VIDEO GAMES

[esperanza]

My problem is my 11 year old son who is addicted to playstation
i know as the mother im at fault as iahve let him get to this stage
i know health wise its not good for him,but im wondering islamically if it is something not advisable

we live in an islamic country,my son has a isalmic education,he does not go out or hang in the street or do anything but sit home,
i have let him play because he does not have much chance for anything else

everyone around him of his age and older does the same thing,there are not many opportunities for sports or other activities so thats what most do

but unfortunately he is playing games of war.. HERE THERE IS LITTLE OR NO CENSORSHIP,, it is a normal thing among boys to play such games..

but i dont like it of course..but dont know how to stop him

 

[ayesha.ansari]

Easiest solution what my mother did

well my brother play too much war games. well we all know daughters care more for fathers then mothers and son are more close and caring for their mother. you can take help from him in any house hold work by saying that i have pain in my back or some thing like that ... eventually he feel helpy to you and pay less attention to games and then did some thing that will draw his all attention toward you rather then game... try this one mother. :tti_sister:

 

[OsMaN_93]

salam alikom,

well if he likes war so much, pack his bags, and send him off to palastine. Just kidding.

Just restrict the time that he can play per day, and shrink it down, eventually, to one hour per day. If he really has nothing productive to do with his time, ask his teachers to set him more homework, or make him join an online course about an issue he's interested in. There is SO MUCH to do nowadays, especially that you have access to internet yourself. If you're really that desperate, make him go to work with his dad/uncle/relative to watch. Just get him out of his room and away from the console. Does the local mosque run a 'Quran study' program that he can join? it's so easy to learn the Quran when you're young.

On the whole, I don't think it's really that bad to play video games, at least he's not on the streets all night long. by the way, if he plays online/networking with other kids, it is very likely that he hears alot of curse words, just so you know.

 

[ShyHijabi]

:salam2:

Simply this, remove the playstation and start taking him to libraries and other places where he can stimulate his brain.

 

[Shak78]

:salam2:

Cut his time down to an hour a day, no more. Tell him he should read if he already doesn't.My friend had the same issue and she cut her son's xbox time to an hour then got a Wii and got exercise games for him for another hour. At least he was on his feet and working out during it. I play video games myself but limit myself to an hour a day, I know how addictive they can be.

 

[esperanza]

thank you all for your advice..i will try hard to cut down his time,,,but kind of hard to keep him occupied..as not much chance for sport or outdoor activities...but the WII is a good idea then ican also do exercise... and yes going to work with his dad also a possibility,,,,thank you

 

[islamirama]

How is his islamic studies? This is a great age for him to start learning the Quran, even start hifz part time

 

[Keen4Deen]

:salam2:

Sister esperenza, I speak not from a scholarly background or as a student of islamic knowledge, but as a humble muslim who has experienced the life of "gamer" for years.

Wallahi, how I regret wasting my life with these games. I played everygae you could imagine. Call of duty, Gears of War, God of War (shirk!), Fifa Soccer. I can almost gurantee that on the day of ressurection this will be one of the things for which will be a cause of my regret.

How many times did I rush my salah to go back to playing games? How many times did my mother call me and I pretended not to hear her? While the Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be Upon him) told us that if our mother is calling us and we are praying Nawafil/Sunnah that it is obligatory to break it and answer her call. How many times have I ignored my teachers at school day dreaming about going home to play video games ? how many times did I forget Allah?

Video games especially for kids here in the West is a big fitnah. Some may argue and say there is nothing wrong with it at least they are not out drinking, gambling, dating. I used to play these games and I became obsessed to the point where I would play 6-8 hours a day. It starts out innocent maybe half an hour or an hour when you are very young. And by the time you become 20-22, playing video games becomes your life.

Sister I implore you, wallahi, I am begging you, for the sake of Allah, please, please!!! don't let your son get into these games, slowly wean him like a mother who breast feeds. It might be difficult at first for the child but soon then will get used to it. Sister if there is one thing I want you to remember its this...on the day of ressurection when you stand before the Lord of the Worlds, is this an action that you will feel confident about?

 

[esperanza]

his islamic studeis are very good actually ..but your right,,he could do much more and ill try to enourage him inshalla

 

[esperanza]

:salam2:

Sister esperenza, I speak not from a scholarly background or as a student of islamic knowledge, but as a humble muslim who has experienced the life of "gamer" for years.

Wallahi, how I regret wasting my life with these games. I played everygae you could imagine. Call of duty, Gears of War, God of War (shirk!), Fifa Soccer. I can almost gurantee that on the day of ressurection this will be one of the things for which will be a cause of my regret.

How many times did I rush my salah to go back to playing games? How many times did my mother call me and I pretended not to hear her? While the Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be Upon him) told us that if our mother is calling us and we are praying Nawafil/Sunnah that it is obligatory to break it and answer her call. How many times have I ignored my teachers at school day dreaming about going home to play video games ? how many times did I forget Allah?

Video games especially for kids here in the West is a big fitnah. Some may argue and say there is nothing wrong with it at least they are not out drinking, gambling, dating. I used to play these games and I became obsessed to the point where I would play 6-8 hours a day. It starts out innocent maybe half an hour or an hour when you are very young. And by the time you become 20-22, playing video games becomes your life.

Sister I implore you, wallahi, I am begging you, for the sake of Allah, please, please!!! don't let your son get into these games, slowly wean him like a mother who breast feeds. It might be difficult at first for the child but soon then will get used to it. Sister if there is one thing I want you to remember its this...on the day of ressurection when you stand before the Lord of the Worlds, is this an action that you will feel confident about?

shukran brother..its great for me to read someone who has been through this,,your right..how many times my son does not listen ..not interested to eat andsleep..sure dreams of gamiong in school

and not just in west unfortunately
i live in a major islamic ountry where the games culture and addition is easily as great if not more than i have seen in the west.. thats what makes it so ahrd to wean him off. everyone is doing it..even the most religious,,,

but thank you after reading this,,,,i will try my hardest inshalla

 

[Asja]

Assalamu allaicum wa raahmatullah wa baarakatuhu dear sister

MashAllah for your son,may Allah keep him always well and make him good and pious Muslim one day.

I think dear sister that you should already start giving him Islamic classes, like learning hifz of Quran and Hadeeths, so that in this age he can already have good base of our deen Islam Inshallah.

There are also beautiful stories from the lifes of our Prophet sallahu alyha wa saalam, Ashabahs raddaillahu anhumm and life stories of other Prophets, which can be very interesting for children to listen, but as well very usefull for their future life Inshallah and for buliding strong Muslim personallity.

There are also diffrent kind of Islamic videos for children on internet dear sister and you can watch it always together. Inshallah dear sister when he use his now time on more usefull, productive but aslo more beautiful way, he may like that more than playing computer games. And also children are like that, once they see something new, than imidately wish to leave that what they liked before, SubhanAllah.

May Allah help you dear sister and help you to raise you son as good Muslim and real Servant of Allah one day. Ameen ya Rabby:tti_sister:

Wa allaicumu saalam wa raahmatullah wa baarakatuhu

 

[A-believer-25]

:salam2:

It starts out innocent maybe half an hour or an hour when you are very young. And by the time you become 20-22, playing video games becomes your life.

I am 23 years old but I do play video games, but I don't play for hours. I play every now and then. Actually, I am on my computer surfing the web way more often. lol

It's not good for people to play for hours or to spend so much time surfing the web and I say this to myself as well. I do spend some of that computer time going on Islamic websites, alhamduillah. About an hour a day for video games and about an hour for computer time seems good enough for me.

 

[Al-Imraan]

Salaamu alaykum

Haha Sister i bought my son a game
and i always hear him going "I GOT THE BOMB"
well his sister was quite scared when he said that just a month ago i bought him a game called Call of Duty its war i think and hes not addicted but plays it most of the time but when he plays game hes playing game he doesnt think about anything else other than kill that guy kill this guy but when hes learning hes mashallah only learning the best way is ur husband to help u here sister because they listen to the dad or else some parents beat them u should start beating the childeren at the age of 10 as it says in a hadith i cant remember what one but i no its a hadith try to talk to ur husband about this tell him tell ur son to give some time for the deen or school work or help out in the house
I mean its not ur sons fault for being bored he should Socialize with his friends and challenge them
inshallah i think i gave u some tips


pass my salaam to ur family

 

[Wannabemuslim]

Being 13 myself i can relate, ive been trying to quit gaming since ramadan. Simply because how addictive it was. The main thing that got me off Video games was archery, and this wildlife perserve i found .

My friends invite me to there homes sometimes to play video games, and if i ever get a few "points" ahead they get very mad and start screaming yelling and cursing at me almost in tears sometimes. And then one of my friends will make me watch him kill my character for 30 minutes so he can level up in call of duty because i "cheated". Honestly i think most hardcore gammers dont enjoy gaming as much as it seems, i think it just give them something to do. And there are much more fun and interesting things to do then gamin

 

[Shak78]

:salam2:

For many years my addiction was a PC game called Football manager. I failed classes due to it, missed so many prayers due to it, I wonder but then shudder to think how many hours of my life I lost to that game I can never get back. I bought it last year and I must say I can not get into it like I used to. Perhaps its being a mom now, my deed is stronger who knows. Video games are very addictive and really becoming a problem in today's society all around the world.

 

[complex_man]

let the kid play and enjoy the life. this time will never come back. i have played games of all types all of my life. Allhamdullillah , they never kept me away from my islamic and social duties. don't put so many restrictions on him. just let him enjoy his time. there will be time when he will leave playing games as i did.

 

[esperanza]

salam
thank you all for your advice....i know that this is not good for my son...
especially these killing games,,,a few weeks back iwas upset about news from syria... iwent to my son and said no more killing in this house... he looked at me as im crazy...and said mama its just a game

many of you suggested alternative activites..my son loves football and is extremely good... but here there are no clubs..no after school no training,,,
( when ireturn in summer to london ,my son plays football at every opportunity)
i live in a islamic country where i know many boys and teenagers are just as keen computer game players as my soon ,but no healthy alternatives are provided for them...

someone mentioned archery...one of the things recommended by the prophet along with swimming,,,but no chance for such things


my son has a thorough islamic education ..just recently surprised me by criticising my older sons for theirr views and quoting hadith to back his argument and in rAMADAN prayed majority of taraweeh prayers on the mosque

his islamic eduaction is not suffering..but ifeel sad he is wasting away hours on such games

yes his father should step in....but thinks its all up to me as im at home with him...
he is always busy or tired...so its down to me

sadly ithink that having seen their father always watching tv when he is home..my sons find nothing wrong in using games and computer,,,,the other son is also a football manager addict...but needs to concentrate on studies as in last year of high school

really dont know how to break this cycle

 

[Just a Guy]

:salam2:

I'm an old gamer nerd from way back. When I was that age, video games was all I cared about. I spent countless hours in my teens and 20's playing various video games. It was all I would do all day every day. My parents did "encourage" me (sign me up to play) various sports when I was young, but all I ever wanted to do was play video games. Even when I was on the court, I was thinking about video games. I wasn't into girls or sports or anything else in my teens and 20's.

Eventually I grew out of it. I still play, but I don't sit in front of the computer all day like I used to. I get bored after a few hours now. These days, a couple of hours a night after dinner and before bedtime is enough to satisfy the urge.

I'm a gamer nerd, and I think I turned out OK (aside from some self-esteem issues and insecurity, but that's related to lack of social adjustment and not anything to do with video games).

Look at it this way... you know where your son is. He's not out roaming the streets and getting into trouble.

For many years my addiction was a PC game called Football manager. I failed classes due to it, missed so many prayers due to it, I wonder but then shudder to think how many hours of my life I lost to that game I can never get back. I bought it last year and I must say I can not get into it like I used to. Perhaps its being a mom now, my deed is stronger who knows. Video games are very addictive and really becoming a problem in today's society all around the world.

Ah, yes, Footy Manager. I have lost many hours of my life to that game. But you're the first woman I've seen that admits to playing that game. Most women hate the mere mention of FM.

 

[Wannabemuslim]

:salam2: Well if you feel that it would be extremely hard to get him off playing video games, try ones that have a strategical slant to them so hes thinking, I would give examples, but i was a PC gamer, so it dosnt trancelate well.

 

[Shak78]

:salam2:
Ah, yes, Footy Manager. I have lost many hours of my life to that game. But you're the first woman I've seen that admits to playing that game. Most women hate the mere mention of FM.

:salam2:

I got into it in 2006, I really like soccer and follow Derby County in England. My husband hates the game lol I know I am an oddity when it comes to FM, a woman and an American but I still enjoy a season from time to time.