The Impact of Artificial Intelligence on the Development of Islamic Culture in the Digital Age

تأثير الذكاء الاصطناعي على تطوير الثقافة الإسلامية في العصر الرقمي

Abstract

The Impact of Artificial Intelligence on the Development of Islamic Culture in the Digital Age: An Executive Summary . This research delves into the profound influence of Artificial Intelligence (AI) on the development of Islamic culture in the digital era, focusing on how this technological shift is fundamentally altering knowledge production and dissemination. The study addresses the core problem of AI's effect on Islamic cultural development, specifically exploring the benefits, challenges, and necessary policy adjustments required for its safe and effective deployment. The primary objectives were to systematically evaluate the impact of AI applications on the quality of Islamic cultural development, review associated benefits and challenges, and formulate policy recommendations for safe implementation. The study adopted a combined historical and descriptive-analytical approach to test several hypotheses which affirmed that AI use significantly increases and facilitates the global spread of Islamic culture, yet introduces a threat where algorithmic value bias may distort core Islamic concepts. The research further established that the quality and accuracy of AI outputs are directly linked to user understanding, and that the optimal benefit is conditional on establishing and implementing ethical and Sharia-compliant frameworks for AI operation. The research was focused geographically on Saudi Arabia and temporally on 2025.Key Findings and Strategic Orientation . The investigation yielded four critical findings that define the modern crossroads of faith and technology, demonstrating that AI facilitates a qualitative leap in the mechanisms for preserving and disseminating Islamic heritage and knowledge. However, the most significant ethical threat is posed by algorithmic bias, which stems from the poor representation of authentic Islamic data in global Large Language Models (LLMs), risking the production of superficial or distorted religious content. This makes the quality and reliability of AI-generated Islamic outputs directly contingent upon the safety and design integrity of the specific model used, underscoring that the effective and secure utilization of AI in this domain cannot be achieved without a binding ethical and Sharia framework to govern its design and operation. Recommendations for Digital Stewardship. Based on these findings, the research provided targeted recommendations across the technical, academic, and legislative sectors. The technical strategy advises that Islamic coalitions establish a Sovereign Sharia Data Bank and enforce "Ethics by Design" in Islamic applications by integrating core Islamic values into programming. The academic strategy calls for developing dual-competency programs to graduate "Programming Jurists" and mandating Digital Critical Literacy courses in Islamic curricula to equip the public to critically assess AI outputs. Crucially, the legislative strategy urges the formulation of a Sharia Ethics Charter for AI and the enforcement of Algorithmic Transparency, obligating smart Fatwa system developers to provide clear traceability mechanisms showing the source and methodology of their decisions, thereby lifting algorithmic ambiguity (Gharar) from the users. In conclusion, the future of Islamic culture in the digital age will not be secured through the denial of AI, but through its deliberate and ethical orientation towards the principles of justice, trustworthiness, and moderation. The ultimate challenge is a civilizational one: to successfully leverage this technological power to achieve Digital Stewardship (Al-Istikhlaf Ar-Raqami) and present a unique global model for technology ethics rooted in divine guidance.