Generative AI and Islamic Scientific Authority: A Critical Review of Modern Literature

Abstract

The rapid development of generative AI has triggered a fundamental shift in the landscape of Islamic scholarly authority. This study examines how this technology influences the structure, legitimacy, and perception of Islamic scholarly authority through a literature review with a qualitative analysis approach. The results indicate that generative AI is giving rise to a new form of authority called algorithmic authority, which displaces the role of traditional ulama by offering instant religious answers perceived as objective knowledge. This phenomenon poses significant epistemological and hermeneutical risks, such as the potential for hallucinations (false citations), algorithmic bias, and a simplification of the complexity of Islamic legal methodology (uṣūl al-fiqh) and interpretation. AI, which works based on statistical calculations, does not have the capacity for intentionality, understanding maqāṣid al-sharī'ah, and moral accountability, which underpin the authority of Islamic scholarship. However, academic debate also highlights the potential of AI as an epistemic partner that can aid text analysis and research. Therefore, the Islamic academic community needs to develop digital literacy and an ethical framework to ensure that AI is used as a tool that strengthens, rather than undermines, the integrity of Islamic epistemology.