Every Cloud Has a Sliver Lining

Social ills if were to define individually, social in Wikipedia refers to a characteristic of living organisms as applied to populations humans and other animals. It always refers to the interaction of organisms with other organisms and to their collective co-existence, irrespective of whether they are aware of it or not, and irrespective of whether the interaction is voluntary or involuntary[1]. Ills literally can be defined as not healthy, unsound, disaster and harm.[2] A social ill in Wikipedia is defined as a controversial issue which relate to people's personal lives and interactions[3]. In other words it is being view by some people in a community as being undesirable. For the past few years we have the mass media as well as pre media have been filled with the social ills problem. Among the examples of social ills are drug abuse, pre-marital or casual sex and gang fight or crime. Social ills problems not only occur at local and state, but can be found in the national and international level[4].

Type of Social ills

Drug abuse

Drug abuse or also known as substance abuse refers to maladaptive pattern of use of a substance which is drug that is not considered dependent, when substance or drug is inappropriately use will result in mood altering and problems with impulse control.[5]There are many stages of drug abuse, if it is uncontrollable will result to difficulty in managing on life. Individual especially teenagers, are at greater risk of becoming addicted compare to those who begin drug use as an adult, this is due to the immaturity brain of the teenagers especially the part that control the impulses[6]

Pre-marital sex

Premarital sex or casual sex is a sexual activity practice by individual who are unmarried.[7]In Islam, pre marital sex is absolutely forbidden no matter if it is with a girlfriend or prostitute. Pre-marital sex is fornication (zina). Fornication (zina) have been condemned in Quran and it is considered an immoral act against the will of Allah an one sexual organ[8]. Nowadays, premarital sex among teenagers is a growing issue that draws Muslims attention. Sex of marriage has also been the cause of teen pregnancy, sexual transmitted disease, and feeling of regrets. Pregnancy will cause a greater problem for the teenagers themselves and the family as they will be in a deep shameful as we are in a Muslim majority country. As a result some teenagers who are afraid of coming clean to their parents will end up dump the newborn child and result in baby dumping. This is a serious social ill, as because it involves takings one life who is innocent.

Gang Fight and Crime

Gang fight is a fight between rival gangs of adolescents[9]. Gang fight will usually result in committing crime either intentionally or intentionally. Gang fight sometimes involves school teenagers beating up and often killing each other. Gang fight issues as widespread as evident in popularity of fight videos in internet, show that there were widespread interest[10]The negative actions of gang fights not only affected those who are directly involved sadly, the destruction is spread not only to the gang but to the society as a whole.

Factor of Social Ills

Breakdown of a family institutions is one of the factor it is not the breakdown of family institution that cause to these undesirable social act, at most the parents themselves are not aware of the problems created by their children or worst they are not able to monitor or control due to the lack of observance or cultivation of important and good moral values to their children’s. Family crisis often cause teenagers to get tensed or depressed. In this kind of situation parents will give less attention to their children. Teenagers will feel that they are being abandoned by their parents and therefore feel free to do whatever they want.

Parents are of course not the one to be blame alone, peer pressure are also one of the causes. This is said to be true because they spend most of their times with school or college friends, instead of at home with their family, they therefore are easily influence by friends as such they tend to do what their friends are doing in order to be accepted among their friends. Some people seek acceptance from a particular group and therefore act in a deviant manner in order to conform to a particular group[11].

Mass media play an equally important role as well, mass media influence such as in television that portray someone smoking or taking drugs is perceive as being cool, and someone with sex appeal is to be said as adorable. Often movie being uncensored and show violent act drives teenagers to follow what they see on the television or cinema. This is also can be said as the influence from the western culture. Though our country has achieve independence for more than 50 years, our mind is still not independent as we are easily influence by other cultures and often adapt their norms or practice which is inconsistent with our culture

Lack of religious education is another factor. Islam never teaches its followers to be a bad person. It is important for parents to give religious education to their children since they were toddler. If the children are not well disciplined by their parents since they were small, it is not impossible if they will turn out bad when they grow up.

Low income family has fewer resources available to promote a healthy and conducive environment for their children bring up and education[12]. Therefore, low income earners live in not so pleasant environment or neighborhood compare to the high income earners who is able to live in a more desirable neighborhood. The low income earners neighbor areas often view by violence, crime and less educational opportunities. Children from low income family tend to quit school early especially when they are old enough to get a full time job to help the family also because they have not enough financial resources to pursue higher education

Effect Of Social Ills

Invidual level

Social problem such as drug abuse and alcoholism may negatively impact a person life and health as well as the well being of the person family and friends.[13]Beside the physical impact to individual, it can affect the mood performance of an individual, and can lead to some other problems such as marital problems in future if problems continue, and poor work or academic performance will result to dismissal[14]. People involve in social ilss will tend to be less responsibilities towards works, studies and families. They will tend to ignore their family member and consequently may also lead to a conflict with family and friends, family and friends will be concerned for the well being of that individual and that effect their emotion and they will also get frustrated when that individual pressured other family members or friends for money and some other possession.

Society

The consequences of social ills are widespread, causing permanent physical and emotional damage not only to individual committing but negatively impacting their families, coworkers, and many others with whom they have contact.[15] Those who involve themselves with social problems such as drug abuse, alcoholic, gang violence will cause them to make bad decision and will therefore tend to commit greater violent or crime and will makes other people being around them feel uncomfortable or unsafe. The high level of crime and greater social ills may damage the community spirit result in neighborliness people simply will keep themselves away from society due to the fear of harassment[16]. High level of crime can contribute to environmental poverty. In America, Once a region in an area is considered a high level of crime it will be labeled as ‘Ghetto’.[17]

National or country

Government will lost their money in investing for new jails or rehabilitation centre rather than paying employee higher wage or investing for other beneficial purposes such as building more education institution. Besides, more people involving in social ills will cause the slow down of economic development and inefficiency.

Overcoming the problem

Recently in local newspaper headline ‘Family love and care important to overcome social problems’ say Sharizat. She said that in most cases, youngsters involved in social problems were mostly those who did not get enough attention from their parents. Currently, she said, the family institution no longer function and this resulted in children becoming victims when their parents became too busy to give their children the needed attention, like love and care. This shows parents play a very important role in giving full attention to their children. Parents must always aware of their children whereabouts where they’re going, who are their friends, what are their usual activities. Parents must also be attentive towards the problem face by their children and must always make time for them and not ignoring their well being. In addition to that, it is important for parents to know their children friends well, if possible get to know them closer as well as their parents. In order to avoid conflicts and crisis among spouses this will consequently affect the childrens, parents must understand that they must give priority to their children above all means. This means that parents must put their children needs above their works and despite of conflits arise between spouse, they should not drag the problem and make it worsen, understanding and toleration is crucial here. Sometimes, parents are just to busy and do not have time to bond with their children. A dysfunctional family will produce dysfunctional children and it is very important for parents to instill good values in their children to make their children aware of what is right and wrong[18]. Parents should be good role models and must practice what they preach. Religious education and good moral values should be instilled in youngsters to help prevent them from engaging in immoral activities.[19]

Religious education by parents is one of the most important thing to be consider. Parents responsibilities and upbringing of the children are mentioned in several verses in Quran and Hadith. Children are a trust given to the parents. Parents will be held accountable for the trusts in the day of Judgement. Parents are responsible for the moral, ethical and the basic and essential religious teaching of their children[20]. If parents fulfill their esponsibilities well tehy will not held accountable in the day of Judgment. The parents responsibilities is not on the father only, but mothers role is if not equal can be greater than the father because when children are small, the closest person to that children is mother becaus ethey spend most of the time with mother. Therefore , parents should be very careful in everything that they are doing because childre will take their parents a role model. If parents sare lazy and careless, the it is not surprising if the children will turn out to be like their parents. Parents must be careful with their words as well, they cannot tell lies to children because children will perceive that lying is normal, parents must not swear or curse the children because the children will think it is a normal behaviour when one get upset. If parents themeselves do not portray good moral and islamic value childrern will not be able to do the same as well. Therefore Islamic manners and ettiquete is important

We must follow the beautiful example of Prophet such as truthfulness, honetsy,gentleness, politeness,consideration of others,helpfullness, clealiness and tidiness[21]. This also include good time manangment means do things at the right time, physical exercise or fitness and developing knowledge and appropriate skills. Parents must teach their children how to recite the Quran especially at an ealy age . Parents must also teach their children to pray five times daily and ensure they exercise it everyday even before attaining puberty. Parents must teach them to develop love for Islam, love to Allah, to Prohet and develop a feeling of proud of being a Muslim. Parents should mae their children understand the benefit of Islam an dthe importance of the Islamic value in order to be a better person in life.

Parents can, after children attain a certain age send them to religious or Muslim school. Though the teacging in Muslim school may follow the ordinary sylabbus of the non-islamic school but the teaaching approach is based on Islamic values sand teaching. Therefore besside learning Islamic teaching, Quran and Arabic, children can learn art, science and mathematic as well. They will hvae a diffrent perspective of knowledge. Meanawhile, the school will try to develop good attitude behaviour and manners in accordance with the teaching of Islam.

Teachers at school can equally play an important role as well. This is through the academic and non academic approach . Academic approach can be done through the teaching process in school. The non academic approach is through the extra curricular activity that can be held such as through the club and organization, participations in school debating , play or drama and compettion can prevent children froom engaging in immoral activities which will lead to social ills. Research have shown that students who participate in extra-curricular activities seem to be more successful thus combating the problems of social ills[22]. In addition to this, stsudents tend to be more discipline and will not spend their time loittering in shopping complex with friends doing unecessary thing.

Beside the important role play by parents and teachers, teenagers themselves need an attitude make over. Teenagers must understand what is expected from them to do and not to do. They must also know which friends to be with and which must be avoided. Selection of good friends is crucial.

Mass media is one of the important tool in influencing and developing one personality. Mass media helps promoting the right thing at the right time[23]. It gives exposure to audience about what is right and wrong . However not all things that are shown in the mass media are always view as a positive enforcement. Sometimes it can be a factor that drives one especailly teen to be someone that they are not supposed to be or try thing they thing they are not supposed to do. Therefore it has equally postive and negetive impact to society. Mass media should be free from element of extremism or extravagance luring or showing material aspect that will lure many people for luxury lifestyle and. Mass media should have a basasic philosophy or belief that are in line with the teaching and practice of Islam.Mass media should portray more good values with a sense of obligation, ressponsibility and accountability which should be uphel by each and every Muslim. Paents should also monitor what their children is been exxposed to by mass media everyday, whatever unecessary must be filter so that children are not exposed to mass media negetive influence.

Internet now is also one channel through which everyone can communicate through online chatting, social netweorking, video conference and many more. Internet has some positive aspect but there are also some negetive aspect.Young generation can through the internet exposed the destructive ideas through the online communication.There are possibilities that tehy make friends with wrong people through the internet. Youngsters can also be easily influenced through the illegal, immoral,criminal and inappropriate content which will result in greater social ills[24]. They now are more inquisitive means they are more knowledgable in advancement in technology than their parents. Therefore parents must monitor tehir children internet usage so that they will only acess what is important and necessary. This will consequently, prevent them in engaging any immoral activities.