Penulis : Muhammad Ginanjar Pratama, M.Pd / Dosen Tetap Prodi HES STAI Riyadhul Jannah Subang
tintagenz.com- We live in an era where thumbs move faster than consciousness. Every time we open social media, we are presented with curated best moments of other people’s lives: aesthetic vacations, career achievements at a young age, and glittering consumerist lifestyles. This phenomenon has created a new psychological monster that we are familiar with as FOMO or Fear of Missing Out a severe fear of being left behind in trends and the achievements of others. For Generation Z and millennials, FOMO is not just a trendy term. It is a real anxiety that drains energy, triggers overthinking, and ultimately leads to mental health crises. Amid the bustling world that demands us to keep running, a reflective question arises: where can we find an emergency brake to tame this anxiety? The answer, surprisingly for some people, lies in the beauty of Islamic law.
The Philosophy of Maqashid Sharia: Laws That Safeguard Sanity
In the study of Islamic law, there is a concept called Maqashid Sharia (the purposes for which laws are established). Two of these are Hifzhun Nafs (protecting the soul) and Hifzhul Maal (protecting wealth). In the digital era, these two legal principles transform into a highly relevant defense for mental health.
When Islam prohibits hasad (envy) and encourages the trait of qana’ah (contentment), it is not merely a moral doctrine, but a private legal regulation to protect our soul. FOMO is basically a modern form of hasad triggered by algorithms. By practicing these preventive laws, a Muslim is trained to have a ‘self-filter’ when looking at a device screen.
Islamic law teaches us to shift our focus from ‘what others have’ to ‘what Allah has given us.’ This is the best form of preventive psychological therapy.
Prayer and Almsgiving: The Best Digital Detox Space
Let’s look at obligatory worship from a different perspective. Islamic law requires the five daily prayers. In today’s hyper-connected era, prayer is the most authentic form of digital detox and mindfulness. Five times a day, Islamic law “forces” us to put down our phones, step away from the chaos of timelines, and connect with the Being who governs life. Prayer is a break space, a moment in which we tell ourselves: “The world can wait, I am talking to the Owner of the Universe.”
The same goes for the concept of the law of zakat, infaq, and charity (Ziswaf). FOMO often drives consumptive behavior because we feel we must buy certain items for social validation (flexing). Islamic law reverses that logic through the Sharia of sharing. When we spend wealth on others, our orientation of happiness shifts from getting to giving. Psychologically, giving triggers happiness hormones that are much more stable and long-lasting than the temporary satisfaction after buying branded goods.
Celebrating Sufficiency Amid Worldly Competition
Islamic law never forbids its followers from being wealthy or achieving. However, Islam establishes limits (halal-haram laws) so that humans are not enslaved by worldly achievements. In Islam, success is not measured by how much our lives resemble Instagram influencers, but by how beneficial our lives are to others (Khairunnas anfa’uhum linnas).
When a young person understands this essence, the vicious circle called FOMO will break on its own. They will no longer feel anxious seeing their friend buy a new car at 23, because they know that each person’s share of sustenance has been ordained by His Most Just law. They will no longer overthink about the future, because Islamic law teaches reliance on God after doing maximum effort.
Liberating Sharia
Islamic law is essentially not a shackle, but an anchor. It does not come to limit happiness, but to redefine what true happiness is. Amid the storm of information and displays of luxury that give birth to FOMO, Islamic law comes to offer JOMO—Joy of Missing Out. A sense of joy for “daring to be left behind” from exhausting worldly trends, in order to pursue lasting inner peace.
For the younger generation, loving and practicing Islamic law in the modern era is no longer a matter of an ancient escape, but rather a smart, cool, and soul-liberating lifestyle. It is time for us to see sharia not with a frightening face, but with its true face: full of mercy, beautiful, and calming.