Islam in the Digital Age: Counseling and Fatwas at the Click of a Mouse

Abstract. “Online fatwas ” and “Virtual Counselling ” are a major concern for the global community. The introduction, growth, and utilization of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) have created new public spheres where different concepts of coexistence between Islam and the State are discussed. With respect to cyberspace, the Internet brings ijtihad – related issues into sharp focus, when any individuals can proclaim themselves as an authority on Islam, qualified to make pronouncements and issue fatwas. Online religious forums are not exclusively to provide Islamic advice, but also allow Internet users to meet and interact with others who share their faith, beliefs, and values from the privacy of their homes. Whilst this advantage for petitioners has been overemphasized in cyber studies in general, in relation to Cyber Islamic Environments some unique themes are raised. These include issues linked to whether online Islamic advice is binding or not, and the implications on Internet users asking the question. Should advice ignoring the traditional Islamic models endorsed by al – Azhar or solicited by email be followed? Is the moral dimension the same as receiving a fatwa from a scholar in non electronic context? This article approaches some of these issues and examines how the Islamic sites change the process of decision making and construction of Islamic knowledge within Muslims