Religious words must adapt

Religious instruction must speak the language of young people – or lose them

Religious instruction must use everyday language. Otherwise it makes young people prey to warped interpretations. (REUTERS/Stringer/Files)

There is much to unpick in the Tabah Foundation’s survey on religious attitudes among young people in the region. Unsurprisingly, since youth in eight countries were surveyed – from the Atlantic to the Gulf – attitudes varied on where to seek religious guidance, who has the right to interpret religion and how far religious teachings have been distorted by militants such as ISIL.

One thread connects the three, however, and that is the way that religion is discussed, explained and propounded.

The days when religion was explained by a learned imam once a week in a mosque are long gone. Today, there are hundreds of imams – some learned, some less so – pushing their messages through platforms as diverse as television, YouTube videos, Snapchat and live appearances. Young people who wish to learn about religion, and wish to have any question answered, need only to pull out their mobile phones to find several answers.

All the more reason, then, that those forums that the state can still control must be relevant and speak in a way the intended audience understands. Young people in the Arab world are interested in their faith, but their concerns are the concerns of young people everywhere – relationships, career, entertainment. If these questions are addressed in a relevant, down to earth way, they will listen. But too often religious scholars speak the language of history – they use classical Arabic, they explain concepts by reference to long-forgotten events and they favour the mystical over the quotidian.

No wonder, then, that young people look to television preachers such as the charismatic Egyptian Amr Khaled or search online for personalities who speak to them.

There needs to be a broader push across the Arab world for more relevant sermons and better religious instruction in schools. Young people will always look for alternative sources, but governments can ensure that the authorised religious sources speak everyday language as far as possible. That will mean that when young people face a dilemma or an explanation they are not sure about, there is a qualified scholar who can offer an answer.