What are the potential risks and benefits of relying
on online scholars for religious information?
Relying on online scholars blindly will end up in spiritual destruction. Everything
is best when it’s modest, and in this case online scholars should be questioned
by every viewer or listener within their selves and their sources of information
should be verified. It is up to us on how we maintain a balance, use comparative
analysis on various scholars and rely on the ones who seem authentic and
logical.
The risks would be that we would end up on the wrong path if we solely follow a
scholar, it’s likely that we will idolize that person and eventually end up as a
political aspect of influence. At times even what we know is right can change into
wrong and twisted beliefs, we will eliminate the ability of grasping new
knowledge and adapting, whoever seems to defy that belief would look like an
enemy as seen with political groups in the history of Pakistan. This is also the
reason why religious mobs falsely gather and perform acts such as burning the
so called enemy of faith alive, such as the incident where Pakistani public burnt a
Sri Lankan civilian for blasphemy of the Prophet (S.A.W) even though we still
have no proof of that to this day and nor was that act permissible by the Prophet
(S.A.W) if he had been here today. Extremism is a concept hugely promoted by
some online scholars, it destroys the image of the Muslim community as a whole.
Another risk is the prevailing of false orthodox religious methods and beliefs such
as the 'Jahez' culture in Urban areas of Pakistan.
The benefits of online scholars can only be reaped if either it’s searched in the
right way or if by luck we end up having an authentic source as the first answer
which is very rare. Online scholars and media has allowed us to think out of the
box, we can break free from false conceptions by realizing what was right if we
do the right kind of research such as comparing authentic sources to find out
which one is mostly followed, why it is followed and whether it is logical or not,
however that does not mean proving our false beliefs by taking out the actual
context from the verses and references which is happening on social media every
day. Another benefit is that we can verify even a single question from a vast
amount of sources in a very short time with absolutely zero cost, there is no
need to book for a costly seminar and still have no assurance that our question
will be answered. Online scholars are likely to have answered almost every basic
question of faith, therefore it means that we have all the answers already and it’s
all about whether we can approach them or not.
There is no conclusion to this matter such as benefits or risks out-weighing each
other, it all depends on the capabilities, circumstances and mindset of the
individual. If there is will there is a way.
