Minaretein Center: Part of the College of Islamic Studies at Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU), in collaboration with the Doha International Family Institute, organized a symposium that highlighted the multiple impacts of social media on the contemporary family.
According to Qatar News Agency, the symposium brought together a group of experts and specialists in the fields of family, community, and social studies. Moderated by Dr. Mohamed El-Gammal, the event addressed various aspects of the impact of technology and digital communication on family life, including marital and parental relationships, the potential positive impact of these tools in achieving work-family balance, and their role in enhancing communication between family members separated by geographical distances. The symposium also presented challenges and new values that impact the social structure of the family.
At the beginning of the symposium, preacher at the Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs Sheikh Mowafi Azab discussed the complex social impacts of social media, emphasizing that societies were not adequately prepared to deal with this sudden openness to the digital world. He explained that these virtual media, despite the opportunities they offer, have profound negative effects that threaten values and morals, especially in the absence of proper educational guidance.
Sheikh Azab pointed out that true education, based on religion and societal awareness, is the most effective way to protect families from moral collapse. He called for realism in dealing with these phenomena and not being satisfied with theoretical warnings, but rather the necessity of developing practical mechanisms to confront them, such as strengthening self-control and fortifying children with knowledge and religion. He indicated that one of the greatest challenges facing families today is the dominance of materialism over the value system, which weakens human bonds and increases family conflicts.
He believes that social media sites contribute to widening the gap between spouses and work to support emotional and moral separation between family members, describing these sites as having become a “greater devil” due to the threat they pose to the system of morality and religion.
Dr. Ahmed Aref, Director of Family Research and Policy at the Doha International Family Institute, reviewed a number of studies conducted by the institute on the relationship between social media use and the stability of family relationships. He explained that 63% of the world’s population uses these platforms, and that more than 60% of university students are addicted to their daily use, which impacts their real-life communication and family relationships. He stressed that this type of excessive use has become a form of digital addiction that requires specialized intervention for treatment.
Meanwhile, lecturer at Qatar University Dr. Chedli Baya Chatti emphasized the importance of changing the perception of these platforms, calling for them to be treated as “social media” rather than simply “media.” He noted that these platforms have become an integrated societal phenomenon that requires conscious interaction from various educational, media, and religious sectors.
Dr. Chatti added that these media can be used positively through qualitative projects, reviewing his experience in two national projects that aimed to establish a value framework consistent with the identity of Qatari society and promote the responsible and balanced use of these media, achieving a balance between modernity and religious and cultural authenticity.
At the end of the symposium, participants recommended the careful use of technology and digital communication in family life, at specific times and in a thoughtful manner, to strengthen family bonds. If misused, it can disrupt the family and its children, alienating them from the social environment.