Islamic Religious Authority in Cyberspace
A Qualitative Study of Muslim Religious Actors in Australia
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 3380339 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Shaheen Amid Whyte (0000-0001-7840-4337, Deakin University, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2022 |
| Volume | 13 |
| Issue | 1 |
| Pages | 69 |
| Publication date | 2022-01-12 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Religions (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 2077-1444 • E-ISSN: 2077-1444 |
| Publisher | MDPI AG (PUBLISHER • IT) |
| DOI | 10.3390/rel13010069 |
| OpenAlex | W4205241751 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 9 |
| References cited | 29 |
The arrival of new technologies has always presented new challenges and opportunities to religious communities anchored in scriptural and oral traditions. In the modern period, the volume, speed and accessibility of digital technologies has significantly altered the way knowledge is communicated and consumed. This is particularly true for the way religious authority is constructed online. Using in-depth fieldwork interviews and survey findings of Australian Muslims, this article examines the way religious actors, including imams/sheikhs, educators and academics in the field of Islamic studies, perceive and use online platforms to convey their religious knowledge. The findings suggest Muslims value the benefits of accessing knowledge, communicating ideas and facilitating religious pluralism via digital platforms. By the same token, participants warned against the dangers of information anarchy, "Sheikh Google" and the limitations of "do it yourself Islam". Importantly, the article shows imams, educators and Muslim scholars largely prioritise face-to-face learning as a more reliable and effective method of teaching and establishing rapport among Muslims compared to eclectic internet-based information dissemination. At the same time, religious actors are not averse to Muslims using digital platforms so long as they possess the skills to cross-examine online content and verify the credentials of religious actors. For more complex and circumstantial issues, participants encouraged Muslims to consult a local imam or trusted religious scholar from the community
Cyberspace · Epistemology · Islam · Media studies · Muslim community · Pedagogy · Political science · Public relations · Religious education · Social science · Sociology · The Internet · Computer Science · Education and Islamic Studies · History · Islamic Studies and Radicalism · Media, Religion, Digital Communication
Crimean Tatars in the Digital Age
Reclaiming Traditional Religious Authority in the Contemporary Era
Digital Islamic authority
The distortions of Aqidah on digital platforms to raise the Islamic populism
Digital Post Islamism and the Cognitive Transformation of Islamic Belief
Clothes That Make the Man
Muslim Social Activity and Placemaking in Australia
The Post-Secular Cosmopolitanization of Religion
An Islamic Revivalist Group's Unsuccessful Attempt to Find Meaning on WhatsApp
Hashtag Islam
The Media of Diaspora
Modern Islamic Thought in a Radical Age
An Introduction to Islamic Law
Rediscovering the Islamic Classics
Muslim Politics
Contemporary Issues in Islam
Heirs of the Prophet, The
The Power of Oratory in the Medieval Muslim World
A moment of persuasion
Crisis of Authority
Tweeting the Jihad
Was the Gate of Ijtihad Closed
Authority and liquid religion in cyber-space
The Unseen Terrorist Connection
Technology and Religious Change
Religious Authority and the New Media
Globalization and the Politics of Religious Knowledge
| Unique citing works | 9 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 2,25 |
| Citation span | 2022 - 2026 (5) |
| Citation velocity | current |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 7 |