Scholarly and Ethical Principles for the Use of Artificial Intelligence in Islamic Research: A Critical and Analytical Study اسلامی تحقیق میں مصنوعی ذہانت کے استعمال کے علمی و اخلاقی اصول: ایک تحقیقی و تنقیدی مطالعہ

Abstract

The advent of Artificial Intelligence (AI), particularly Large Language Models (LLMs) such as ChatGPT, has fundamentally disrupted traditional methodologies of academic research, including the domain of Islamic Studies. While AI offers unprecedented capabilities in literature review, translation, and data synthesis, it simultaneously introduces profound ethical and epistemological challenges. The primary problem lies in the uncritical integration of AI-generated content into Islamic scholarly writing, which compromises academic integrity, facilitates intellectual theft (plagiarism), and propagates algorithmic hallucinations as factual religious knowledge. This critical analytical study seeks to address this significant research gap by formulating an "Islamic AI Research Ethics Framework" (IAIREF) grounded in classical Islamic jurisprudence and modern academic standards. Employing a qualitative, comparative methodology, the research analyzes primary Islamic sources (Qur'an, Sunnah, and classical Usul al-Fiqh treatises) alongside contemporary tech-ethics frameworks (UNESCO, OECD, and HEC policies). The findings reveal that while AI is fundamentally a syntactic engine devoid of semantic understanding or moral agency (Taklif), its utilization in Islamic research is permissible (Mubah) as a cognitive assistant, provided it strictly adheres to the principles of Amanah Ilmiyyah (academic trust) and Tahqiq (verification). The paper concludes that AI-generated text cannot serve as an independent epistemological source, and institutions must mandate strict verification protocols to protect the sanctity of religious transmission (Sanad) from algorithmic bias and fabrication.