Fatwa #4576819 July 2020Pakistan
Is it advisable to have youth camps?
Question
Assalamualaikum.
I hope that mufti saheb is doing well.
As a muslim organisation whose primary focus are the youth, is it advisable for us to organise outdoor trips for youth. Eg - to gameparks etc.
The main reason for asking this is because one brother has brought to our attention that in these trips although there will be alot of good happening eg. Emphasis on salaah, deeni ta'leems and other deeni programmes, there is also a high chance that instead of good spreading, Evil may spread.
As in these trips there will be a mixture of the good boys and the not so good boys (eg those who smoke, have bad habbits etc).
And in these trips we have to give the youth a certain level of liberty and we also cannot monitor their activities all the time. Therefore there is a high risk that the good boys may get influenced by the bad boys. (and according to that person this has happened and he has also given an example of a youth who did get influenced)
For example a boy who has never smoked in his life comes with us for an outdoor trip and here be gets exposed to those who smoke. Due to this exposure there is a chance that he may also start smoking.
Other examples that are given are certain boys maybe watching movies, listening to music etc and the good boys may be subject to all this evil.
As i mentioned above that we can't have full control over their activities and we have to give them a certain level of liberty.
Thus my question is that, is it advisable for us to organise such trips where there is a strong risk of evil spreading.
Jazakallah
Answer
In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.
Brother, your concern for the youth of the ummah is most commendable. The youth represent the future and play a vital role within community structures. Moulding the youth to be leaders of tomorrow can be a tedious task, though it is a necessary one.
As far as youth camps are concerned, there are many positive angles to it and some potentially negative as you have pointed out. The main issue that seems to be of concern is that of picking up bad habits. Brother, bad habits can be picked up at school, madrasah, and even in tablīgh. This, however, does not merit closing these institutions for fear of potentially negative influences. Similar is the case with youth camps, there may be some negative influences from some youth, however, this does not merit stopping it when considering the definite benefits such as the connection the youth develop with the ʿulamā and they themselves becoming involved in activities of youth development.
What should be the concern is limiting the possibility of such negative influences. This can be done by taking the following into consideration:
- The credibility of the organisation as ascertained through the support of senior ʿulamā.
- The venue of the camps. It should not be in a place where there is open intermingling of the sexes, loud music, and other shameless and immoral activities.
- The environment should be controlled.
- The ratio of the supervisors to the youth should be at a minimum of 1 to 15.
- There should be a screening process where youth involved in activities such as drugs should be considered on a case by case basis.
- The daily program should be fixed within the camps with accountability.
- Spot checks by the supervisors should be maintained.
- A strict policy of returning those youth home who are negatively influencing others.
And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best
Usaamah Dadipatel
Student Darul Iftaa
Eshowe, KZN, South Africa.
Checked and Approved by,
Mufti Ebrahim Desai.