The Effect of Online Gaming on Children's Mental Abilities: Analyzed from the Maqasid Shariah Perspective (Hifdh al-Aqal)

The evolution of technology has transformed our lives into a new era of connectivity. Experts agree that digital technology has improved life in many dimensions. Therefore, people nowadays depend on technology to communicate, entertain, seek job opportunities, and further their education. Within this digital technology, we have an overwhelming space for entertainment and gaming. Various types of games are accessible through internet connection using smartphones and computers, therefore creating huge business opportunities for IT companies and internet providers. However, despite these technological advantages, experts in psychology and mental health raised their concerns about the negative impact and harm caused by online gaming on mental ability and health. Their special focus in this area of the critic is the gaming gadgets, especially the online games children play at a young age. They based their criticism on some empirical studies showing the negative impact of these online games on the child's mental capability. They stressed that despite the advantages of these, People prefer to leave their outdoor activities only to play with their gadget. From the Shariah perspective, it is pertinent to examine this issue from a maqasidi perspective to assess its possible impact on the objective of Intellect preservation (hifdhu al-aql) in particular and the five maqasid necessities (addaruriyat al-khamsah), therefore, decide on its ruling and parameters of use.