Islamic Chatbots in the Age of Large Language Models

TL;DR

This paper examines how large language model-powered Islamic chatbots are transforming religious practices, access to knowledge, and community authority in Muslim communities, highlighting benefits and challenges.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive analysis of the current landscape of Islamic chatbots powered by LLMs and discusses responsible design considerations.

Findings

Democratization of religious knowledge access

Potential erosion of traditional religious authority

Challenges in ensuring responsible chatbot design

Abstract

Large Language Models (LLMs) are rapidly transforming how communities access, interpret, and circulate knowledge, and religious communities are no exception. Chatbots powered by LLMs are beginning to reshape authority, pedagogy, and everyday religious practice in Muslim communities. We analyze the landscape of LLM powered Islamic chatbots and how they are transforming Islamic religious practices e.g., democratizing access to religious knowledge but also running the risk of erosion of authority. We discuss what kind of challenges do these systems raise for Muslim communities and explore recommendations for the responsible design of these systems.