From The Pulpit to The Algorithm: The Transformation Of Islamic Fatwa Authority In The Era Of Artificial Intelligence

Bukhari; Azwir

doi:10.47766/jcii.v5i2.8366

From The Pulpit to The Algorithm: The Transformation Of Islamic Fatwa Authority In The Era Of Artificial Intelligence

Bukhari

Azwir

Keywords: Artificial Intelligence Fatwa Authority Islamic Law Digital Religion Religious Authority

The development of artificial intelligence (AI) has changed the way Muslims access Islamic legal knowledge and obtain answers to religious issues. This change raises questions about the legitimacy and authority of fatwa in the digital era. This study aims to analyze the transformation of fatwa authority through the perspective of religious and digital religious mediation. The research uses a qualitative method based on literature studies with a socio-legal approach. The data is analyzed thematically to identify changes in epistemic, institutional, and socio-digital authority. The results of the study show that AI expands access to Islamic legal information, but the speed and ability to produce answers does not automatically guarantee legal validity and legitimacy as a fatwa issuer. Fatwa authorities still require scientific competence, source verification, context understanding, and institutional accountability. This research offers a conceptual framework that integrates the three dimensions of authority to explain the change in the legitimacy of fatwas. Thus, AI needs to be placed as a supporting instrument, not a substitute for scholars and fatwa institutions.

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