Vice President: AI's Sophistication Cannot Change The Role Of Ulama In Issuing Fatwa

Vice President Ma'ruf Amin when delivering a statement on the agenda of the 2024 Brawijaya Halal Summit at Universitas Brawijaya, Malang, East Java, Friday (19/1/2024). (ANTARA/Andi Firdaus).

Vice President Ma'ruf Amin stated that the sophistication of artificial intelligence (AI) technology or artificial intelligence will not replace the role of ulama in issuing fatwas for religious purposes.

"AI is just a tool. The tool only provides, communicates, or disseminates, or informs. So it cannot make a fatwa," said Vice President Ma'ruf Amin after attending the 2024 Brawijaya Halal Summit at Universitas Brawijaya, Malang, East Java, reported by ANTARA, Friday, January 19.

He said the fatwa must be issued by a mufti or person who is authorized to produce a fatwa, because in giving a fatwa it requires the basics that are used as guidelines.

On that basis, the Vice President argues that fatwas should not be issued by just anyone, let alone using AI technology.

"So it is impossible for the tool to become a mufti. Mufti has conditions," he said.

The statement was made by Vice President Ma'ruf when asked for a response regarding the news that scholars in Iran are now starting the use of AI technology to help issue fatwas.

According to a Financial Times report, the experiment was carried out in the holy city of Qom, one of the cities in Iran better known as Islamic learning centers and pilgrimages supported by cutting-edge technology.

The potential utilization of AI technology in Iran is also exploring matters related to outlining long Islamic texts to seek clues to issue religious fatwas.

Fatwa is a term in Islamic law regarding opinions or interpretations on certain problems that occur in the ummah.*