Fasting in the Digital Age of Telecommunications
In an era where life is so interconnected, fasting reminds us that sometimes, what we need most is a moment of disconnection from the outside world so that we can reconnect with ourselves.
Jakarta (ANTARA) - Fasting has always been interpreted as a practice of self-control, a space for reflection, and a moment to re-establish human relationships with the Creator and with each other.
However, as society moves into an increasingly fast-paced and connected digital era, the experience of fasting is entering a new chapter. The explosion of telecommunications usage, the increasing penetration of the internet, and the culture of instant information are making this contemplative spiritual practice enter a much more crowded and distracting space.
In modern society, gadgets seem to have become an extension of human beings. Notifications come incessantly, while social media competes to display a flood of information, entertainment, and social dynamics that can drain emotions.
Ali Gomaa, former Grand Mufti of Egypt, has on several occasions reminded that fasting today should not stop at simply refraining from eating and drinking. According to him, fasting needs to be expanded into a form of “digital sensory fasting,” namely refraining from consuming content that damages mental and spiritual health. This message is relevant in the midst of a society that is increasingly finding it difficult to detach from smartphones.
This view is in line with the thinking of Cal Newport in his book Digital Minimalism. Newport explains that modern digital technology is designed to maximize attention, even to the point of making a person lose control over their time and focus.
He does not discuss the context of worship, but the idea of a more conscious and non-reactive life is very much in line with the values emphasized in fasting. When a person fasts, they are invited back to the core of self-awareness, while the digital world often plunges humans into a pattern of endless consumption.
However, the development of telecommunications does not only present challenges. At the same time, technology has opened up new spaces for people to practice their worship more easily.
Applications that remind people of the time for Suhoor and Iftar, digital Al-Qur’an learning, and online charity services have become part of modern religious life. Heidi Campbell’s book Digital Religion affirms that technology is able to expand religious practices into the online space without eliminating the essence of its teachings. Spiritual experiences can still be maintained, even though the medium has changed.
Digital da’wah