Mumbai, August 03: The social networking site Facebook is one of the platforms where millions of people living in different parts of the world from different groups of faiths share and discuss their ideas, experiences, activities and even sorrow and happiness of their lives. People use the site for multiple purposes, for instance, to spread their religious views and ideologies, to promote their business and to campaign against and in favor of people and issues.
Gone are the days when Islamic scholars kept themselves away from using modern technology for religious purpose. Now just like scholars of other religions, Islamic scholars and spiritual leaders from across the world are also using the computer and internet frequently.
Indian Ulema who have history of having cautiousness or hesitation initially using any modern product ( as they did in using radio, TV, loudspeakers) have been quick to use internet for religious as well as social purpose which was unimaginable in the past.
It is result of this change that a large number of Indian Ulema from both groups—who have only religious education and who have modern education too—have their accounts on Facebook to connect with the people and share their thoughts. Now, type a word like ’Maulana’ ‘Qasmi’, ‘Rizwi’, ‘Ashrafi’ and ‘Falahi’ in the search box of networking site like Facebook and you would see a long list on the computer screen before you.
This includes some top and prominent Indian religious scholars and spiritual leaders, though many of them are not using it themselves but their followers and relatives are operating it with their approval and posting on behalf of them on their pages. This at least provides information about the activities of these scholars as well as people are benefiting from their articles and speeches.
To see what the issues and topics, these leaders are discussing on this fast attracting site and what are being posted on their walls, have looked into the accounts of some top Indian Muslim religious leaders.
Maulana Salman Hasani Nadwi
Friends— 5001
Facebook page —- http://www.facebook.com/salman.alnadwi
Dr. Zakir Naik
Friends— 25128
Facebook page —- http://www.facebook.com/zakirnaik?sk=wall
Maulana Khalid Saifullah Rahmani
Friends— 4342
Facebook page —- http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100002137707364
Website: http://www.khalidrahmani.com/
Maulana Gulam Mohammad Vastanvi
Friends— 2511
Facebook page — http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000577884400&sk=wall
Badruddin Ajmal
Friends— 530
Facebook page —– http://www.facebook.com/mbadruddinajmalfans
Maulana Mohammad Kaleem Siddiqui
Friends— 413
Facebook page —- http://www.facebook.com/maulanakaleemsiddiqui?sk=wall
Maulana Kalbe Jawwad
Friends—- 102
Facebook page —- http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100002480735889
Maulana Mahmood Ahmed Madani
Friends— 35
Facebook page —- http://www.facebook.com/pages/Maulana-Mahmood-Ahmed-Madani/226221830724486
Maulana Wahiduddin Khan
Friends— 430
Facebook page —- http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=44148166701&v=wall
Maulana Burhanuddin Qasmi
Friends— 3822
Facebook page — http://www.facebook.com/mb.qasmi?ref=ts
Sayyad Muhammad Hashmi Miyan Ashrafi Jilani
Friends— 1228
Facebook page — http://www.facebook.com/home.php?sk=group_70981434091
Maulana Kalbe Rushaid Rizvi
Friends— 585
Facebook page —- http://www.facebook.com/kalberushaid?sk=app_4949752878
Note—indeed there are many other Islamic scholars on Facebook some of whom we know and some we do not know but we mentioned here only some of them. Besides, we have tried to write brief introduction of these scholars otherwise it will cover thousands of pages.
-Courtest: TCN