I am a journalist working for Punto-com Magazine. Our magazine is the information source of technology and the Internet throughout the Latin American region. We distribute approximately 110.000 magazines monthly in Portuguese and in Spanish as well as an online version you can find at punto-com.com or ponto-com.com. One of the stories we are working on is how the Internet has enhanced/affected religions throughout the world. I would greatly appreciate if someone knowledgeable of Islam could take a few minutes to respond to a few of these questions and let us possibly quote them. We would like to know what are Islam’s views on interfacing the Internet and religion. The answers to these questions will be printed in an interview format and I will properly quote the spokesperson for the religion. 1.What is Islam’s official position regarding the Internet? 2.What type of services do you think should be provided to Islam followers/readers online? 3.What do you think should be censured on the Internet? Why? 4.Do you think the Internet separates or unites people? 5. Up to what point can Internet educate people in various religions? 6.What do you think of the proliferation of religious sites? Do you think they should be centralized to avoid false preaching? Thank you in advance for all of your help in this matter.
1. The Internet is merely a tool of communication. Like other forms of
media, use of the Internet is permissible, rather praiseworthy if for a good
cause. On the other hand, like other tools, it is open to abuse. This will
obviously not be permissible.
2. More authentic literature should be made available on Islam, and more
forums by which readers may communicate with reliable Islamic scholars.
3. The list will certainly be lengthy. For starters the Internet is renown
for pornography, and the promotion of various forms of immorality. A censure
of all such material would certainly be welcomed, for obvious reasons.
4. Again, as a means of communication, it can serve both purposes. From our
experience, it has served to unite Muslims around the world on many issues.
5. The internet serves to transfer information. While this is definitely
useful, it lacks the human touch. Islam cannot be acquired form mere books
or literature, but Islam is transferred from person to person, heart to
heart. While the internet has its uses, it can in no way replace the
original system of Islamic education, i.e. person to person.
6. Too many false sects and non-Muslim have set up sites, each one
portraying to reflect true Islam. This is certainly harmful to those Muslims
who are not very learned.
It is not a question of centralisation, but of who draws the rules. There is
no point in delving on this question since the internet has no rules.
Do send us a copy of your article (in English).
and Allah Ta’ala Knows Best
Mufti Ebrahim Desai
FATWA DEPT.