The rise of digital Islamic education: Analyzing trends in online Quran learning from 2019 to 2026

The rapid development of digital technologies has transformed access to religious education, including Quranic learning. This study investigates the growth of digital Islamic education by analyzing global Google Trends data for three key search terms related to Quranic learning: “online Quran learning,” “learn Quran online,” and “online Quran teacher.” We analyzed Google Trends data from December 2019 to January 2026 using relative search volume (RSV) to examine temporal trends, seasonal variations, and geographical differences in search interest. The analysis also considered top related queries to identify patterns in users’ searches for online Quranic education. The findings indicate an overall increase in search interest in online Quran learning, with notable peaks during the COVID-19 pandemic and recurring increases during Ramadan. Among the three search terms, “online Quran learning” generally showed higher and more stable search interest, while “online Quran teacher” recorded comparatively lower levels of interest. Geographical patterns indicate stronger search interest in Muslim-majority countries, including Indonesia, Pakistan, and Egypt, while interest also increased in parts of Europe and North America. These findings suggest that major global disruptions, seasonal religious practices, and the expanding availability of digital learning platforms were associated with variations in public search interest in online Quranic education. The study highlights the growing visibility of digital Quranic learning within contemporary Islamic education while recognizing that Google Trends reflects relative search interest rather than actual participation, learning outcomes, or adoption of online educational services.