AI Should Remain A Tool, Not An Authority In Islamic Learning, Says IKIM

From Zarul Effendi Razali

SAMARKAND (Uzbekistan), July 10 (NNN) -- Artificial intelligence (AI) should remain a tool rather than an authority in Islamic learning, Institute of Islamic Understanding Malaysia (IKIM) Director-General Assoc Prof Datuk Dr Mohamed Azam Mohamed Adil said.

He cautioned that growing reliance on AI-generated religious guidance without scholarly verification could undermine sound religious learning.

He said the rapid expansion of AI, algorithmic platforms and digital technologies had transformed how people accessed religious information while creating new forms of epistemological dependence.

Speaking during a plenary session titled "The Study of Imam Maturidi and the Maturidi School in the Contemporary World" at the "The Legacy of Imam al-Maturidi: A Foundation of Moderation, Tolerance and Enlightenment" conference on Thursday, Mohamed Azam introduced the concept of "digital taqlid", describing it as the uncritical acceptance of religious knowledge, opinions or moral judgements generated or amplified by digital systems without proper scholarly verification or reflective reasoning.

“Instead, it proposes a model of guided reason in which revelation provides the normative framework, reason exercises critical judgement, and technology functions only as an instrumental aid to human inquiry,” he said.

Mohamed Azam said AI could broaden access to Islamic knowledge through searchable manuscripts, digital databases and language tools. However, it lacked the theological accountability, moral responsibility and recognised scholarly methodology required to function as a religious authority.

“Muslims remain morally accountable for the knowledge they accept and transmit,” he said, adding that the Quran emphasises the need to verify information before accepting it, a principle that remains relevant in an era increasingly shaped by AI-powered platforms.

Citing Imam al-Maturidi's philosophy of guided reason, Mohamed Azam said technological innovation should neither be rejected nor embraced uncritically, but should be used responsibly within an ethical and theological framework rooted in revelation and rational inquiry.

Meanwhile, International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) professor Prof Dr Shukran Abd Rahman said higher education must move beyond producing technically competent graduates to nurturing ethical individuals capable of promoting peace, tolerance and social cohesion.

Speaking at the same session, Shukran said true global security and sustainable development could not be achieved through economic or military means alone, but required profound civilisational and moral renewal driven by higher education.

He proposed a humanity-centric higher education model inspired by the intellectual legacy of Imam al-Maturidi and other Central Asian scholars, integrating their teachings into contemporary university curricula to strengthen ethical leadership and intercultural understanding.

He said universities should cultivate students who viewed their careers as acts of ethical service, warning that graduates with advanced technical skills but lacking values such as justice, empathy and integrity could become liabilities rather than assets to society.

The conference brought together scholars, academics and policymakers to examine the enduring legacy of Imam al-Maturidi and explore how his intellectual tradition could address contemporary challenges, including digital ethics, education, governance and social harmony.

--NNN