Abstract: The rapid emergence of Artificial Intelligence (AI) has triggered unprecedented social change, transforming human relationships, job markets, decision-making, and moral frameworks. This chapter attempts to examine the role of AI in Islamic moral thought by placing its innovations within both traditional and modern Islamic thought. It examines the points of intersection of AI-driven reforms with Islamic principles of justice ('adl), responsibility (mas'ūliyyah), and public interest (maṣlaḥah), and deconstructs these reforms against the backdrop of the Qur'anic prescriptions, Hadith quotes, and modern fatwas. The chapter uses empirical and theoretical resources to serve the global discourse on AI, and suggest a God-guided model of ethics incorporating technological progress and divine wisdom. It maintains that Islam not merely accepts but provides a moral context for responding to the risks and potential of AI towards making equal and meaningful social change.
1. Introduction
Artificial Intelligence is revolutionizing all facets of human existence. From algorithmic decision-making and medical breakthroughs to robot's workplaces and the advent of deepfakes, AI technologies are threatening conventional notions of agency, ethics, and social hierarchy. The Islamic vision, premised as it is on divine revelation, provides a value-based framework by which these advancements can be assessed. This chapter aims to critically evaluate the manner in which AI drives human behavior and social structures, and how Islamic principles based on the Qur'an, Sunnah, and traditional jurisprudence can lead humankind through this revolution of technology.
2. Understanding AI and Social Change
AI is the simulation of human intelligence on machines which have the ability to learn, reason, and make choices. Social change is the change which develops over a period of time in institutions which are economic, cultural, or political in character. When AI becomes integrated into social systems, it changes production modes, communication, and forms of governance.
From a Muslim viewpoint, this change has to be weighed against the sharī'ah objectives (maqāṣid al-sharī'ah) of protecting religion (dīn), life (nafs), intellect ('aql), posterity (nasl), and wealth (māl). Any technology, as such, including AI, needs to be questioned in terms of these axiomatic values.
3. AI, Labor Displacement, and the Principle of Justice (‘Adl)
Among the most evident effects of AI is the disempowerment of human work. Automation in sectors has led to job loss and socio-economic inequality. Islam stresses economic justice and equitable allocation of resources:
“Allah commands to do justice, good deeds, and giving freely to kinsfolk.” (Qur’an, 16:90)
Islamic economic models focus on 'adl and non-exploitation (zulm). Fatwas by modern scholars like Sheikh Taqi Usmani and Yusuf al-Qaradawi have dealt with similar disruptions within industrial revolutions, necessitating regulatory frameworks that provide fair access to economic resources.
Thus, even though AI can become more efficient, its use without regulation can contravene the Islamic dictate of justice and compel Muslim societies to undertake policies favorable to the uprooted and diminishing disparity.
4. AI in Governance and Accountability (Mas'ūliyyah)
Artificial intelligence tools are being used with increasing regularity in surveillance, policing, and predictive policing. This raises extremely serious concerns of bias, transparency, and accountability. Islam's teaching is that all actions are witnessed, and accountability is the essence of individual and collective behavior:
“Each soul will be (held) responsible for what it has acquired.” (Qur'an, 74:38)
Islamic ethical governance is based on consultation (shūrā), justice, and accountability. Giving power to the algorithms unaccountable to human judgment goes against the Islamic emphasis on intention (niyyah) and intentional action.
Experts such as Dr. Mohammad Hashim Kamali propose that AI decision-making should be both interpretable and accountable to prevent moral confusion. Governance frameworks, therefore, must continue to have a human-in-the-loop posture to uphold Islamic principles.
5. AI, Privacy, and Human Dignity
Surveillance capitalism by means of data scraping against AI algorithms endangers human dignity and privacy. Privacy is a privilege that Islam holds sacred:
“Do not spy on one another.” (Qur'an, 49:12)
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) criticized eavesdropping and unauthorized information gathering. Islamic law admits ḥurmah al-insān (sanctity of humans) and protects confidentiality of an individual's information. Thus, AI systems are required to be attuned to such principles in order to prevent desecration of human dignity.
6. AI and Moral Decision-Making: Can Machines Be Ethical?
AI is currently being made to provide moral decisions whether in autonomous cars or in medical triage areas. Can morality be encoded, though? Islam positions morality within the qalb (heart), with the use of guidance from God and taqwā (God-consciousness).
“But it is the hearts in their breasts which are blind.” (Qur'an, 22:46)
Islamic ethics is divine and intent-based. Hence, though AI may be instructed to obey rules, it does not possess the spiritual and ethical sensibility that forms the foundation of Islamic morality. Thus, AI will have to be contained as a tool subservient to ethical human judgment.
7. AI in Healthcare: A Maṣlaḥah-Oriented Approach
Medical diagnostic applications of AI, robot-assisted surgery, and personalized therapy are extremely valuable. According to the principle of maṣlaḥah (public interest), they are supported, as long as they do not violate fundamental ethical standards.
Islamic medieval jurist Imam al-Ghazālī and contemporary scholars such as Dr. Ali Gomaa underscore that common good should be reconciled with the dignity of life and Godordained bounds (ḥudūd). Accordingly, AI in medicine is welcome in Islam provided it is a complement to human compassion, preserves patient dignity, and does not cause harm (ḍarar).
8. Ethical Governance of AI: Toward an Islamic Framework
Based on the discussion above, an Islamic ethical framework for AI should include:
- Accountability: AI decisions must be traceable and subject to human oversight.
- Justice: Technologies must not reinforce inequalities or displace workers without compensation.
- Dignity and Privacy: AI must not infringe on sacred human rights.
- Intentionality: Moral decisions must involve human niyyah and consciousness.
- Public Welfare: Innovations should serve the collective good, guided by maqāṣid al-sharī‘ah.
Such a framework must be developed in collaboration with scholars in Islamic jurisprudence (fiqh), AI experts, and policymakers to ensure alignment with both technological and spiritual dimensions.
9. Challenges and the Way Forward
The Muslim world is confronted by various challenges: under-representation in international AI ethics committees, insufficient funding of AI research, and limited involvement of Islamic ethics in technology design. To overcome them, Muslim countries need to invest in:
- Islamic research centers with focus on digital ethics.
- Interdisciplinary education courses combining 'ulūm al-dīn (religious sciences) and technology.
- Global international coalitions for inclusive and faith-sensitive AI policies.
10. Conclusion
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is not merely a technological revolution confined to the realms of computer science or engineering; rather, it represents a profound moral, ethical, and social inflection point in human history. Its pervasive influence spans across economic structures, legal systems, interpersonal relationships, and even our understanding of human agency and autonomy. For Muslims, this seismic shift in human civilization must not be approached through a purely secular or materialistic lens, but rather, it must be anchored in the dual sources of waḥy (revelation) and ʿaql (reason), as emphasized within the Islamic epistemological framework. The Qur’ān and Sunnah offer timeless guidance that transcends specific historical contexts, providing principles that remain relevant even in the face of unprecedented innovation.
In light of these developments, the Islamic tradition—rooted in tawḥīd (oneness of God), ʿadl (justice), and karāmah al-insān (human dignity)—serves not only as a critique of technological excess and the idolization of machines but also as a framework for ethically grounded progress. It encourages the responsible use of knowledge and innovation in a manner that upholds the rights of individuals, protects the vulnerable, and preserves the moral fabric of society. The tradition does not reject technological advancement per se but insists that such advancement be pursued with moral clarity, accountability, and divine consciousness (taqwā).
By consciously aligning AI development and application with the ethical imperatives of Islam—such as fairness, transparency, compassion, and public welfare (maṣlaḥah)—Muslim societies can actively participate in shaping the digital future without surrendering to its potentially dehumanizing tendencies. In doing so, they safeguard not only the material wellbeing of humanity but also its spiritual integrity. Thus, AI must be viewed not as a morally neutral tool, but as a powerful force that must be governed by divine ethics, ensuring that rapid social transformation does not erode our collective moral compass or alienate us from the higher purpose of human life.
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