Several years ago when one had to seek Islamic knowledge they had to sign up at the nearby madrassa or the mosque, or enroll their children in schools that offered Islamic education as part of their curriculum. It wasn’t convenient for everyone especially for those who had full-time jobs or even for housewives who didn’t have anyone to look after their children while they attended these Islamic classes. Children also got exhausted from constantly switching from school to tuition classes to Quran classes. Another problem was that these classes have fixed timings and students had to fix their schedules around it. For families living in non-Muslim countries, options were even more limited. But with the world getting digitized we now have a number of institutes that offer online Islamic studies (whether schools or short courses) and they come with their own set of benefits. Still most of us were skeptical about the practicality of using online platforms for education, however the COVID-19 pandemic made the necessity for online Islamic education, (or online education in general for that matter) all too real. So what are the benefits of online Islamic education?

The convenience of attending Islamic classes from home

One of the main benefits of attending Islamic studies online is that they can be attended from the comfort of your home. This saves time spent on travelling, as well as the cost especially if you have had to use public transport. Parents can monitor the progress of their children in real time, and the time saved in travelling can now be utilized for more important things.

Academic performance can be same or better with online learning

Although online learning is a relatively new concept, many institutions have been using this model effectively. Some studies show that in certain disciplines, students even preferred online learning to face-to-face models, and their performance reflected the same.

Islamic studies online can be taken anywhere

Working Muslim men and women can now attend these Islamic classes right from their smartphones or laptops. Plus, these classes can be taken even when you are on a vacation unlike when you are taking classes at you local mosque or school. Students who are studying in colleges and universities along with part-time jobs can now easily attend Islamic classes online.

For parents who have hired online teachers to teach Quran to their children can now travel easily without having to worry about their children missing their Quran classes. This means that Islamic education when done online can be continued with minimal interruption and completing the syllabus on time is quite possible.

Online Islamic education is for every age group

While parents can enroll their children in online classes, grown-ups can also benefit from these if they find themselves weak in any of the areas. Moreover, even in old age, online Islamic online education is possible as it will be provided at from comfort of their home. More and more, we see this becoming a trend among adults. Online education offers the flexibility needed by every age group.

Islamic studies online can be attended at your own pace

When signing up for an online Islamic class, you have the option of attending either live sessions or pre-recorded (self-paced), or mixed – depending on the institute or platform. The self-paced option allows you to work around your schedule. Courses are broken up into small chunks and the student is responsible for his/her own progress. Platforms such as Udemy & Coursera thrive on this concept, and hundreds of thousands of students are utilizing these courses effectively.

It opens up numerous options

With more and more people getting engaged in the digital world, you have options of different Islamic schools to choose from. You are no longer limited by geography. Diplomas, certification courses as well as Islamic studies degrees are being offered online. Universities based in Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Malaysia, Pakistan, and South Africa are offering online diplomas and degrees for Islamic studies. You can also hire experienced Quran tutors from other parts of the world to teach Quran to your children through platforms such as Understanding Quran Academy.

Islamic studies online are cost effective

Most of these Islamic classes and courses charge minimal fees because their own investment cost is low (for example Understand Quran Academy mentioned earlier charges $33/month for their basic package). A lot of institutes are also offering them free of cost for those who cannot afford to pay. This makes Islamic studies online accessible for a wide range of Muslim population. Parents with low incomes who have more than one child may find it difficult to afford education for all their children. Islamic education online ensures that all children receive it regardless of their financial status.

Weather conditions don’t affect the learning

Another of the benefits of Islamic studies online is that it isn’t affected by weather conditions. Often bad weather causes classes to be cancelled or postponed for physical classes, affecting progress. Many children may also be sensitive to certain weather conditions and might catch the flu easily, or are even asthmatic during a pollen season. During such time it would be safe for them to stay home. So during a situation like that their studies will not be affected if they are attending online classes.

Solo learners can benefit from online classes

Not everyone likes engaging in group study. Some students prefer studying on their own as this allows them to focus more. Many young children don’t perform very well when they are put into a physical class along with other children i.e. they get distracted easily. So by enrolling children in online Islamic studies parents would be doing them a favor as Islamic studies online will help them learn better than in a traditional classroom. The time saved can be utilized in developing their social skills by spending time with their family & friends instead of doing so in the classroom.

Help can be accessed easily

Many online learning platforms have dedicated staff that attend to student issues. Students can seek help by reaching out to them. Aside from that, these platforms often have FAQs and forums where students help each other in a carefully moderated environment. This is considerably easier than having to wait for the tutor to be available in a face-to-face classroom setting.

Covid-19 highlighted the benefits of online education

With the spread of the deadly disease in 2019 the world had to go into lockdown. Schools were the first to shut down and this caused a lot of disruption in their yearly syllabus. Since these students and teachers were used to traditional classroom methods switching to a digital option was initially quite difficult. A lot of learning was required for teachers, students and parents in order to ensure their online classes ran smoothly. But those students who were already taking online education didn’t face any disruption in completing their syllabus.

It also proved that while the world was dealing with a deadly virus outside the students could still get educated while staying indoors. For once everyone saw that online learning is a very practical option and even very young children can adapt to this method very effectively. Initially progress may have suffered, but as teachers & students started to adjust, the rate of progress was restored to previous levels – and in some cases, even exceeded them.

To Sum Up

Islamic studies online have numerous benefits when compared to traditional learning. It allows students to learn at their own pace while working fulltime or part time, helps in better time management as it saves their time travelling from one place to another in public transport or avoid getting stuck in traffic. It also saves money as Islamic studies online are either charging a low fee and along with that you save the cost of transportation or fuel.

Students can learn at their own pace by breaking down the class into small chunks and help is more easily available. There is also a wide number of options to choose from when enrolling in online education as the online world lessens the distance between a tutor and a student residing in different countries. Islamic studies online can be accessed by a wide range of Muslim population no matter what financial background or age group they belong to. Lastly, Islamic education online ensures interruption free learning no matter what the condition would be outside your home, or when you are travelling for vacations.