THE ETHICAL IMPLICATIONS OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI) IN ISLAMIC SOCIETIES: A CRITICAL EXAMINATION

Abstract

The rapid evolution of Artificial Intelligence (AI) presents one of the most profound ethical, social, and religious challenges of the 21st century. As AI begins to influence nearly every sphere of human life from governance, education, and healthcare to religious practice and financial systems the Muslim world stands at a pivotal juncture. The question is no longer whether AI will be adopted in Islamic societies, but how it will be adopted, and more crucially, under what moral and legal frameworks. This article critically examines the ethical and religious implications of AI technologies through the lens of Islamic jurisprudence and ethics. Key concerns include the loss of moral agency, threats to human dignity (dignity), violations of privacy, and the rise of algorithmic authority in sensitive areas such as justice and religious interpretation. Applying the framework of Maqasid al-Sharia (objectives of Islamic law), this study proposes a set of ethical guidelines for the adoption of responsible AI. It argues that AI must be aligned with Islamic values of justice (adl), trust (amanah), and accountability, emphasizing the need for human oversight, transparency, and purpose-driven innovation. This article contributes to the growing debate on  decolonizing AI ethics by presenting an Islamic-based model of ethical and technological development. The future of AI in Islamic societies, if guided wisely, can not only secure a more just and equitable technological order but also revive a long-lasting Islamic tradition of reconciling faith and reason, innovation and morality, knowledge and virtue.