You Are What You Click

Have you ever considered that what you click while surfing the Internet has a lot to say about who you are as a person?

One of my favorite things to do when I have a free moment is to read blogs, specifically blogs written by Muslim brothers and sisters. It is always interesting to see what is important enough for them to blog about. Beyond the usual musings my Muslim siblings have (personal lives, politics, fiqh issues and the list goes on), my favorite type of blog entry is the kind that takes something from the Qur’an and/or Sunnah, reflects upon it, and discusses how it made them change.

I read such an entry not many moments ago and I sat back admiring the Internet. Admiring all the good the Internet has to offer. Then, just as that thought nestled into my mind, I quickly realized that just as it has a fountain of good to offer, there is also a wealth of bad to be found.

It has the capability to steer your heart in two very different and opposing directions. It can be foster the good in you, or it can kindle the bad in you. The Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said:

“In the body there is a piece of flesh which, if it is sound, the entire body will be sound, and if it is corrupt, the entire body will be corrupt. It is the heart.” (Al-Bukhari, 52; Muslim, 1599).

I find that there is a similitude here. Think about it – what we expose ourselves to on a frequent basis, often has a way of finding a place for itself in our hearts. Now what is something that we all utilize on a daily basis that transmits images, sounds and concepts to us?

The Internet.

Since we spend a significant amount of time browsing the Internet, it is safe to say that it is responsible for the majority of the images we see, the sounds we hear and the concepts we are exposed to.

We can’t choose what is going on in the societies we inhabit, but we definitely can make the choice about what we choose to surround ourselves with, especially when we’re meandering around on the Internet.

What we choose to browse on the Internet can often have an adverse effect on the direction our hearts will take. If we’re looking at images that we know we shouldn’t be looking at, our hearts will take a turn for the worst. If we’re listening to things we know we shouldn’t be listening to, our hearts could very well be inclined to the negative. If we’re watching things that waste our time and fills our minds with nonsense, then we should expect our hearts to be filled with nonsense and inclined to do things that waste our time. If we click something that will cause corruption in us, then do not be surprised to find that your heart has followed suit.

I believe Shaykh Muhammad Alshareef said it best when he said, “You are what you click.”

This begs us to ask ourselves, what have we been clicking?