Journal Title: International Journal of Middle East Studies (2012); Volume 44, Issue 01 (page 5 - 21)
Article Title: Experiments in Devotion Online: The Youtube Khutba
by Charles Hirschkind
Methodology
This study derives its findings by examining the videos under a number of criteria as its methodology. First, it examines the video in terms of visualization and audio quality. This is to evaluate the videos in terms of its quality and how it affects the viewers’ comments. Then the comments are looked into and compared to one another. There are also a number of interviews that were carried out among the Internet khutba consumers in Egypt.
Findings & Analysis
The relevant findings made on this study based on the said criteria explores on how the Internet is being fashioned by some of the Muslims users into a unique devotional space. One of the prominent characteristics that have been examined is the significance of a language of religious affect. It has been found that the Muslim users are highly moved by the highlighted messages of the sermons rather than focusing on the visual and audio quality of it. This data is obtained from the observation of the total views and the number of comments provided by the users. Though there are some users who adopt a more politically tone, most of the comments reflect polite interaction that one finds in the mosque, and not just constituted through the practice of du’a.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the study has discovered that the Internet is not merely used a tool of storing and retrieving useful information but it also serves as a tool for pleasure of the unexpected and opening up to possibility, discovery and adventure. The style of internet usage that has been highlighted is seen as a practice of examining with the ethical sensitivity of devotional attitude. As of the present time, this study shows that the form and practice of a crafted and shared devotional space takes owes to the range of different people of different religious orientations. This practice is seen as both a liability and an asset; an asset as it redefines one’s relationship over a short clip and a liability as it opens up a distinct world of experience and action to specific sensibilities and discriminations.
Article Title: Experiments in Devotion Online: The Youtube Khutba
by Charles Hirschkind
Introduction
In the modern technological world, the role of the Internet has enabled new forms of association, interaction, and debate, in the change of both economies of knowledge and the possibilities and conditions of collective action. One that has the attention of scholars of the Middle East is the use of Internet as a vehicle for religious and political mobilization, which as reshaped the sociology of Islamic knowledge. This empirical study written by Charles Hirschkind focuses on how the Islamic videos posted on the sites like Youtube give shape to certain styles of online Islamic devotional practice. One of the features that identifies and unites the variety of video clips is ascribed by their viewers and the quality of being mu’aththir, which have multiple meanings such as, as mentioned by Hirschkin, ideas as effective, affecting, moving, emotional, impassionate, stirring, exciting, and etc. (2012). The type of emotional discourse is examined in this study through the appending written comments to specific videos.
Sample
In the modern technological world, the role of the Internet has enabled new forms of association, interaction, and debate, in the change of both economies of knowledge and the possibilities and conditions of collective action. One that has the attention of scholars of the Middle East is the use of Internet as a vehicle for religious and political mobilization, which as reshaped the sociology of Islamic knowledge. This empirical study written by Charles Hirschkind focuses on how the Islamic videos posted on the sites like Youtube give shape to certain styles of online Islamic devotional practice. One of the features that identifies and unites the variety of video clips is ascribed by their viewers and the quality of being mu’aththir, which have multiple meanings such as, as mentioned by Hirschkin, ideas as effective, affecting, moving, emotional, impassionate, stirring, exciting, and etc. (2012). The type of emotional discourse is examined in this study through the appending written comments to specific videos.
The sample used for
this study is based on a popular video of a sermon segment that was posted on
Youtube where examples are taken from. The video is a
sermon segment by the Egyptian preacher Muhammad Hassan titled “A Beautiful,
Tearful, Fear-Inspiring Segment from the Honourable Shaykh Muhammad Hassan”. Other
videos were taken to draw comparison to the primary video are 1) “A very, very,
very moving segment – What Do You Cry For?”, 2) ‘Abd al-Hamid Kishk’s sermon
titled “Yawm al-Qiyama”, 3) “Generosity to Parents: A Very Moving Segment”, and
4) “The Tape that Made the Scientists Cry”.
Methodology
This study derives its findings by examining the videos under a number of criteria as its methodology. First, it examines the video in terms of visualization and audio quality. This is to evaluate the videos in terms of its quality and how it affects the viewers’ comments. Then the comments are looked into and compared to one another. There are also a number of interviews that were carried out among the Internet khutba consumers in Egypt.
Findings & Analysis
The relevant findings made on this study based on the said criteria explores on how the Internet is being fashioned by some of the Muslims users into a unique devotional space. One of the prominent characteristics that have been examined is the significance of a language of religious affect. It has been found that the Muslim users are highly moved by the highlighted messages of the sermons rather than focusing on the visual and audio quality of it. This data is obtained from the observation of the total views and the number of comments provided by the users. Though there are some users who adopt a more politically tone, most of the comments reflect polite interaction that one finds in the mosque, and not just constituted through the practice of du’a.
As for the findings from the
interview carried out, the study finds that visual and audio elaborations of
the video clips actually inhibits or undermine the quality as it distracts
attention from the emotional fascination. It is said that “fuzziness,
instability, and simplicity” what draws to the aesthetic value of the clip,
followed by the attitudes of modesty, humility, and regret embodied in the
vocal performance.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the study has discovered that the Internet is not merely used a tool of storing and retrieving useful information but it also serves as a tool for pleasure of the unexpected and opening up to possibility, discovery and adventure. The style of internet usage that has been highlighted is seen as a practice of examining with the ethical sensitivity of devotional attitude. As of the present time, this study shows that the form and practice of a crafted and shared devotional space takes owes to the range of different people of different religious orientations. This practice is seen as both a liability and an asset; an asset as it redefines one’s relationship over a short clip and a liability as it opens up a distinct world of experience and action to specific sensibilities and discriminations.
