The Future of Islamic Education Online: A Blessing, With One Condition
Not long ago, a Muslim in London or Toronto who wanted to learn the Quran from the sheikhs of Madinah had one option: travel there. Today, he can sit in his own home, choose the time of his class, and every day draw from the knowledge of the people of Madinah. This is one of the great blessings of our time. But technology also brings risks, especially learning “by yourself” from recordings. This article explains, from our experience as teachers, when online learning is truly enough, what must never be lost, and where we hope to take Islamic education next.
Can Online Learning Replace Learning in Person?
Our answer, from years of teaching: yes, when it is built on a plan, and when the student is consistent and committed. We have seen many students who memorised, perfected their recitation, progressed and completed their goals entirely online. We have also seen many who attend in person but do not benefit, and the reverse happens too. What decides the result is not the screen or the room. It is the plan, the teacher, and the student’s commitment.
That is why we call online learning a blessing of our age: a student living in the West can connect with a teacher from the people of Madinah and learn as if he were there, without needing to travel. Read more in Learn the Quran from Anywhere in the World, the Madinah Way.
The One Condition That Must Never Be Lost: Talaqqī
Online learning only works when it is live, by direct reception and oral recitation (talaqqī and mushāfahah): the student hears the teacher, recites back to him, and is corrected. It does not work through listening alone, such as recorded clips or YouTube videos, what people call “self-learning”.
The Companion Zayd ibn Thābit said: “Recitation is a Sunnah that is followed” (القراءة سنة متبعة), cited in Mabāḥith fī ʿUlūm al-Qurʾān (Islamweb). And scholars have long repeated the saying: “Whoever’s only teacher is his book, his mistakes will be more than what he gets right” (من كان شيخه كتابه فخطؤه أكثر من صوابه), explained by Sheikh Ibn Bāz (binbaz.org.sa). We discuss this in detail in Tajweed Classes vs Self-Learning.
Digital Tools That Support the Class (Not Replace It)
Used correctly, digital tools make the live class stronger. Alongside one-to-one classes, we use:
- Recorded recitations of the short surahs on our YouTube channel, so any student preparing his lesson can listen, learn the Tajweed and the delivery, and get used to beautiful, careful recitation.
- A concise Tajweed book that Sheikh Abdul Rahman Yaqoob is preparing: brief yet comprehensive, covering what a student most needs, away from scholarly differences, so the student always has the essentials at hand.
- A personal Tajweed file for every student, which he keeps permanently.
- A daily follow-up record of the student’s recitation, attendance and focus.
These tools help the student between classes. They never replace hearing the teacher and being corrected by him.
Risks to Watch For in Digital Islamic Education
- Learning without a teacher: watching and imitating without anyone to correct your mistakes.
- Unqualified teachers: anyone can open a channel; always ask where a teacher learned and who taught him.
- Endless content, no plan: jumping between videos instead of following a structured path with revision.
Our Vision for the Future
Sheikh Abdul Rahman Yaqoob, founder of Quranic Values, describes the vision like this:
- To become a fully established institution in Madinah, officially registered in Saudi Arabia.
- To keep every teacher from Madinah, as all our teachers are today, and to grow the number of teachers as the number of students grows.
- To add more courses, such as ʿAqīdah (Islamic creed), the ten Qirāʾāt and Tafsīr, so that students around the world can benefit from all of Madinah’s scholars.
Who Teaches on Quranic Values Today?
Every teacher on Quranic Values, male and female, learned and taught in the Quran circles of the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah, and was trained by respected sheikhs of Madinah in how to teach and manage a circle. Every teacher is qualified under the sheikhs and reciters of Madinah.
Quranic Values is an independent online platform and is not officially affiliated with Al-Masjid an-Nabawi.
Questions About Learning Online
Is learning the Quran online as good as learning in person?
It can be, when it is live, with a qualified teacher, built on a plan, and the student is consistent. Many of our students have memorised and perfected their recitation entirely online.
Can I learn Tajweed from YouTube alone?
Recordings are a helpful support, but the Quran is learned by talaqqī: reciting to a teacher who corrects you.
Which courses do you offer now?
Quran (recitation, Tajweed and memorisation), Noorani Qaida, Arabic, Hadith and Quran maqamat. See our courses.
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Sheikh Abdul Rahman Yaqoob is a certified Quran & Tajweed scholar, holding a Bachelor’s Degree with Honors in Noble Quran and Islamic Studies from the Islamic University of Madinah. He is the Lead Instructor at Quranic Values, dedicated to bridging the gap for Muslim families in the West by providing authentic Islamic education and nurturing a generation connected to their faith and identity