In recent years, Pakistan has seen a striking trend: pirs, scholars, and Islamic influencers establishing large followings online. Digital platforms enable these figures to deliver sermons, host Q&A sessions, and provide spiritual guidance via Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, and messaging apps. While such statistics operate outside formal seminary structures, their reach rivals and, in some cases, surpasses that of traditional madrassah-trained ulema.
In Pakistan’s contemporary digital landscape, Engineer Muhammad Ali Mirza operates his verified YouTube channels, including Engineer Muhammad Ali Mirza – Official Channel (with over 3.0 million subscribers and 675 million views as of July 2025), and maintains his official website, Ahl‑e‑Sunnat‑Pak.com. Javed Ahmad Ghamidi, founder of the Al-Mawrid Institute and the Ghamidi Center of Islamic Learning, offers his teachings and lectures on his official website and YouTube playlists, accessible through ghamidi.tv and the affiliated mobile app. Sahibzada Sultan Ahmed Ali, chairperson of the Muslim Institute and a Sarwari‑Qadiri Sufi leader, shares spiritual lectures and articles via the Muslim‑Institute.org portal, reflecting his blend of scholarship and Sufi heritage.
With massive digital followings, these scholars wield significant influence to shape public opinion, often without the checks and balances typically found in traditional academic or religious scrutiny. By selectively interpreting Islamic texts to align with personal ideologies or populist sentiments, they can present emotionally charged narratives that resonate with a broad audience. This approach risks spreading simplified or distorted understandings of Islam, gradually reshaping the nation’s collective mindset based more on charisma and digital reach than on authentic, contextually grounded scholarship.
State-Supported Collaboration with Ulema for Digital Guidance
Recognizing both the potential and risks, state institutions have taken proactive steps to shape a responsible online environment. In October 2023, the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority organized a meeting with prominent religious scholars, including Maulana Tariq Jameel and Dr. Qibla Ayaz, to promote digital literacy, combat disinformation, and encourage ethical internet use. This government-backed initiative is a clear demonstration of the state’s commitment to harnessing religious influence in support of national values and the public good, rather than leaving digital religiosity unregulated.
Networked Religious Communities: Potential and Oversight
Online platforms host vibrant religious communities that form around shared beliefs and spiritual content. These “networked communities” offer decentralized spaces of engagement, as scholarly literature notes, where individuals develop digital religious identities through shared narratives and communal interaction. From a state perspective, this form of digital religious engagement has the potential to be inclusive and educational, provided it remains aligned with mainstream jurisprudence and national cohesion, offering a promising outlook.
Despite the rise of online influencers, formal institutions retain legal and cultural authority. Organisations such as the Council of Islamic Ideology, provincial Auqaf & Religious Affairs Departments, and national bodies continue to oversee religious messaging. In Punjab, for example, the Auqaf Department is conducting surveys across hundreds of mosques and shrines to assess the impact of Friday sermons on communities, with assistance from LUMS and Harvard University. The goal is to modernize mosque leadership, appoint qualified khateebs, and integrate religious guidance into broader social welfare planning. These systemic reforms underscore that the state continues to frame authorized religious discourse, reinforcing orthodox structures, even in the face of digital change.
Consequently, the government has strengthened legal frameworks, such as the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) and its 2025 amendments. These laws enable the state to address harmful online content, false religious claims, or incitement, while allowing for scope for legitimate religious discourse. The state aims to protect citizens from exploitation while preserving the authenticity of spiritual guidance.
This model mirrors the state’s approach seen in other policy areas, providing frameworks, oversight bodies, and digital literacy education, while allowing for controlled public participation. In a religious context, this means encouraging digital priests who offer spiritual uplift, while discouraging those whose platforms distort theology or fuel sectarianism. The state’s approach to regulating digital religiosity is multifaceted, involving collaboration with respected ulema, the regulation of digital platforms, and fostering a modern religious culture that promotes national harmony, literacy, and ethical discourse.
Risks and Reassurance: Confined Authority vs Radical Fringe
A concern within policy circles is that content creators lacking formal credentials could spread misleading or extremist messages under the guise of spirituality. However, government-led collaboration with formal religious bodies, licensing of digital sponsorships, and platforms such as PEMRA and PTA ensure that such voices remain visible and accountable. Previous efforts to collaborate, such as the PTA’s scholar-led internet safety campaign, demonstrate a growing regulatory ecosystem. Moreover, established ulema and government departments continue to vet speakers and moderate messaging. For instance, in Punjab’s mosque digitalisation project, khatibs (preachers) receive training and evaluation to ensure consistent standards across provinces. This kind of institutional oversight prevents the shape-shifting of religious legitimacy through unregulated social media influence.
Digital Scholarship as Cultural Bridgers
Scholars on digital platforms, when responsibly selected and aligned with national religious norms, can serve as cultural bridges. They bring religious content into youth spaces, rural areas, and diaspora communities in ways that formal institutions struggle to reach. Their videos, live streams, and short clips can reinforce state messages of moderation, tolerance, and social harmony. This cultural bridging role is particularly significant in a country like Pakistan, where digital media is increasingly shaping cultural narratives.
The rise of religious scholarship in the digital realm and online aalim culture marks a significant transformation in how religious authority is expressed in Pakistan. While it decentralizes spiritual influence, the state retains institutional and legal control, ensuring that religious messaging aligns with national values and priorities. By collaborating with respected ulema, upgrading mosque-level oversight, and regulating digital speech through PECA and PTA frameworks, the government strikes a balance between innovation and integrity. Thus, the state-sanctioned model offers a modern clerical culture rooted in national coherence, religious moderation, and public welfare, an approach that leverages digital tools without ceding ideological control.
