Online Rituals

For this blog post, I will be focusing on the Islamic rituals of prayer, reading the Quran, and the Hajj.

Are there any benefits to online rituals?
 For the Muslim community, there are many benefits to online rituals. The Quran is easily the most accessible text online for Muslims. It can be found in the form of audio files, images, and searchable formats.  The internet can be a helpful tool when looking for a certain passages in the Quran because of searchable features available only online. Check out the searchable Quran here: ( www.quranexplorer.com)  It is easier to find a specific text in an online Quran than flipping through the written book. However, the Internet should be perceived as adjunct to "conventional wisdom" (Bunt, 2000, p. 130) It is advised to use the internet in addition to daily reading and recitation, not in place of it.

Prayer is also an important ritual in Islamic faith, meant to be practiced at least 5 times a day. The internet and iPhone apps provide helpful tools for keeping track of when to pray. For example, and app called "Islamic compass: Prayer time and Athan Alarm" sounds an alarm when it is time for prayer and includes a compass pointing toward Mecca, no matter your location. ( Find the app here: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/islamic-compass-prayer-times/id321378482?mt=8) This is a benefit for all those engaging in Islam rituals because it is a convenient reminder, accessible wherever you go. Guidance on how to pray and what to pray for is also available online. It is important to note that what is being prayed did not change with the Internet, but merely the Internet provides convenient tools for keeping up with time and place and guidance on how to pray.

What are the limits of online rituals?
There are some limitations to online Islamic rituals, including the absence of the physical travel to Mecca.  There is more involved in the required pilgrimage to Mecca than just the physical level of travel; it is part of a spiritual journey as well.  Internet sights were created to represent these events where people can see the physical journey and hear the sounds, but their connection to the material site is only through a computer screen. (Here is an example http://iheartmakkah.com/makkahlive.aspx) Hulland notes that for some, this does become an online ritual activity and for others there is not a strong enough connection. The "virtual" is still an authentic representation of the physical space, but the bodily connection is lacking. Thus, the full physical and spiritual journey is not achieved via the Internet.

Definitions
Ritual (Hulland): "purposeful engagement with the sacred"; It can be elaborate, or formal, or personally constructed. The basic building blocks of a ritual are performance, media, script, and representation of beliefs. What the ritual "does" however is contingent upon culture and the setting.

Hajj: the fifth pillar of Islam; pilgrimage to Mecca, required of Muslims once in their lifetime in order to remind them of their reliance on and submission to God. (Sonn, 2010, p. 30)