Islam Reaches Out Through Telephone.

[ghulam muhammed]

It's No Longer Necessary To Meet The Imam To Clarify Doubts About Religious And Personal Issues - They Take Calls And Answer Emails

This accessibility is part of the efforts of the clergy and scholars to demystify the Quran and inform Muslim society, particularly youngsters, that solutions to problems are possible without deviating from the principles of Islam and within the framework of sharia, the Islamic law.

"In many cases, the person seeks solutions to personal problems. If it's family problems, we ask them to come over as we also provide counselling. It wouldn't do to give such advice over the phone as it may be misunderstood."

"Telephone queries are easier for women who find it awkward to approach scholars, most of whom are male, in person,"

Some oppose the telephonic system as they feel it gives rise to misconceptions. "These are shortcut methods and what one gets is somebody else's interpretation of what the Quran says," says A Faizur Rahman "Islam is not about conforming to a list of do's and don'ts . It is about perceiving the purpose of life by pondering over the Quran. This cannot be outsourced from a theologian sitting in a telephone exchange answering "queries" on Islam. Real scholars are too busy to telephonically answer queries on a daily basis."

However, Imam Qasimi's popularity extends to foreign countries. "I get calls and emails from Tamil Muslims living in US, UK, Malaysia, Singapore, Sri Lanka, France, Qatar, UAE, Saudi and African countries ," he says. "I get about 300 calls a month. Most of them relate to prayer procedures since Islam is a practice-oriented religion. I also get several calls related to family matters, sexual intercourse and parenting. Many callers want a solution within the parameters of Islam."

http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes ... rual-cycle