodden by those before you inch by inch and step by step so much so that if they had entered into the hole of the lizard, you would follow them in this also. We said: Allah's Messenger, do you mean Jews and Christians (by your words)" those before you"? He said:
Who else (than those two religious groups)? Muslim History no: 2669)
The understanding of the hadith that the world community in general follow the norms of western society slowly. In some point, it change the local cultural habits that inherited for generations and inject more modern trend into the society (Tasnim et al., 2019).
Muslim youth are a group that is very easily influenced by the new culture that is spread on social media because almost all teenagers today have their own smartphones and social media accounts. Without realizing it, the emergence of social media has fueled the transgender culture that has forbidden in Malaysia. This is because, the unlimited dissemination of information has been abused by supporters of the LGBT ideology, which is a ideology that supports homosexuality and natural gender reassignment. Through social media, they take the opportunity by highlighting attractive bodies to influence and encourage the public to boldly stand out for themselves and use and defend the argument of human rights freedom. This can encourages Muslims Youth in this country to choose the wrong wrong path and also spread the transgender culture (Muhammad Ariffudin et al., 2019).
It is also stated by the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (JAKIM) that the transgender group among Muslims in Malaysia has shown an increase over the past few years.
Dr. Mohd Izwan Md Yusof who is the Deputy Director of family, social and community development of JAKIM said that the statistics were recorded from various sources and linked to social media such as Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter which is a factor in the increase of transgender people (Muhamad Ariffudin et al., 2019).
Youth Are Less Emphasizing The Importance Of Religion
According to Nur Hidayu et al. (2019), lifestyle changes of the Muslim youth in Sabah community in terms of dress, fashion and behaviour are clearly influenced by social media.
Most users from all over the world love to share their daily activities by uploading photos and videos on Instagram. Muslim youth can be influence to new cultures and may indirectly absorb negative values from those cultures. This is because, the pattern, form and way society functions and thinks will be influenced by the development of the communication technology industry. In relation to that, Muslim youth are not emphasizing the care of aurat and free socializing between men and women that phenomenon thids day (Ainul Bashirah et al., 2012).
The defamation (Fitnah) also becoming more prevalent through social media among teenagers.
This is because, the space of defamation is wide open through virtual social as other individuals can edit, comment, rearrange what has been shared. This medium is abused as a place to invent
some news about someone and then spread it to others and spread a news without investigating its authenticity (Jasmi & Kamarul Azmi, 2006). This is because, social media does not set limits to block every submission that its users want to convey. This has a bad impact on religion. It is so because, the act of defamation is strictly forbidden in Islam and the reward for those who commit defamation is an unbearable punishment based on the words of Allah:
Which means: Verily, those who like to spread evil accusations among the believers, they will have a painful punishment in this world and in the Hereafter; and (remember) Allah knows (all things) while you do not know (that). " [Surah al-Nur: 19]
Youth Are Less Emphasizing the Importance Of The Value System
Nasarudin et al. (2018) define a moral crisis as a deterioration (damage) of character that has reached an alarming level. The definition is very descriptive of the current situation where society is experiencing a very worrying moral crisis caused by various forms of moral decline.
The results of the study also confirmed that Muslim youth in Sabah are now increasingly looking down on the importance of values and this matter was also agreed by 189 respondents out of 300 samples taken.
Nowadays moral crises such as incest, adultery, khalwat, wedlock are becoming more widespread. This proves that the shame that should be a symbol of one's faith has been eroded and at the same time tarnished the Islamic identity. This phenomenon should be eradicated to the grassroots because this matter not only damages the generation involved, but also has an impact on the development of future generations. Rasulullah SAW emphasized good morals which he said when asked "Which of the believers is the best in their faith, then he replied:"
They are the most virtuous among them "(narrated by Abu Daud, at-Tarmizi and others- other).
This hadith clearly proves that good manners are great importance in assessing one's level of faith.
The moral crisis that occurs in society today has led to various social problems such as, culture of hanging out, incest, wedlock and even more worrying is the increase in cases of abortion.
Initiatives used in addressing this crisis must be done holistically covering various aspects such as empowering religious and civic education, using religious approaches in various societal activities, legal psychology and so on (Nasurudin et al., 2018).
The Importance Of Social Media In Empowering Morality
Undoubtedly, social media also has a big role in giving an understanding of Islam to the public based on the Quran and the sunnah of the Prophet. Social media is seen as an effective medium to convey the message of practical Islam. According to Zainab Zakirah et al. (2019), social media is one of the main platforms to spread da'wah and dissemination of information in accordance with current usage trends, especially when the target of da̔wah is among teenagers.
A study conducted by Najidah and Abu Dardaa (2013) found that the media is a tool of communication and dissemination today as an appropriate means to achieve a goal and meet the required characteristics. This is because, the method of da̔wah that is demanded must be according to the needs of the times and in accordance with the ability of society (Ruzain, 2011).
In this regard, Zulkiple (2001) stated that social media such as Twitter, Facebook, Instagram are able to provide a wide and comprehensive ability in spreading the message of da'wah due to its speed and global nature. Knowledge sharing through social media is able to reach directly to the target of da̔wah, especially the younger generation and non -Muslims at the same time.
The preachers seized the opportunity by using social media as the main medium in emphasizing the concept of "Amar Ma̔ruf and Nahi Munkar”. As in the word of God:
Which means: “And let there be from you a community inviting to good, and enjoining what is fitting, and forbidding perversity; and it is they who are the successful "(Surah Ali ‘Imran, 3: 104). This verse explains that inviting to goodness is an act that is very loved by Allah, while committing evil is an act that is not pleasing to Allah. Therefore, effective da'wah requires techniques, methods, approaches, or delivery strategies that are appropriate for the target group.
Hence, social media also plays a role in disseminating religious teachings but the Muslim community itself must be wise and disciplined in the use of social media in this era. This means that every information presented must be based on authentic references and all associations or behaviors must be maintained and not violate the limits of association that have been outlined by Islam (Muhammad Hazwan et al., 2019).
This phenomenon is seen to be increasingly worrying following the advancement of virtual social networks which will grow rapidly in the future. This is because, the existence of new social applications will be more attractive to youth due to the presence of new features that are increasingly fun. This becomes a big challenge in educating the next generation especially in forming good morals as a Muslim.
5. Conclusion
In conclusion, Islam is a reliagion must have a guideline modern technological sophistication.
Islam has provided education and guidance in accordance to the passage of time which covers various aspects such as political, social, economic. It is also able to increase the way of thinking of a Muslim to make social media to strengthen their ethics in modern era. Islam is religion which is not allowed useless influenced spread in its society. The moral collapse will ruin future generations in this area of Kota Kinabalu.
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