Religious Discourse in the Age of Algorithms
Accessing
religious content no longer requires going to a mosque, opening a book, or
attending a weekly lesson. With a single tap, users are presented with dozens
of short videos offering religious rulings, sermons, inspirational stories, and
spiritual advice, all carefully designed for the smartphone screen.
While the
digital revolution has dramatically expanded opportunities for spreading
religious knowledge, it has also raised profound questions about the nature of
religious discourse after its migration into a world governed by algorithms,
views, and engagement metrics.
Global digital
transformation reports indicate that the number of social media users has
surpassed 5.2 billion worldwide, while the average user spends more than two
hours each day on these platforms.
Short-form
videos have become the dominant format for digital content consumption,
prompting every type of content—including religious content—to adapt to the
rules of this new media environment.
Recent studies
also suggest that nearly one-third of teenagers use at least one social media
platform almost constantly, while most of them visit video-sharing platforms
daily. As a result, the digital space has become one of the primary sources of
information and influence for younger generations.
Against this
backdrop, the question is no longer simply whether religious outreach has moved
to digital platforms, but whether these platforms have begun reshaping
religious discourse itself.
In this
context, the figure of the "religious influencer" has emerged—a new
model that differs significantly from the traditional religious preacher. This
model relies heavily on digital content creation techniques and the mechanisms
that drive visibility on social media platforms.
The
Traditional Preacher and the Digital Shift
For decades,
religious outreach was closely associated with established religious and
academic institutions. Religious knowledge was transmitted through study
circles, sermons, and specialized educational programs. Today, however, anyone
with a smartphone and an active social media account can potentially reach an
audience larger than that of entire institutions.
According to
Professor Ghanem El-Saeed, former dean of both the Faculty of Arabic Language
and the Faculty of Mass Communication at Al-Azhar University, speaking to Al-Mujtama,
the rapid evolution of media and social networking platforms has created vast
new spaces for discussing religious matters outside traditional institutional
frameworks. This has enabled new personalities to reach massive audiences
through innovative communication styles and language that resonates more
closely with the public, particularly young people.
The
transformation extends beyond individuals to the very nature of the media
environment itself. Whereas the traditional preacher addressed an audience
physically present before him, today's religious content creator speaks to an
audience selected by algorithms, measured by analytics, and continuously
monitored by digital platforms.
The
Power of the Algorithm
In the past,
religious scholars determined the pace and structure of their message according
to the subject matter and the audience before them. Today, digital platforms
have become an invisible participant in shaping the message itself.
Content no
longer moves freely through the public sphere. Instead, it passes through
algorithms designed to determine what users see based on specific criteria,
foremost among them engagement levels, watch time, shares, and reposts.
What is
striking is that algorithms do not evaluate the accuracy or scholarly depth of
religious content. Rather, they reward its ability to capture and retain
attention. They do not necessarily promote the most knowledgeable voices, but
often those most capable of generating audience engagement.
Consequently,
significant changes have emerged in the presentation of religious content.
Complex issues that once required hours of explanation are now sometimes
condensed into videos lasting less than a minute. Lengthy scholarly discussions
have increasingly been replaced by quick, definitive answers. Meanwhile,
controversial—or in Islamic legal terminology, "anomalous"—opinions
often attract greater visibility than calm educational or intellectually
enriching content.
Ironically,
algorithms do not explicitly tell content creators what to say. Instead, they
communicate through daily performance metrics, signaling which types of content
receive greater exposure and which remain largely unseen.
Over time, many
content creators gradually adjust their styles in response to these repeated
signals, producing content that maximizes visibility and engagement.
This reality
has given rise to what is commonly described as the "attention
economy," where the primary competition revolves around capturing users'
attention amid an overwhelming flow of information and messages.
Within this
fiercely competitive environment, religious discourse faces a difficult
challenge: how can it preserve its intellectual depth and educational value
without sacrificing its ability to reach modern audiences?
Between the
benefits of unprecedented reach and the risks of submitting to the logic of
engagement metrics lies the central challenge: maintaining a healthy balance in
which technology serves the message rather than allowing the message itself to
become subordinate to the rules of the platform.
Measuring
Real Influence
Do millions of
views necessarily translate into millions of people being influenced? The
answer is far more nuanced than the question suggests.
Communication
experts distinguish between reach and influence. Reach simply means that a
large number of people have seen the content. Influence, however, refers to the
content's ability to change knowledge, behavior, or deeply held beliefs.
A short video
may accumulate millions of views within hours yet leave little lasting
intellectual or behavioral impact. Conversely, a scholarly lecture with a
relatively modest audience may have a profound and enduring influence on those
who engage with it.
For this
reason, measuring the success of religious outreach solely by view counts can
be misleading. The true value of religious discourse lies not merely in how
many people watch it, but in the positive and lasting effect it has on their
lives.
Religious
Influencers and the Digital Harvest
Despite the
criticism frequently directed at religious influencers, many specialists argue
that the digital environment has created opportunities that were previously
unimaginable.
Dr. Abdelmonem
Sultan, Head of the Department of Islamic Law at the Faculty of Law, Menoufia
University, told Al-Mujtama that these platforms have opened entirely
new avenues for religious outreach, enabling religious discourse to reach broad
segments of society, especially young people who spend much of their time in
the digital sphere.
Among the
greatest advantages of digital outreach, according to Sultan, are its ability
to reach audiences that are difficult to engage through traditional means,
transcend geographical and temporal barriers, present religious knowledge in a
simplified and accessible format, and encourage direct interaction between
audiences and content creators.
Recent research
also indicates that different platforms serve different functions. Some excel
at achieving rapid exposure, while others are better suited to fostering
sustained engagement and long-term intellectual loyalty.
Yet the other
side of the picture raises concerns that cannot be ignored. As views and
engagement become increasingly valuable, content that attracts audiences may
begin to overshadow content that genuinely benefits them.
This creates
the risk of reducing complex religious issues to simplistic messages or
presenting religious subjects in ways that resemble entertainment more than
education.
Dr. Mona Kamal,
Professor of Sociology at Ain Shams University, warns that the digital
environment has generated new forms of religiosity and religious knowledge that
are increasingly shaped by market forces, audience demand, and consumer
preferences.
Similarly, Dr.
Marwa Fathy, faculty member at the Faculty of Islamic Studies at Al-Azhar
University, argues that the relentless pursuit of popularity and engagement can
sometimes undermine the original objectives of religious outreach, particularly
when cultivating a personal brand becomes more important than conveying the
message itself.
This is where
the real dilemma lies: how can the opportunities offered by modern technology
be embraced without allowing the religious message to become merely another
digital product governed entirely by the logic of markets and platforms?
Between
the Message and the Algorithm
The phenomenon
of religious influencers is unlikely to diminish in the foreseeable future. On
the contrary, the continued expansion of the digital economy and the creator
economy suggests that their role will become even more deeply embedded in
society. Recent estimates indicate that global advertising expenditure related
to influencer marketing continues to grow rapidly, reflecting the increasingly
prominent role content creators play in shaping public opinion and social
trends.
The more
important question, however, is not whether this phenomenon should be embraced
or rejected. Rather, it is how it can be understood and approached with wisdom.
Between the
religious preacher who carries a message and the influencer who possesses the
tools of reach, one question remains: How can we preserve depth of meaning in a
world that increasingly measures success by clicks and views?
Perhaps this is
the defining challenge facing religious discourse in the digital age—to remain
faithful to its message even while speaking the language of the platform.
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