The Shift of Ulema Authority in the Understanding of Religious “Fiqh ” in Virtual Space

The shift in religious learning space from factual to virtual has resulted in a change in the paradigm and behavior of the community in religion. Ulema, considered the primary reference source in learning and understanding religion, has been deauthorized. This study is based on a phenomenological approach with qualitative descriptive analysis. The data was obtained through observations on digitalizing religious literacy through several online media. The existing data is then leveled according to the research problem raised. In addition, a review of the existing literature on digitizing and mediating religion is used as a basis for analysis. This study shows that the Muslim community currently uses Islamic websites/portals more as a means to obtain information about religious issues. When people need religious information, either in seeking answers to people’s problems or increasing their knowledge in the religious field, they use virtual and digital media more than they ask a scholar or ustadz who understands religion well. This study shows the form of clerical deauthorization in a virtual space. In addition, it explains the factors that are the basis for the deauthorisation of scholars in virtual space—likewise, analyzing the implications for the continued deauthorization of the Ulema. These problems provide an overview of the deauthorization of Ulema in Indonesia, which took place in a virtual space. Thus, the current ulema is no longer a representative figure to answer the religious problems of society.