Forums: A source of guidance or fitnah?

[muslim786]

I was wondering what thoughts the forum members have on this isse, ie are islamic forums helping to guide people or cause fitnah.
My personal view is yes it does help guide people BUT at the same time allows for the spreading of a lot of fitnah, then againt its one of those things where you can't be 100% perfect due to the sheer amount of differing people involved. Careful moderation can keep the level of fitnah down, but I believe it is very difficult to eradicate it altogether. The main fitnah I think is, and I think a lot of us including myself have unfortunately indulged in it is theological debates, when hardly any of us is qualified to do so.

[Mossy]

It must be noted that a forum is a community like any other.

We created the "debates" section mainly so we could localise the.. slightly more controversial content that raises people's hackles to this region, leaving the rest of the forum reasonably happy. Having seen how it has progressed, I imagine a new set of guidelines will be laid down for the section soon insh'Allah - perhaps even a section for proper debates (ie formal).

Remember, if you see anyone causing fitnah, the report button is your friend - mods aren't supermoms who can see every post! So tell.

[muslim786]

It must be noted that a forum is a community like any other.

We created the "debates" section mainly so we could localise the.. slightly more controversial content that raises people's hackles to this region, leaving the rest of the forum reasonably happy. Having seen how it has progressed, I imagine a new set of guidelines will be laid down for the section soon insh'Allah - perhaps even a section for proper debates (ie formal).

Remember, if you see anyone causing fitnah, the report button is your friend - mods aren't supermoms who can see every post! So tell.
Bro my question was not directed at sunniforum but islamic forums in general, I wanted to know what people on this forum thought of forums and how much good or bad they do, of course there is no right or wrong answer here.

[muslim786]

And yes, this forum is doing a good job IMHO.

[Usman]

Bro my question was not directed at sunniforum but islamic forums in general, I wanted to know what people on this forum thought of forums and how much good or bad they do, of course there is no right or wrong answer here.

Assalaamu Alaikum,

I've been postin since , like 2 years, and debating on voice chats for 4 years. So far, in the line of debates, I don't think forums or voice chat programs are of much use. As is the experience with many learned members over here; that we (excluding me), spend lots of our time, taking out the references, translating them, and then posting, and all that comes back, is a copy-pasted article from other sites. In otherwards, even a cat can roar over here, and you wouldn't know. So, not much of a useful debate on forums.

I remember debating a teenager upon the madhab issues(who converted like 7 months back, ending up in the hands of "salfis"). He used to "refute" me. When on MSN, I talked to him, he was like "yes, yes, yes sir, yes sir, affirmative". I even convinced him to follow the shafii madhab if he liked to do rafa'yadain in salaah. And now, the same old "refute you" thing on the forums.

So, to tell the truth, until that person is in very front of you, you can't debate properly, to show the others how knowledgable he/she is. Forums just add fuel to the fire, and not solve anything. Or give me one example that they did? atleast on voice chat, some of my friends, by the grace of Allah(SWT) converted a Qadyani propagator(Sheikh Raheel Ahmed Sahib), but it was because he was sincere in learning. And on the internet world, beleive it or not, one of the things the posters hate to do, is read "real long" articles.

Still ! there is one point to remember. There is no better source to reach the world than websites. And we all know how much lie have these fitnahs propagated. A person intrested in Islam does not know what is a Muqallid and a Gear Muqallid. He just seeks community forums, their messageboards, etc. etc. So if the good people(sunnis, eh!) leave these forums for these are more , a fitnah, than solution; they will be leaving behind the fitnah factories, like salafis /shias /qadyanis / graveworshippers/ fake sufis etc. etc.

So now, it has rather become fardh kifayah for the sunnis to participate more and more in such forums, to correct the muslims who have been deviated from the path.
وما علینا الّاّ البلاغ

wasSalaam,
سید عثمان احمد

[abby]

Assalamu-alaikum, I know this thread isn't about sunniforum specifically, but I realy feel that sunniforum is an excellent message board filled with oppurtunities to benefit for those who seek it.

may Allah give tawfeeq to all those involved

Keep up the good work sunniforum crew..

Wassalam

[VeiledOne]

Remember, if you see anyone causing fitnah, the report button is your friend - mods aren't supermoms who can see every post! So tell.

There is a report button? Where is that?..LoL..I wish i knew of this b4...

[Saleel]

:salam:

Assalamu-alaikum, I know this thread isn't about sunniforum specifically, but I realy feel that sunniforum is an excellent message board filled with oppurtunities to benefit for those who seek it.

may Allah give tawfeeq to all those involved

Keep up the good work sunniforum crew..

Wassalam
:jazak:. Ameen to your dua.


There is a report button? Where is that?..LoL..I wish i knew of this b4...
I've not had time to implement it into the default theme, but if you switch to the other themes, you should see a report button next to each post :insh:.

:salam:

[ilm_seeker]

As sallamu alaikum

I think the concept of having Internet forums can be both good and bad.

The good points:

They allow Muslims from all over the world to get to know each other and find out whats happening in other Muslim communities and offer solutions to simple problems.

The bad points:

Often people see these forums as resources to gain Islamic knowledge which they aren't. People ask all types of fiqhi questions expecting the responder to be knowledgable.

There is a large number of teenagers who have started practicing the Deen (Alhumdulillah) but think of themselves as some Alim by constantly quoting Qur'an and Hadith and trying to refute proper Ulema, especially the classical Ulema of the past like the four Mujtahid Aima. I mean you have a 17 year old trying to refute Imam Abu Hanifa (Rahmatullah Alay) when he should be doing his Business Studies coursework. Or some 19 year old who has listened to a lecture by some other dude who doesn't have any Islamic qualifications himself trying to prove that Imam Shafi'i (Rahmatullah Alay) hated the Sufiya.

Ongoing debates ensue with members batering each other over the head with quotations upon quotations. Like, hello? *American cheer leader voice* Where all the Adab? Do real Ulema behave like this?

Any how, Alhumdulillah Sunni Forum is a traditionally inclined message board with some scholars on it visited by other (senior/more learned) Ulema.

May Allah bless this message board and give us all the Tawfiq to follow the Qur'an, Sunnah and stick with the Jama'ah. Ameen.

Wa aliakum as sallam

[auron]

As sallamu alaikum






The bad points:

Often people see these forums as resources to gain Islamic knowledge which they aren't. People ask all types of fiqhi questions expecting the responder to be knowledgable.

There is a large number of teenagers who have started practicing the Deen (Alhumdulillah) but think of themselves as some Alim by constantly quoting Qur'an and Hadith and trying to refute proper Ulema, especially the classical Ulema of the past like the four Mujtahid Aima. I mean you have a 17 year old trying to refute Imam Abu Hanifa (Rahmatullah Alay) when he should be doing his Business Studies coursework. Or some 19 year old who has listened to a lecture by some other dude who doesn't have any Islamic qualifications himself trying to prove that Imam Shafi'i (Rahmatullah Alay) hated the Sufiya.

Ongoing debates ensue with members batering each other over the head with quotations upon quotations. Like, hello? *American cheer leader voice* Where all the Adab? Do real Ulema behave like this?

Any how, Alhumdulillah Sunni Forum is a traditionally inclined message board with some scholars on it visited by other (senior/more learned) Ulema.

May Allah bless this message board and give us all the Tawfiq to follow the Qur'an, Sunnah and stick with the Jama'ah. Ameen.

Wa aliakum as sallam
all mods should be alims or not indulge in debates after reading islam has anyone actually changed their views from "losing" a debate.if you want to fight you know where to go

[ilm_seeker]

all mods should be alims or not indulge in debates after reading islam has anyone actually changed their views from "losing" a debate.if you want to fight you know where to go
ay?

[auron]

do not debate. if you want to fight go elsewhere.be brave and angry in the correct place.mods should preferably be alims.if not alim please dont debate heavy(most islamic)topics.know youre real enemy.forgive the muslim if he disagrees with you, you are not all knowing neither is he.ONLY ALLAH HAS COMPLETE KNOWLEDGE.if you disagree then it doesnt harm me in any way

[ilm_seeker]

do not debate. if you want to fight go elsewhere.be brave and angry in the correct place.mods should preferably be alims.if not alim please dont debate heavy(most islamic)topics.know youre real enemy.forgive the muslim if he disagrees with you, you are not all knowing neither is he.ONLY ALLAH HAS COMPLETE KNOWLEDGE.if you disagree then it doesnt harm me in any way
as sallamu alaikum

r u like agreeing with me or not? i'm only asking because u quoted my post in ur reply.

wa alaikum as sallam

[Mossy]

I've not had time to implement it into the default theme, but if you switch to the other themes, you should see a report button next to each post :insh:.

Ahhh, it all makes sense now..

Forums can help you learn more - if it wasn't for Islamica I'd know even less than I know now (some learned people have posted there from time to time..).

[auron]

as sallamu alaikum

r u like agreeing with me or not? i'm only asking because u quoted my post in ur reply.

wa alaikum as sallam
agreeing .see my past post"muslims like to tear each other apart"

[jinnzaman]

Assalamu alaikum

I, for one, will be the first to admit to have benefitted from Islamic forums tremendously.

Islamic forums are beneficial IF the members on the forum have knowledge that is beneficial.

In addition to the transfer of knowledge, there is also the aspect of networking of ideas and people.

I've come to meet many brothers off of Islamic sites who have amazing 'ilm and have been able to teach me a thing or too. I don't post on this forum that much, but I do read a lot of the discussions/debates/articles that get posted on here and try to post them on other websites as well.

If there are people with knowledge and their are clear guidelines to discussions, perhaps Islamic forums aren't so bad.

allahu alim.

masalama

jinn

[shunni]

I am very interesting in Sunni/Shia deabte to a passion. My own fantasy that this sunni/shia thing will one day disappear, and that this umma will one day be united under the Banners of Ahlul Bayt.

It hurts me to see that SHIA and SUNNI ,Scholars and commoners, hardly ever reach out to one another. These Forums are the only place where such debates take place. It might not lead to much, but at leat both sides are aknowledging each other. Who knows, it might be better for the next generation.

I pray that we will always try to be open minded and not to let our prejudism and biasness guide our thinking . Amen

salam and jazakumul allah kheiran.

[Usman]

I pray that we will always try to be open minded and not to let our prejudism and biasness guide our thinking . Amen

I pray the same regarding Shia

[shunni]

I pray the same regarding Shia

Amen to that

[Abu Usama]

I was wondering what thoughts the forum members have on this isse, ie are islamic forums helping to guide people or cause fitnah.
My personal view is yes it does help guide people BUT at the same time allows for the spreading of a lot of fitnah, then againt its one of those things where you can't be 100% perfect due to the sheer amount of differing people involved. Careful moderation can keep the level of fitnah down, but I believe it is very difficult to eradicate it altogether. The main fitnah I think is, and I think a lot of us including myself have unfortunately indulged in it is theological debates, when hardly any of us is qualified to do so.

Salam,

yeah i think it depends on the forum, its members, and its moderators.

All things considered, i would say that the best forum i have come across is the one at Fisabilillah.org. Also, sunniforum i think is quite good, and i also think that the new ahle sunnah portal "*********" has a good solid basis with which to develop. There are however some forums on the net which are sources of fitnah, and i have mentioned them in previous posts.

[muslim786]

Salam,

yeah i think it depends on the forum, its members, and its moderators.

All things considered, i would say that the best forum i have come across is the one at Fisabilillah.org. Also, sunniforum i think is quite good, and i also think that the new ahle sunnah portal "*********" has a good solid basis with which to develop. There are however some forums on the net which are sources of fitnah, and i have mentioned them in previous posts.

Isn't Fisabililah a salafi organisation?
********* is a top class forum plus there are very knowledgable people over there.

[muslim786]

Also ********* has top moderators, the members are very well behaved, well so far the members are well behaved, as the forum grows who knows, but the forum is well moderated so I doubt any trouble makers will be able to cause too much crazyness.

[Abu Usama]

Isn't Fisabililah a salafi organisation?

No, definately not.

[muslim786]

No, definately not.
what type of organisation is it?

[muslim786]

No, definately not.
They most definately are:
1) Read their OWN literature and this can be easily assertained.
2) Look at the islamic question and answer site they promote, you guessed it, its Islam QA, which should be called wahabi qa.
3) Taken from their site:


Who are we?

Fisabilillah is a non-profitable organisation formed in the United Kingdom to promote greater understanding of Islam - the religion of peace. Our purpose is to help increase knowledge, educate, strengthen and unite the Muslim community as well as creating awareness.

We are not funded by any Islamic group, organization or government body. Nor do we represent any particular sect. Our publications follow the fundamental teachings of the Ahlus Sunnah wal Jama`ah in its prestine purity as par with the Qur’an and Sunnah. Our publications do not neglect any particular school of thought, but rather is only promoting what is held as common and permissible between all of them

[Abu Usama]

Salam,

you've misunderstood their words. Also, they're promoting their own forum when they say "Islamic Q&A", not the islamq&a site.

The answers on their forum are from Mufti Ebrahim Moosa, a follower of the Hanafi madhab, who gives answers in accordance to them. For example, have a look at the thread about Dr. Zakir Naik:

http://www.fisabilillah.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=769

[Mossy]

Wow, they really do ask a heck of a lot of questions on that site.

[Muawiyah]

I got a copy of the Manzil in pdf from that site, so it couldn't be "salafi"

[Live for Islam]

Assalamu Alaikum Warahmatullah,

The Fisabilillah website, is not Salafi. Their publications are distributed all over Leicester. And besides edars.com link it to their site. And what's more, Mufti Ebrahim Moosa (who's from Leicester...so he's known to us here) answers questions in their forum and he follows the Hanafi Madhab.

Wassalam.

[muminah]

well depends which forums you go to, Allaahu a'alam

[Saleel]

:salam:

well depends which forums you go to, Allaahu a'alam
I agree.

:salam:

[faqir]

:salam:

Forums: A source of guidance or fitnah?

Probably both.