Every Muslim Blogger MUST Reflect On These Questions (Open Discussion)
17. Jul, 2010 
3 Comments
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As’salaamu Alaikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakaatu,
Dear brothers and sisters in Islam – the questions listed below deserve our attention right now. and are worthy of a serious discussion by fellow Muslim bloggers – both the experienced and the new. Every question on this list has the connecting thread of La I’laaha Il’lallah, but our servitude to Allah through our blogging may be expressed in different ways.
To a certain degree, you have to take yourself out of the picture to answer these questions honestly. For just a few moments we need to forget what we like doing and think about if it is worth doing.
The first time you comment, please place a link to your blog with a brief ( <25 word) description so that others can connect your reflections with the type of content you are writing. Here are the questions. I look forward to a serious, mature, and respectful discussion in the comments section below.
- Is blogging really the most productive thing I could be doing with my time?
- How has this really increased my relationship with Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’aala)?
- Are the posts and topics I write about really what we, as Muslims, need to focus on?
- To what extent should we share our views?
- Where is the line between open discussion and speaking without knowledge?
- What practical effects should Taqwa have on our blogging?
- Am I responsible to filter comments?
- When does blogging become vain talk?
- Will I be able to explain why I spent my time blogging on the Day of Judgment?
If you have any suggestions about additional questions that Muslim Blogger MUST ask themselves then please share it.
(Photo: Oberazzi)
Karim, The Muslim Blogger – Tips for Muslim Bloggers.
I wanted to add that this post came from a series of questions I’ve been asking myself. I haven’t really come to a final conclusion, but it has lead me to place blogging on hold for a while —- especially because of question #9.
I enjoy it (i.e. blogging) and I do think it has value to it. I do believe that it can be useful to many people. But, is it what is most useful? It wasn’t about halal/haram — not that those aren’t important. What it is about is ihsan in the use of time.
I’ll stop here and wait to hear back from others
Response from ProductiveMuslim.com – a site that links Islam to productivity!
- Is blogging really the most productive thing I could be doing with my time?
This is a good question, but perhaps a better question I’d ask is: why do you blog in the first place? If it’s simply to talk about yourself, your random expeditions and what you think about everything, perhaps there may be other activities which may be more productive for you to get involved in. However, if you’ve setup your blog with a clear message and a clear purpose, and Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala) gifted you with the ability to write beautifully, then perhaps blogging is the most productive thing you can do in your time.
- How has this really increased my relationship with Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’aala)?
I cannot speak for others, but personally, ProductiveMuslim.com has truly helped me increase servitude to Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala). I see this work not as a personal hobby, but an obligation, a small act in the big scheme of things to help the Ummah get back on its feet. Every time I write an article, I pray that I’m contributing positively to the Ummah and whenever I’m stuck I seek Allah’s help to help me continue.
Also, because I try to practice what I preach; blogging about productivity has helped me stay productive when I could have easily slouched into the abyss of an unproductive lifestyle. Moreover, for some of the articles I wrote, I had to read books and listen to some lecturers, which I might not have read/listened to if it wasn’t blogging.
- Are the posts and topics I write about really what we, as Muslims, need to focus on?
Productivity is not the only topic that Muslims should focus on, however, it is a topic that opens the doors to many areas. For example, a person who’s given the tools and techniques to being productive and balancing his busy lifestlye may finally achieve his goal of memorising Quran or learning the Seerah thanks to these tools and there are many similar examples.
- To what extent should we share our views?
I see where your question is coming from: Unfortunately, we do live in a world that is highly opinionated. Everyone thinks they know everything and you rarely hear the words “I don’t know” from people anymore. (SubhanaAllah, if only we remember that even Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) said “I don’t know”).
I read somewhere (or heard in a lecture) that one of the signs of the Day of Judgement is that every person would be very impressed with their own opinions; blogging simply fuelled this phenomenon. The dangers of this of course is a) nothing is sacred anymore; we’ve seen clear examples of this with people cursing religions, and saying things that were utterly impossible to speak about few years back, and b) those who do have knowledge are not respected anymore; we’d rather listen to what joe blog says that what the true expert has to say.
As Muslim bloggers (and here’s another opinion
) we should as much as we can, back up all our Islamic references/discussions to authentic sources or what scholars have said, and if we do go outside these boundaries we should state clearly that this is our opinion and be humble to accept that we might be wrong. We should remember that if – God Forbid – we inspire a wrong thought or start an innovation (bida’a), we’ll be held to account for this, so we should be careful what we say, especially in matters of the religion.
- Where is the line between open discussion and speaking without knowledge?
Open discussion can be based upon knowledge, however speaking without knowledge is the disaster. But even the later, if it’s done with the intention of seeking knowledge, perhaps it’s better than keeping quiet. Let’s say someone started a blog about understanding Islam and he genuinely had no clue about certain aspects of Islam and he blogged about them, not as an authoritative figure but as someone who wants to learn, he might get a lot of help from the online world with people e-mailing him articles and lectures, moreover, as part of his online discussion, not only would he have taught himself, but taught others along the way as well. But again, the intentions here is key. If we have open discussion simply to prove others wrong, then that’s not beneficial nor is it the manners of the Muslim. One of the scholars said “I did not debate with someone accept I prayed that truth was on the other person’s tongue”
Finally, a person needs to be humble and realise that he/she doesn’t have the answers to everything and not argue to just seem that he/she is right. Imam Shafii said “I have never debated with a knowledgable person, except that I won the debate, and I have never debated with an ignorant person, except that I lost”
- What practical effects should Taqwa have on our blogging?
..lol).
Taqwa should be a constant state, and it’s not something that you switch on/off as you move betweeen the online/offline worlds. Therefore, avoid backbiting, slander, lying when blogging, or speaking about Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala) and His Messenger with little manners or when you have no clue. Lower your gaze and use Islamic etiquette when you speak to your brothers and sisters online or on your facebook fan page. Build up your “online Taqwa” as much as you do for your offline (hmm.. I can see a new blog coming up “onlinetaqwa.com”!
- Am I responsible to filter comments?
I’ve never filtered comments whether of those who disagreed with me, or were outright rude. I actually kept them because normally these comments attract good responses and debate among the community of readers. So I’ve personally taken a hands-off approach when it comes to filtering comments (except if it’s spam!).
- When does blogging become vain talk?
When it does not add value to my hereafter. A blog may be entertaining for this world, but if that entertainment cannot be linked to some value that can be added to the hereafter that we’re missing a big point of why we even exist on this earth.
- Will I be able to explain why I spent my time blogging on the Day of Judgment?
I make dua every day that everything I write on ProductiveMuslim.com and all the side projects we do are added to my scale of good deeds and the scale of good deeds of my team members in the Akhira. As Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) said, one of the things that will add to our good deeds long after a person is in his grave is “knowledge that is beneficial”.
Sometimes I even go to the extent of imagining how this ONE article, may inspire ONE person in the Ummah to be productive and do ONE thing that can be the reason for the victory of this Ummah and that’s my dua each day “O Allah, make me a reason for the success of this Ummah, O Allah use me for the servitude of your Ummah”
JazakAllah Khair for these thought provoking questions. Looking forward to a great discussion with fellow Muslim bloggers.
Jazakallah khairun for this