The Future of Muslim Judges in the Age of Artificial Intelligence: An Analysis of Ijtihad, Judicial Authority, and Algorithmic Decision-Making

The rapid progress of artificial intelligence has given rise to new possibilities and challenges in the justice systems of the entire world. It is believed that AI can prove helpful in case preparation and analysis, legal research and improving judicial performance, thereby aiding the delivery of justice. Its use gives rise to many questions concerning the human mind and understanding, judicial authority, decision-making and the transparency of ethical responsibility. The present research examines how, in light of AI’s ever-growing trends, the role of judges in an Islamic state, their Ijtihadi capacity and authority, may be affected. This study adopts a qualitative method. For this purpose, sources of jurisprudence, the objectives of Sharia, new legal research, a comparative review and analysis of artificial intelligence have been undertaken. The findings of this study indicate that the function of AI is merely to serve as an assistant in making the judicial system more efficient, and under no circumstances can artificial intelligence be regarded as equivalent to a judge’s juristic reasoning, legal understanding and moral responsibility. Traditionally, in the Islamic judicial system, the office of the judge does not rely solely on the accumulation of knowledge and the analysis of information, but on an understanding of the texts of Islamic jurisprudence, the changing circumstances and their interpretation, and on moral character. This study proposes that in the coming era artificial intelligence be utilized as an auxiliary tool in the justice systems of Islamic states, in relation to the principles of Islamic jurisprudence, the objectives of Sharia and judicial ethics. This process can maintain a natural balance between modern demands and the fundamental principles of justice.