What is the best way to balance using tech for deen without letting it replace the depth of traditional study? 

Parenting Perspective 

Appreciate Tech as a Gateway, Not the Goal 

Parents can explain to their children that Islamic apps and videos are like doorways: they provide easy access to learning, but they are not the final destination. By explaining, ‘Online reminders are like small tasters; to truly understand our deen, we need teachers, books, and deep reflection,’ parents help children to see technology as a support for learning, not a replacement for it. 

Pair Digital Tools with Deeper Study 

A family can create a healthy balance by using technology for convenience while still investing in traditional study. For example, they might use an app for daily du’as but also attend a local halaqah. A parent could suggest, ‘Let’s listen to this short clip now, and later we can read the full tafsir from our book.’ This approach shows that the two forms of learning can complement each other perfectly. 

Model a Respect for Deep Knowledge 

Children will always copy the learning habits they observe in their parents. If parents only ever engage with bite-sized digital content, their children will do the same. However, if they see their parents demonstrating a love for deep study by reading books of tafsir or discussing a hadith in its proper context, they will learn that in-depth knowledge is essential. Technology then rightly takes its place as a helpful aid, not the teacher itself. 

Spiritual Insight 

The Honour of Authentic Knowledge 

The Quran elevates the status of those who are given knowledge, raising them in rank. This reminds us that deep, authentic learning carries a special honour in the sight of Allah and cannot be substituted with surface-level information. 

Allah Almighty states in the noble Quran at Surah Al Mujadilah (58), Verse 11: 

‘…(And in return) Allah (Almighty) shall elevate those who are believers amongst you, and those people who are given the knowledge (of existential reality) in various stages; and Allah (Almighty) is fully Cognisant with your actions.‘ 

True Understanding is a Gift from Allah 

The prophetic tradition teaches that one of the greatest signs that Allah wishes good for a person is that He grants them a deep understanding (fiqh) of the religion. This comes through sincere study and reflection, not just passive consumption of content. 

It is recorded in Jami Tirmidhi, 1376, that the holy Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said: 

‘When Allah wishes good for someone, He bestows upon him understanding of the religion.’ 

Technology as an Aid to Learning 

By presenting technology as a gateway, pairing it with structured study, and modelling a reverence for deep knowledge, parents can help their children to value both approaches. This teaches them over time that while technology can make learning about the deen more accessible, it is the discipline of traditional study that truly strengthens one’s iman and builds a lasting connection with Allah Almighty.