The pace at which life is changing is unprecedented, and this poses new challenges to Muslims worldwide. The technological boom has made life easier on the level of communication; we are now just a few clicks away from having online Quran classes for ourselves or our children. Nowadays, we have a plethora of online Quran institutes and academies that compete to offer the best service. However, at Tanzeel, we feel compelled to contemplate the challenges of teaching the Quran online in the post-AI era we are witnessing. In this article, which serves as an introduction to the topic, in addition to the following series of articles, we attempt to address such theoretical and practical challenges as well as the proposed solutions.

The challenges are not limited to the online model of teaching; they include the general overview of teaching the Quran regardless of the teaching platform. Although technology has made life easier on the communicative level, it has made life rather complicated on the intellectual level. Today, Muslims are surrounded by a wide range of diverse and challenging ideas from different cultures, philosophies, and ideologies. Every day there are Muslims leaving the house of Islam due to a lack of knowledge and improper understanding of their religion. Many young people have become so hollow and internally fragile that they can be easily deluded and misled by the surrounding distractions. And here arises the question: what do we have to do about it? It is our responsibility to help today’s young people as well as to get the next generation, our children, prepared for such challenges. Frankly speaking, this is the true Jihad of this age and Muslims should be prepared for the war of ideas besieging them and their beliefs. In this sense, there is no such a big difference between Muslims in the Arab world and those living in the West. The threat is always there and our identity as Muslims is at stake.

Identifying the problem is halfway to a relieving solution. In this connection, we must answer the following questions if we need to set off for a resolution: How can we maintain our identities as Muslims in this rapidly changing world? How can we get our teenagers and children well prepared for the war of ideas? Who is our guide in this journey? The answer to all these questions is one word: the Quran. The Quran has always been there for us as the main provider on the front line of wars since the time of the Prophet Muhammad till now. It has always been our own refuge at the time of turbulence and unrest. Nevertheless, the dilemma of our time is that we have lost connection with the book of Allah, and we have been distracted from the main purpose for which the book of Allah was revealed.

The book of Allah was not revealed just to be memorized and recited in our daily prayers and occasions. In addition to being a miracle in itself, the main purpose of the Quran is to teach Muslims how to live and worship Allah. The Quran has many Ayat that manifest this fact:

{إِنَّ هَذَا الْقُرْآنَ يَهْدِي لِلَّتِي هِيَ أَقْوَمُ وَيُبَشِّرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ } [الإسراء : 9]

Indeed this Quran guides to what is most upright, and gives the good news to the faithful. {The Night Journey: 9}.

{أَفَلَا يَتَدَبَّرُونَ الْقُرْآنَ أَمْ عَلَى قُلُوبٍ أَقْفَالُهَا} [محمد : 24]

Do they not contemplate the Quran, or are there locks on the hearts?

{Muhammad: 24}.

﴿ كِتَابٌ أَنْزَلْنَاهُ إِلَيْكَ مُبَارَكٌ لِيَدَّبَّرُوا آيَاتِهِ وَلِيَتَذَكَّرَ أُولُو الْأَلْبَابِ ﴾[ص: 29]

It is a blessed Book that We have sent down to you, so that they may contemplate its signs, and that those who possess intellect may take admonition. {Saad:29}.

No real connection can happen without subtle understanding and no deep understanding can be achieved without systematic learning. Our main goal is to look for innovative methods to teach the Quran in a revolutionary way. Life is moving around us and if we are standing still, it means that we are moving backward. If we want to protect the next generation and provide them with the tools to face the daily challenges, we must educate them well and knowledge will be their main weapon to resist and assert their identity and to spread Islam.

It is clear now that everything revolves around the learning process and the way we want our children and young Muslims to learn the Quran in a revolutionary way. Therefore, it is crucial to start by mapping out the main challenges we face to reach our goals. In this regard, teaching the Quran online should be revisited and reassessed in light of the entailments of the present moment. Therefore, the following article is dedicated to a detailed discussion of both the ideological and practical challenges that we face.

By/ Dr. Ahmed Aly Zahran

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