Egypt’s Grand Mufti, Dr. Nazir Ayyad, has warned Muslims against relying solely on artificial intelligence applications to interpret the Qur’an, stressing that such use is religiously impermissible and may lead to distorted understandings of the sacred text.
In a statement published on the official website of Dar Al Ifta Al Misriyyah, Dr. Ayyad said that independently using AI tools to derive meanings from the Qur’an is prohibited under Islamic law, Gulf News reported.
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He emphasised that Qur’anic interpretation is a serious scholarly responsibility that cannot be separated from established Islamic sciences.
The Grand Mufti explained that the guidance aims to protect the Qur’an from conjecture and speculative interpretation, and to prevent unverified meanings from being circulated without proper scholarly grounding.
He cautioned that attributing meanings to the Qur’an without specialist verification risks undermining the integrity and sanctity of the divine message.
Recognised Methodologies
Dr. Ayyad stressed that interpreting the Qur’an should remain the responsibility of those who possess the recognised tools and methodologies of tafsir, as developed by qualified scholars of Qur’anic exegesis and Islamic jurisprudence.
These scholarly frameworks, he said, are essential to preserving accuracy and safeguarding the Qur’an from misinterpretation.
He urged Muslims seeking to understand Qur’anic verses to consult well-established books of tafsir or to turn directly to trusted scholars and accredited religious institutions through available and official channels.
Such an approach, he noted, ensures that understanding is rooted in sound knowledge, scholarly rigor, and intellectual integrity.
Dr. Ayyad concluded that while modern technologies may offer support in learning, they cannot replace qualified scholarship when engaging with the Qur’an.
Protecting the meanings of Allah’s words, he said, requires humility, discipline, and reliance on authentic knowledge passed down through generations of scholars.