The Growing Trend of Artificial Intelligence in the Modern Era:Causes, Applications, Impacts and Islamic Teachings

Abstract

This analytical study examines the rapid growth of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the modern
era, exploring its causes, applications, and multifaceted impacts on humanity, in light of
Islamic teachings derived from the Quran and the Seerah of Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم. AI
technologies including machine learning, neural networks, and large language models are
transforming every sector: healthcare, education, finance, transportation, and warfare. The
causes include big data availability, increased computational power, algorithmic
advancements, and profit-driven investment. However, AI also presents serious challenges: job
displacement, algorithmic bias, privacy erosion, autonomous weapons, loss of human agency,
and ethical dilemmas regarding machine consciousness. Islamic teachings provide
comprehensive guidance: the prohibition of harm (la darar), the obligation of accountability
(mas’uliyyah), preservation of human dignity (karamah), and the principle that benefits should
outweigh harms (jalb al-masalih wa dar’ al-mafasid). This study analyzes seven key areas of
AI ethics in light of Islamic sources, integrating both Western scholarly quotations and Islamic
primary texts. The findings reveal that Islam encourages beneficial innovation but prohibits
applications that cause injustice, deception, or harm to individuals or society. The study
concludes with eight findings and five actionable recommendations for ethical AI development
grounded in Islamic values.