Between Reality and Virtuality: A Study of Muslim Perceptions of Metaverse Hajj as a Religious Practice

Authors

  • Hasse Jubba Universitas Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta, Indonesia
  • Henky Fernando Universitas Gadjah Mada, Indonesia
  • Yuniar Galuh Larasati Universitas Gadjah Mada, Indonesia
  • Muhammad Rifai Darus Universitas Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta, Indonesia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.15575/kt.v6i1.33244

Keywords:

Virtual of religion, meaning, interpretation, muslim, hajj, and metaverse

Abstract

Purpose: This study explores Muslim perceptions and evaluations of virtual Hajj within the metaverse, focusing on its acceptance as a religious practice. Methodology: Utilising a qualitative descriptive approach, data were sourced from online news articles identified using the search term "Metaverse Hajj Discourse" on Google. These articles were analyzed to understand the diverse perspectives within the Muslim community regarding virtual Hajj. Findings: The research reveals that while Muslims acknowledge the educational and preparatory benefits of virtual Hajj, it is largely rejected as a legitimate form of fulfilling the religious obligations of Hajj, due to its failure to encapsulate the physical and spiritual elements of the pilgrimage. Research Implications: This study highlights the need for a nuanced understanding of virtual religious practices, suggesting that while such technologies can augment the educational aspects of religious rituals, they cannot replace the physical acts prescribed by religious doctrines. Originality/Value: The research contributes to the emerging discourse on religious practices within digital spaces, offering insights into the intersection of technology and traditional religious practices, and setting a foundation for future theological discussions on virtual reality's role in religion.

References

Afifah, F. (2022). Hukum dan Pro Kontra Haji Metaverse, Ini Kata Para Ulama MUI. Retrieved 12 October 2023, from The Asian Parent website: https://id.theasianparent.com/haji-metaverse

Allal-Chérif, O. (2022). Intelligent cathedrals: Using augmented reality, virtual reality, and artificial intelligence to provide an intense cultural, historical, and religious visitor experience. Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 178, 121604. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.techfore.2022.121604

Andok, M. (2018). Media, Religion and Public Sphere: International Trends and Hungarian Researches. KOME, 6(2), 16–31. https://doi.org/10.17646/KOME.2018.22

Arsyam, I. (2022). Muhammadiyah: Haji di Metaverse Tak Sah, Ibadah Tidak Dapat Dipidahkan ke Dunia Fiksi. Retrieved 23 October 2023, from Tribun News website: https://makassar.tribunnews.com/2022/02/11/muhammadiyah-hajidimetaversetak-sah-ibadah-tidak-dapat-dipindahkan-ke-dunia-fiksi

Ayiter, E. (2018). Smooth/striated, place/non-place: Spaces for metaverse avatars. CEUR Workshop Proceedings. 1st International Conference on Digital Culture and Audio Visual Challenges: Interdisciplinary Creativity In Arts And Technology, DCAC 2018, Corfu.

Bolger, R. K. (2021). Finding Wholes in the Metaverse: Posthuman Mystics as Agents of Evolutionary Contextualization. Religions, 12(9), 768. https://doi.org/10.3390/rel12090768

Campbell, H. A., & Rule, F. (2020). The Practice of Digital Religion. In Handbuch Soziale Praktiken und Digitale Alltagswelten (pp. 363–371). Wiesbaden: Springer Fachmedien Wiesbaden. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-658-08357-1_38

Cheong, P. H., Poon, J. P. H., Huang, S., & Casas, I. (2009). The Internet Highway and Religious Communities: Mapping and Contesting Spaces in Religion-Online. The Information Society, 25(5), 291–302. https://doi.org/10.1080/01972240903212466

Detik News. (2022). Apa Itu Metaverse yang Bakal Hadirkan Ibadah Haji Virtual. Retrieved 21 October 2023, from Detik News website: https://inet.detik.com/cyberlife/d-5934263/apa-itu-metaverse-yang-bakal-hadirkan-ibadah-haji-virtual

Dionisio, J. D. N., III, W. G. B., & Gilbert, R. (2013). 3D Virtual worlds and the metaverse. ACM Computing Surveys, 45(3), 1–38. https://doi.org/10.1145/2480741.2480751

Farisi, M. R. Al. (2022). Ramai Haji Metaverse, Begini Hukumnya Menurut Para Ulama. Retrieved 12 October 2023, from Pikiran Rakyat website: https://trenggalekpedia.pikiran-rakyat.com/khazanah/pr-1653705297/ramai-haji-metaverse-begini-hukumnya-menurut-para-ulama?page=all

Fernando, H., & Larasati, Y. G. (2022). Metaverse and Hajj: The Meaning of Muslims in Indonesia. Kuriositas Media Komunikasi Sosial Dan Keagamaan, 15(2), 195–217.

Fernando, H., Larasati, Y. G., & Latif, S. A. (2022). Diseminasi simbolik : Makna korupsi dalam media sosial Instagram Symbolic dissemination : The meaning of corruption in Instagram social media. Bricolage: Jurnal Magister Ilmu Komunikasi, 8(1), 63–78.

Fiqi, A. (2022). Haji Metaverse Tidak Sah, Berikut Penjelasannya. Retrieved 12 June 2023, from Cara Pandang website: https://carapandang.com/news/read/haji-metaverse-tidak-sah,-berikut-penjelasannya

Gallego, M. D., Bueno, S., & Noyes, J. (2016). Second life adoption in education: A motivational model based on uses and gratifications theory. Computers and Education, 100, 81–93. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2016.05.001

Hegazy, W. (2020). Muslim Online Prayer in a Sociocultural Context. CyberOrient, 14(2), 64–84. https://doi.org/10.1002/j.1804-3194.2020.tb00003.x

Irwin, P., & Coutts, R. (2015). A systematic review of the experience of using second life in the education of undergraduate nurses. Journal of Nursing Education, 54(10), 572–577. https://doi.org/10.3928/01484834-20150916-05

Klein, A. Z., Sabino de Freitas, A., Machado, L., Freitas Jr., J. C. da S., Graziola Jr., P. G., & Schlemmer, E. (2017). Virtual Worlds Applications for Management Education. In L. Tomei (Ed.), Exploring the new era of technology-infused education (pp. 279–299). Pennsylvania: IGI Global. https://doi.org/10.4018/978-1-5225-1709-2.ch017

Kumparan. (2022). Pengertian dan Tujuan Manasik Haji beserta Tata Cara Pelaksanaan Ibadah Haji. Retrieved 21 October 2023, from Kumparan website: https://kumparan.com/berita-hari-ini/pengertian-dan-tujuan-manasik-haji-beserta-tata-cara-pelaksanaan-ibadah-haji-1yH6OmL17fA

Kurnialam, A., & Nashrullah, N. (2022). Mengapa Masjidil Haram Tetap Sejuk Meski Cuaca Panas? Ini Rahasianya. Retrieved 22 October 2023, from Republika website: https://khazanah.republika.co.id/berita/rensy5320/mengapa-masjidil-haram-tetap-sejuk-meski-cuaca-panas-ini-rahasianya

Kurniawan, A. (2022). Hukum Ibadah Haji Virtual di Metaverse. Retrieved 12 October 2023, from NU Online website: https://islam.nu.or.id/bahtsul-masail/hukum-ibadah-haji-virtual-di-metaverse-nvhMZ

Lee, U., & Kim, H. (2022). UTAUT in Metaverse: An “Ifland†Case. Journal of Theoretical and Applied Electronic Commerce Research, 17(2), 613–635. https://doi.org/10.3390/jtaer17020032

Leone, M. (2011). The semiotics of religious space in Second Life®. Social Semiotics, 21(3), 337–357. https://doi.org/10.1080/10350330.2011.564385

Litvinova, Y., Rilke, R. M., & Guenther, C. (2023). Me, myself, and I: Image concerns and honesty in immersive VR. Computers in Human Behavior, 149, 107950. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2023.107950

Lombardi, J., & Lombardi, M. (2010). Opening the Metaverse. In W. Bainbridge (Ed.), Online Worlds: Convergence of the Real and the Virtual. Human-Computer Interaction Series (pp. 111–122). London: Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-84882-825-4_9

Mann, J. L. (2019). Augmented Reality, Virtual Reality, and Religion. In Believing in Bits (pp. 195–212). New York: Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780190949983.003.0012

Michella, W. (2022). Viral Haji via Metaverse, Waketum MUI: Kalau Dianggap Ibadah Itu Bid’ah. Retrieved 12 October 2023, from Sindonews website: https://nasional.sindonews.com/read/681171/15/viral-haji-via-metaverse-waketum-mui-kalau-dianggap-ibadah-itu-bidah-1644390136#google_vignette

Nafi’an, M. I. (2022). MUI: Haji Metaverse Tidak Sah! Retrieved 12 October 2023, from IDN Times website: https://www.idntimes.com/news/indonesia/muhammad-ilman-nafian-2/mui-haji-metaverse-tidak-sah

Noorca, D. (2022). MUI: Metaverse Kabah Mesti Dimaknai Hanya Sebagai Simulasi Ibadah Haji. Retrieved 21 October 2023, from Suara Surabaya website: https://www.suarasurabaya.net/kelanakota/2022/mui-metaverse-kabah-mesti-dimaknai-hanya-sebagai-simulasi-ibadah-haji/

Nurherviyanti, A., Rani, N. S., Apriani, N. A., & Devrianti, S. (2022). Menelaah Penggunaan Virtual Reality (VR) Dalam Pelaksanaan Ibadah Haji Dari Sudut Pandang Rukun Haji. Moderasi: Jurnal Kajian Islam Kontemporer, 1(1), 1–25. Retrieved from https://journal.forikami.com/index.php/moderasi/article/view/466/210

Okezone. (2022). Hukum Haji Metaverse Menurut MUI. Retrieved 12 October 2023, from Okezone website: https://infografis.okezone.com/detail/775219/hukum-haji-metaverse-menurut-mui

Park, S.-M., & Kim, Y.-G. (2022). A Metaverse: Taxonomy, Components, Applications, and Open Challenges. IEEE Access, 10, 4209–4251. https://doi.org/10.1109/ACCESS.2021.3140175

Qothrunnada, K. (2022). Ka’bah Masuk Metaverse, Eh Langsung Banjir Kritik. Retrieved 12 October 2023, from Detik Finance website: https://finance.detik.com/properti/d-5933788/kabah-masuk-metaverse-eh-langsung-banjir-kritik

Rachmatika, N. V. (2022). Hukum Ibadah Haji Virtual di Metaverse, Berikut Penjelasannya. Retrieved from Suara Merdeka website: https://www.suaramerdeka.com/religi/pr-043132353/hukum-ibadah-haji-virtual-di-metaverse-berikut-penjelasannya

Raharjo, D. B., & Sari, R. R. N. (2022). Ramai Haji Metaverse, MUI: Bagus Untuk Latihan Calon Jemaah Tapi Bukan untuk Sungguhan. Retrieved 12 October 2023, from Suara.com website: https://www.suara.com/news/2022/02/10/184548/ramai-haji-metaverse-mui-bagus-untuk-latihan-calon-jemaah-tapi-bukan-untuk-sungguhan

Rohim, A. (2022). Ingatkan Jemaah Calon Haji Tak Paksakan Diri Cium Hajar Aswad. Retrieved 20 October 2023, from Berita Jatim website: https://beritajatim.com/ingatkan-jemaah-calon-haji-tak-paksakan-diri-cium-hajar-aswad

Salleh, S. M., Hasan, A. S. M., Salleh, N. M., Sapiai, N. S., Ghazali, S. A. M., Rusok, N. H. M., & Zawawi, M. Z. M. (2021). Teknologi Virtual Reality Amali Haji: Satu Inovasi Masa Hadapan. Jurnal Islam Dan Masyarakat Kontemporari, 22(2), 56–63. Retrieved from https://www.proquest.com/docview/2628344637/67F4FD0F1BCE45ECPQ/6?accountid=187856&sourcetype=Scholarly Journals

Saptohutomo, A. P. (2022). Suara Para Ulama soal Polemik Haji Metaverse. Retrieved 12 October 2023, from Kompas.com website: https://nasional.kompas.com/read/2022/02/09/13384341/suara-para-ulama-soal-polemik-haji-metaverse?page=all

Schlosser, D. (2013). Digital hajj: the pilgrimage to Mecca in Muslim cyberspace and the issue of religious online authority. Scripta Instituti Donneriani Aboensis, 25, 189–203. https://doi.org/10.30674/scripta.67440

Shwedeh, F. (2024). Harnessing digital issue in adopting metaverse technology in higher education institutions: Evidence from the United Arab Emirates. International Journal of Data and Network Science, 8(1), 489–504. https://doi.org/10.5267/j.ijdns.2023.9.007

Siyaev, A., & Jo, G.-S. (2021). Towards Aircraft Maintenance Metaverse Using Speech Interactions with Virtual Objects in Mixed Reality. Sensors, 21(6), 2066. https://doi.org/10.3390/s21062066

Sodikin. (2017). Ini 5 Fakta Tersembunyi Ka’bah. Retrieved 23 October 2023, from Islampos website: https://www.islampos.com/ini-5-fakta-tersembunyi-kabah-43211/

Solahudin, D., & Fakhruroji, M. (2020). Internet and islamic learning practices in Indonesia: Social media, religious populism, and religious authority. Religions, 11(1), 1–12. https://doi.org/10.3390/rel11010019

Surip, M., Zulluqman, M., Rahmat, A., Irfan, M., Zainudin, A., & Hasloni, S. A. (2022). Description of How the Prophet Muhammad SAW Dressed in Metaverse using Virtual Reality ( VR ) and Augmented Reality ( AR ) Technology. Multidisciplinary Applied Research and Innovation, 3(3), 48–53.

Syahry, M. S. (2022). Ramai Ibadah Haji di Metaverse, Bagaimana Penjelasannya? Retrieved 12 October 2023, from Pop Mama website: https://www.popmama.com/life/health/mitha/ramai-ibadah-haji-di-metaverse-bagaimana-penjelasannya

Van Der Merwe, D. (2021). The Metaverse as Virtual Heterotopia. Proceedings of the 3rd World Conference on Research in Social Sciences. Vienna, Austria.

Wulansari, R. . (2022). Lembaga Dakwah Khusus PP Muhammadiyah Menyatakan Haji Metavers Tidak Sah pp. Retrieved 12 October 2023, from Bogor Daily website: https://bogordaily.net/2022/02/lembaga-dakwah-khusus-pp-muhammadiyah-menyatakan-haji-metavers-tidak-sah-pp/

Xu, M., Niyato, D., Kang, J., Xiong, Z., Miao, C., & Kim, D. I. (2022). Wireless Edge-Empowered Metaverse: A Learning-Based Incentive Mechanism for Virtual Reality. ICC 2022 - IEEE International Conference on Communications, 5220–5225. IEEE. https://doi.org/10.1109/ICC45855.2022.9838736

Yiğitoğlu, M. (2022). Religious Virtual Living and Metaverse on the Real World. Afro Eurasian Studies, 10, 5–14. https://doi.org/10.33722/afes.1093513

Downloads

Published

2024-08-07

Issue

Vol. 6 No. 1 (2024): Khazanah Theologia

Section

Articles

Citation Check

License

Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:

  1. Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgment of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
  2. Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgment of its initial publication in this journal.
  3. Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work (See The Effect of Open Access).