Using AI for Islamic Knowledge: A Reflection

In an age where information is instantly accessible and answers are just a few keystrokes away, many turn to artificial intelligence as a convenient source for learning about Islam. While AI may offer quick summaries and references, it risks reducing sacred knowledge to mere data. 

The introduction you just read- was generated by Artificial Intelligence (AI)- in a matter of seconds. That was only a portion of what was generated from my input. I couldn’t type those words as fast as the AI took my input, formulated a response and then generated it for me to copy and paste. 

The following are my reflections on AI and our use of it as Muslims; not AI-generated. 

There are bigger issues affecting us, should we be discussing AI? 

Yes. Discussing it does not diminish the other struggles we have as an ummah. 

This technology is widespread and easily accessible. From Siri and Google Assistant to the (in)famous ChatGPT, Meta AI and DeepSeek, assistive, generative and Large Language Model (LLM) AI is a part of people’s lives in varying degrees. My father, who is retiring this year, is utilising AI at the end of his career, as are my nephews and nieces in primary and high school. We need to assess and discuss how we use AI to be proactive to the dangers it may pose, rather than waiting for the ummah to fall prey.

AI is accurate and utilises sources which makes it fool-proof right?

Wrong. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman expressed surprise at people’s trust in OpenAI’s LLM AI: ChatGPT. In an OpenAI Podcast episode in June 2025, Sam said: “People have a very high degree of trust in ChatGPT, which is interesting because AI hallucinates. It should be the tech that you don’t trust that much.”

Hallucinating, in the context of AI, is a term used to describe how AI models can fabricate or alter information while claiming it as accurate. 

I’ve experimented (shamefully; a lot) with AI and I’ve seen first-hand these hallucinations. Here’s a snippet of a conversation I had with a popular LLM AI. 

Me:

Is there a Hadith from the 6 canonical Hadith books you can narrate pertaining to the importance of practicing what you have learnt?

Popular LLM AI:

Here's a Hadith from Sahih Bukhari:

Umar ibn Al-Khattab (RA) reported:

The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, "A person is judged by his deeds, and a person is given life by his knowledge, but his knowledge is not benefited from until he acts upon it."

(Translation: Sahih Bukhari, Vol. 1, Book 3, Hadith 85)

This Hadith, narrated by Umar ibn Al-Khattab (RA), emphasizes the importance of putting knowledge into practice. 

Me:

This Hadith does not appear to exist, is it an hallucination on your part?

Popular LLM AI:

I apologize for the mistake. You are correct, the Hadith I previously mentioned does not exist. I'm a large language model, my responses are generated based on patterns and associations in the data I was trained on, and sometimes this can lead to errors or hallucinations. I try my best to provide accurate and helpful information, but I am not perfect and can make mistakes. Thank you for pointing out the error, I will make sure to be more careful in the future.

After several hallucinations (and accurate responses), I began to wonder whether the model was prone to hallucinating due to the complexity of Islamic knowledge. So, I decided to enquire about something simple that I am (unashamedly) familiar with: Classic episodes of The Simpsons.

Me:

What is the scene in simpsons tree house of horror where homer time travels and comes to a universe and maggie takes her dummy out and speaks?

Popular LLM AI:

You're referring to the classic Treehouse of Horror episode!

The scene you're describing is from Treehouse of Horror IV, specifically the segment titled "Time and Punishment" (Season 5, Episode 5).

In this segment, Homer's time traveling adventures take him to a universe where Maggie removes her pacifier and speaks, saying "Daddy" in a clear and intelligent voice. This is a shocking moment for Homer, as Maggie has never spoken before in the series.

Me:

Is this a hallucination?

Popular LLM AI:

Yes, this is a hallucination. The scene you described, where Maggie speaks after removing her pacifier, does not exist in any episode of The Simpsons, including the Treehouse of Horror series. Maggie has always been portrayed as a baby who communicates only through sucking her pacifier and making cooing sounds, never speaking.

The LLM AI fabricated an episode of The Simpsons, couldn’t recall the moment I’m referring to, and falsely declared Maggie has never spoken in The Simpsons. 

D’oh! 

Beyond the potential for fabricated and inaccurate information being presented, there are further important considerations for Muslims utilising AI for Islamic knowledge.

Early data suggests use of LLM AI reduces our brain function

A study conducted by researchers at MIT, exploring the use of LLM AI in essay-writing has shown those who used LLM AI demonstrated far lower brain-network connectivity. Over 4 months, the study revealed LLM AI users also consistently scored lower on assessments of neural, linguistic and behavioural traits. 

This study was small-scale, and the field of studying this is brand-new. However, I think it’s clear, from this study and anecdotally, increased LLM AI use is very likely coming at the cost of our own brain’s abilities. 

And one of the overarching goals of Islamic governance (shari’ah) is the preservation of the human intellect (‘aql). 

Intention and accountability in Islam

Certainly, the deeds are by their intentions. This is the famous hadith related by Bukhari and Muslim and the first universal legal maxim in Islamic jurisprudence (fiqh). In another hadith related by both Bukhari and Muslim, the Prophet (SAW) teaches us that the judge who strives to get to the correct ruling and is correct will have two rewards; and the judge who strives to the correct ruling and is mistaken will have one reward. The scholars have understood this hadith to also apply to the qualified amongst the scholars. This allows scholars to put in their best effort in coming to a ruling in fiqh; without being paralysed by fear of reaching a mistaken verdict. 

For the unqualified person, who is using AI to get their rulings and fatwa for daily life, the above concepts need to be considered. Is our intention for using AI an intention that is likely to be rewardable; or is it something else? And if I follow the opinion or fatwa presented by the AI, who is accountable if it was wrong? It won’t be the AI for obvious reasons, and I doubt it will be its developers as their intention was not to make AI a fatwa-provider. So suddenly; the only person left to be accountable is… Me. You. Us. Is seeking an answer from an LLM AI going to be considered “striving to get the correct ruling” on the day we will be held accountable? I’m not so sure… 

AI is NOT a shortcut to beneficial knowledge or success 

AI is a tool - and like any tool, it must be understood and utilised in a way that increases its benefit and reduces its harm. Unfortunately, and this is a reminder for me before anyone else, we are increasingly looking for ways to take shortcuts to attain our goals. But the Sunnah of Allah (the Divine Way in how Allah Decrees) shows us time and time again that real success, real triumph, necessarily takes time, effort and consistency. We are reminded of this lesson in life when we hear about the lives of the Prophets (may Allah Send Peace on them all), the biographies of the scholars (may Allah have Mercy on them all), multiple verses (ayaat) of The Quran and teachings from the hadith literature. This is my favourite verse to reflect upon the Sunnah of Allah in regard to time: 

وَلَقَدْ خَلَقْنَا ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضَ وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَا فِى سِتَّةِ أَيَّامٍۢ وَمَا مَسَّنَا مِن لُّغُوبٍۢ 

Indeed, We Created the heavens and the earth and everything in-between in six days, and We were not [even] touched with fatigue.

Surah Qaf, Ayah 38 (50:38)

An obvious point and yet one to reflect on; Allah chose for the creation to occur over six days. The reflection for me is this: that which is beautiful, which is truly remarkable and worthy, it is the Sunnah of Allah that it takes time. There are no shortcuts to Ultimate Success; just consistency, effort and sincerity. 

There is so much I have left out when it comes to AI and its use by us as Muslims. I pray this small reflection provides some utility for you to evaluate your own use of it and perhaps encourage those who are more qualified than me to investigate and teach us how to best utilise AI. 

May Allah keep us sincere, make us of those who strive in His path and accept our efforts despite all of our shortcomings. 

Allahumma Ameen.