Windows 8 = Consume! Consume! Consume!

[ColonelHardstone]

http://www.muftisays.com/blog/Muadh_Khan/3104_12-12-2012/windows-8--sign-of-things-to-come.html

 

Asslamo Allaikum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatuh,

 

Windows 8 is the latest Operating System release by Microsoft aimed at consumers.

 

First look at Windows 8 interface shows that its fast to boot, slick and filled with Social Networking & Leisure tools i.e. you can tweet, post on Facebook, manage your music library and watch your favorite youtube videos with ease and with touch and herein lies the problem.

 

Metro (interface for Windows 8) is designed for touch like your phone or ipad instead of a mouse and keyboard so while it whizzes,slides and flies beautifully it is rather clunky and cumbersome to be used as a "productivity tool" in a corporate environment. Here is the punch line

Windows 8 is designed for content consumption rather then content production!

 

 

Microsoft's approach with Windows 8 sort of sums up the direction of the world population i.e. most people simply C-O-N-S-U-M-E whatever is thrown at them and have no ability to intelligently decipher, dissect, critique and analyze the content.

 

Take a look around you and analyze all the new gadgets and pieces of technology emerging all around you and you will notice that they are designed for content consumption or at best bite sizing knowledge. We have ran www.central-mosque.com for over 10 years and communicated with countless Muslims across the globe and its shocking to note the degradation in Academia where you have to explain things to absolutely miniscule level for people to get to the bottom of an issue.

 

People can longer R-E-A-D properly let alone analyze text and get behind the text and critique it.

 

When you study classical Islamic texts, you notice that they discuss broad principles and as students progressed their understanding accordingly deepened. All classical texts are to be understood through a Scholar who has learnt it, practiced it, immersed himself/herself in it and collected the pearls from the bottom of it.

 

While twitter/facebook/google +/youtube content is live in the moment and can't remember 10 minutes later!

 

As a Muslim concerned with the Aakhira we need to seriously think about our content consumption? I mean what are we intellectually consuming? Is it simply glitzy, jazzy, whizzy and pretty or does it actually have some substance behind it?

 

Next time when you are whizzing around on your phone or running your fingers on your new laptop with Windows 8 think for a moment about Islam's rich heritage of Scholars who were into content production!

 

Following classical Scholarship is about trusting critical and analytical research i.e. when Imam Abu Haneefa (RA) & Imam Malik (RA) REJECTED the opinion of doing Wudhu after eating Camel meat they explained their reasons in detail. They knew the Hadeeth, they analysed the chain, then analysed the text, then analysed the practise of the Salaf upon it and then gave their opinion, and both have two separate reasons for reaching the same conclusion (more or less).

 

Imam Ahmed Ibn Hanbal (RA) had at his disposal the research of Imam Malik (RA) & Imam Shafae (RA) at his disposal and YET gave a Fatwa which is complete opposite to the two earlier illustrious Imams.

 

We would simply google the Hadeeth and can’t be bothered to read the research of three (3) Imams about the actual narration and we do consider ourselves Mujtahids and above and beyond the need for sound Islamic Scholarship!

Jabir b. Samura reported: A man asked the Messenger of Allah (may peace he upon him) whether he should perform ablution after (eating) mutton. He (the Messenger of Allah) said: Perform ablution it you so desire, and if you do not wish, do not perform it. He (again) asked: Should I perform ablution (after eating) camel's flesh? He said: Yes, perform ablution (after eating) camel's flesh. He (again) said: May I say prayer in the sheepfolds? He (the Messenger of Allah) said: Yes. He (the narrator) again said: May I say prayer where camels lie down? He (the Holy Prophet) said: No. [Muslim]

 

 

Sadly we are more like Windows 8 then the S-A-L-A-F!