Faith, Youth, and the Feed: Exploring Social Media Uses and Gratifications Among Students in Pakistani Madrassah

Abstract

Background: Social media has become a primary tool for youth communication and identity formation worldwide. However, in culturally conservative societies, especially among students in Madrassahs (religious seminaries), its usage patterns and psychological effects may vary considerably from global trends. Understanding these differences requires a culturally grounded framework like the Uses and Gratifications Theory (UGT), which considers media users as active agents aiming to satisfy specific personal and social needs.

Objectives: This study aims to investigate the motivations behind social media use among youth enrolled in Madrassahs in Kohat, Pakistan. It seeks to identify the primary gratifications these users derive from digital platforms, assess the impact of social media on their educational, religious, and personal lives, and examine the challenges they face in managing online engagement.

Methods: Using a quantitative research design, data were collected from (n=384) participants through a structured survey instrument. The analysis employed UGT as the guiding theoretical framework and categorized responses into key gratification domains, including social interaction, information-seeking, entertainment, personal identity expression, religious and cultural engagement, and practical utility. Descriptive statistics were used to assess usage patterns, while Likert-scale items captured participants’ perceptions and attitudes.

Key Findings / Conclusion: The findings indicate that social media serves multiple functions for seminary youth: maintaining social connections, accessing news and information, entertainment, and expressing opinions. YouTube, Facebook, and TikTok were the most used platforms. However, some participants reported an improvement in religious knowledge through social media, while a greater number disagreed. Challenges included time management, exposure to harmful content, and interference with education or religious obligations. Despite these concerns, the youth were found to be active, discerning users of digital media. The study affirms the relevance of UGT in non-Western, religiously grounded contexts. It highlights the urgent need for targeted digital literacy programs to promote balanced and meaningful engagement with social media.

Keywords: Social Media, Madrassah, UGT, Entertainment, Identity, Religious, Cultural