By Mustafa Makumba

Pornography has quietly become one of the most widespread and harmful addictions among today’s youth. With the availability of smartphones and internet access among teenagers, explicit content is now just a few clicks away. While it is often brushed aside as harmless or private, its impact on both the soul and society have been evident in youth in recent years.

Modesty is not just about how you dress, it also extends across discipline of the eyes, heart, and thoughts. The Quran teaches: “Tell the believing men to lower their gaze and guard their private parts. That is purer for them.” (Quran 24:30)

Pornography encourages the opposite. It feeds desire, weakens willpower, and numbs a person’s connection with prayer and spiritual clarity. With time, it becomes difficult to feel remorse or shame—key signs that the heart is growing distant from what is right. Pornography has been identified to be one of the key factors contributing to premarital intimacy resulting into unplanned pregnancies among the youthful population in Malawi and across the globe. 

The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) once said: “Modesty is part of faith, and faith leads to Paradise. Shamelessness is from hardness of the heart…”(Sunan Ibn Majah)

Beyond the spiritual harm, pornography also damages how young people view intimacy and relationships. It creates false standards and teaches that people are objects for pleasure rather than individuals worthy of respect. Many who become addicted report feelings of emptiness, loneliness, and difficulty forming real emotional bonds. Beyond the youth, it has further affected how marriages work these days as spouses are eager to experiment what they view on their mobile phones and computers. Some even carry these struggles into marriage, unable to enjoy intimacy the way it was meant to be experienced.

This isn’t just a private issue. It affects families, future marriages, and communities. When self-control is lost, relationships suffer. When modesty fades, so does respect. But there is a way out. Islam as well as other religious teachings call people not to perfection, but to responsibility. A person who recognizes their mistake and sincerely turns back to Allah is never too far gone. Support, prayer, and honest effort can help break the cycle.