Naeem's Blog

Ever since the Internet caught on over a decade ago, it has been used for the dissemination of Islamic information. Many well-intentioned Muslims have been rushing to make use of the latest technology to educate the masses, from websites to blogs to online classes. However, I fear that a vital connection is being lost what with all these alternative modes of acquiring information.

And so its with that spirit that I begin my rant:

First of all, the blazing speed with which communication travels across the globe has made it that much easier to access scholars from all over. This has led to some very odd fatwas (I'm not sure any American Muslim scholar would legitimate for Muslims the ceremonial wedding kiss, as is commonly seen in Christian weddings) made by qualified scholars who are not intimately aware of the social dynamics of Muslims half-way across the world.

People need to stop importing fatwas from societies and cultures foreign to the ones in which they live. Too often, they simply don’t match. Sadly, many scholars remain oblivious to the ways in which their answers are being transported to different lands across the world. I don’t necessarily blame the scholars, but their all-too-eager students, who are too busy promoting their teachers to a worldwide audience to realize the potential damage they may be causing.

Secondly, I’m totally against these fatwa websites, online courses, and what not as many have taken them as primary sources of knowledge. Our deen has always been transmitted from teacher to student in a physical setting conducive to real learning. That connection consists of more than the mere transmission of digital information and data.

It's about learning the adab of conducting oneself from being in the physical presence of the teacher.

It's about seeing how to live and breathe the Sunnah of our ultimate teacher, the Prophet (saw).

It's about sitting with others who are also enthusiastic about learning and implementing this knowledge.

It’s the look of delight in the face of the teacher when you exceed expectations and the look of disappointment when you fall short of your potential.

It’s the expression of anger reserved for the select few who are worthy of the teacher's inner circle.

It's about the social and spiritual bond with your fellow students as you collectively traverse the path of knowledge.

It's about the angels sitting over the group, covering them with their wings, and praying for them throughout the session.

As much as we would like, that sacred interaction can not be translated to any other medium – including books, audio tapes/CDs, and now the Internet. These complementary tools are just that – tools to supplement the setting of the study circle. There are so many variables and dynamics present during a dars (study session) that are completely omitted in these attempts to record them.

Now I’m not trying to create an exclusivist class consisting only of those who are fortunate to sit in the company of scholars. For sure, everyone is capable of benefiting from books and CDs. But let us not content ourselves with just that. Let us all strive to sit in live gatherings of dhikr of Allah (swt) with the heirs of the Prophets, where real knowledge is being imparted in ways we can only begin to imagine.