Coping with AI: Islamic Principles for New Education Policy

Abstract

Artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping the landscape of higher education by influencing how knowledge is produced, transmitted, and evaluated. While AI promises efficiency and personalisation, it also generates ethical dilemmas related to privacy, autonomy, bias, and accountability. These concerns become more profound when considered through an Islamic lens that connects knowledge to morality, faith, and social responsibility. This policy brief develops an Islamic framework for coping with the challenges of AI in education policy by drawing on the higher objectives of Islamic law (Maqāṣid al-Sharīʿah). The discussion revisits classical jurisprudential tools—maṣlaḥa (public welfare), qiyās (analogy), istihsān (juristic preference), and sadd al-dharaʿi (prevention of harm)—to reinterpret responsible innovation for the digital era. It argues that the integration of AI into education policy must preserve justice, compassion, and human dignity while advancing inclusive learning. The proposed framework highlights the potential of Islamic ethics to enrich global AI discourse by embedding spiritual accountability within educational governance.