Using ChatGPT for Quran Tafseer and Translation Prohibited, Official Fatwa Released

Dar al-Ifta, the Egyptian institution that officially bans the use of ChatGPT or other AI to interpret the Holy Quran, is now officially prohibited. The question of AI misinformation and the need to maintain authentic Islamic scholarship in the new digital era are some of the growing concerns that are addressed by this fatwa.

The Quran interpretation fatwa by Egypt’s Dar al-Ifta has recently been issued. They proclaimed the application of artificial intelligence to interpret verses in the Quran as religiously forbidden.

The decision is aimed at the religious exegesis by independent usage of bots such as ChatGPT. Grand Mufti of Egypt Nazir Ayyad cautions that such instruments do not have the required scholarly dimension. Applying algorithms to make Tafsir may cause distortions on understanding of sacred texts.

Dar al-Ifta Warns Against AI Misinformation

Religious scholars worry about the emergence of AI fake news in religious affairs. To support this point, Dar al-Ifta holds that artificial intelligence is based on the probability, rather than the truth. These uses usually produce the hallucinations which appear and seem to have facts but do not have any context.

For a correct comprehension of Islamic teachings, scholars insist on human expertise. The Grand Mufti of Egypt Nazir Ayyad emphasizes that Tafsir requires mastery of classical Arabic and historical context. A machine cannot replicate the Ijtihad (independent reasoning) performed by a qualified scholar.

This ban does not mean a rejection of all technology. Egypt’s Dar al-Ifta encourages using digital tools for prayer times or finding verified texts. However, they draw a hard line at letting artificial intelligence generate new meanings for the Holy Qur’an.