I loved my place. I made great friends over there, learned about so many things. Among all other places and homes, it was the only one which gave me a sense of unity and collectivism. The right to say and share anything with my friends was so beautiful that I urged my other friends to come to my home and enjoy lives collectively.... What I really liked about my home was the religion-less boundaries, anyone at anytime, from any religion and belief could come and share his feelings with me and others....
But things have changed now!
We all are living in this digital era, in which every person has a virtual home. People live there, enjoy their time, talk with other friends, play games, check about the latest happenings etc. Facebook served its purpose of creating this whole world a single home to connect with everyone without any problems. Now Facebook is a country(homepage) of millions of people (citizens).
From many days, I was thinking about the thing which made Facebook so popular. Collectivism made it popular! Whether you belong to East or West, Asia or America, Islam or Christianity, you can join this ONE home!
Now, when Facebook has started to show disrespect to Islam and Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him), by promoting an event on this huge platform (just imagine a group of people are holding banners and cartoons and propagandizing this "Draw cartoons" thing on streets while YOU look out of your home's window), it has decided to finish itself!
Not even Muslims, but people from other religion and countries are quitting facebook as well and they have decided to celebrate "Quit Facebook Day" on 31st May. Their reasons to quit facebook are different (Releasing user data, unfair trade compliant, difficult profile lock-down method etc), but result and final decision is the same! The counter at "quitfacebookday" site shows 13968 quitters right now, including me as well and I will encourage you to add your vote as well.
And people who think that it's just about one page, users will again start using facebook and blah blah... Please go to wikipedia and search about this "Proper Annual Event of drawing cartoons" So NO we Muslims will face this crappy group of Facebook again and again, every year!
I have left my home! Just like the grand day of Hijrat, when enemies hit Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) to the extreme. So He was ordered to migrate from His hometown to the city of Medina along with the true believers.
Just waiting for my home to open so that I can pack my furniture (pics, videos and other stuff) and lock it down forever (delete my account) with the key (disable account button).
Very candidly written :)
thank you so much Rizwan, for sharing such a sensational and meaningful thought for the current situation.
we all are with you. this heinous act wont be tolerated at any cost. we all will quit FB.
IA
Rizwan you have beautifully conceived the whole situation :)
Impressive!
Thank you Khurram sir, Urooj, Hena and Komal. I just wrote what i felt. :)
hmm...I am quite moved by your writing...this is the first time I see you writing...ofcourse you have other entries but they are before I joined SOIS family.
Sooner or later...this SHIP is going to drown because...Facebook not only ofended Muslims but there is already too much deadwood on it...
I am happy that I am with you all...
Thank you Rizwan for such nice post....as Shafique Sahib quoted....candidly written...hmmm
Dear Friends,
I am truly moved by the description here of what was and might have been. With deep sadness, I am also going to quit fb and will be posting soon on this matter.
If I only use "snippets" and don't use anyone's name, may I quote from a few of you?
Also, I'd sure love to find ways to form another such "collective world" as you have described such - yet how?
The photo so describes this once welcoming and now sad situation.
Yes, let's do "brain and heart storm" about another way for a healthier "community" online...so what if small?
...hmmm...Dear Connie..dear friend...your comment here has touched me deeply...
dear friend...you dont need to do this...believe me...
yes...there are always so many other ways to be the part of virtual community and soon we will find someway out...
but your commitment to support us and to be with us whatever the consequences are....makes me so proud to have you with us...
thank you so much for such lovely gesture.
hmmm....
Dear Thinking and all of you within the RR family--quitting makes perfect sense to me from ANY standpoint after Shafique Sahib's meticulous work, a little of my own research and consideration and this genuinely heartfelt expression of mixed feelings with resolute choice.
I am honored you are allowing me complete freedom, dear friend - yet I stand with YOU!
I am so glad I finally signed on to Quit FB.
Very beautiful:)
Dunno why i never knew about this blog.
I couldn't give it a full read,as i have to hurry for uni, but the paras i read,i must say very beautiful.
We are with you, planning to quit face book, just waiting for PTA to remove the ban :)
Finally read it fully.
Its very touching and beautifully expressed.
I share the same feelings for the facebook then and now, so i am more touched by reading it =)
Thanks Thinking, Connie and Reebz.
Thinking, your comments are encouraging me to write more on this blog :) Thank you.
A new virtual home - hmmm... We can find a new online community (like skoost.com, which many of my friends are joining) But if I am not wrong, if facebook remains as it is, we will become isolated by joining one online community. So there will be two homes, one will be Facebook (All users minus quitters) and other online community (quitters)...
Reebz, thanks for sharing your views. This blog does not contain many posts, but now I am thinking to fill this "empty" space up! :) and yes many facebook users think and feel the same way like us...
I love this from you at top right: My favorite words "Unity, Peace, One, Universe, Reality, Equality, Love"
Yes, do plz keep blogging as you have so much to say and do so well.
Time magazine recent magazine is on FB and doesn't get into many of the problems but certainly raises some of them incl. that for many it promises so much it can't sustain including what I sum up as the illusion of openness, friendship and safety.
Just waiting for my home to open so that I can pack my furniture (pics, videos and other stuff) and lock it down forever (delete my account) with the key (disable account button).
i liked this part of the blog most...all i am waiting is to pack up things and can take my friends and family to my new home :)
Thanks Tabassum, I do use fb just for checking what's happening within my circles but just for the sake of getting updates.
An organization/brand which allows everyone to say anything, harm anyone (words are powerful; can "harm" as well) and labels it as "Freedom of speech", I'm sorry, it's not my cake.
I'm looking forward to G+ now. (click "view my complete profile" in sidebar)
i too am on G+ but still not comfortable in using it :(