Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Islamic Religious Education: Opportunities, Challenges, and Implications in the Digital

Abstract

The digital era presents great opportunities for education through the utilization of Artificial Intelligence (AI), which enables adaptive, personalized, and interactive learning. In the context of Islamic Religious Education (IRE), AI can be used to enrich the learning process by providing digital Islamic literature, offering interactive exegesis, and even simulating worship practices through VR and AR technologies. This study employs a literature review method with a qualitative approach, examining books, journals, and related references to analyze the opportunities, challenges, and implications of AI in IRE learning in the digital era. The findings indicate that AI can enhance learning efficiency, accelerate learning assessments, personalize materials according to students’ needs, and broaden access to Islamic knowledge. These innovations have the potential to strengthen students’ cognitive, affective, and psychomotor understanding. However, its implementation also faces several challenges, such as the risk of religious value distortion if content is not verified by scholars, the potential reduction of teachers’ role as moral exemplars (murabbi), and the limited digital literacy of some educators. The implications of these findings emphasize that the integration of AI in IRE must be carried out wisely, supported by teacher competency development, ethical regulations, and content supervision grounded in Islamic values. With a balanced approach, AI can serve as a strategic tool to support the mission of IRE: shaping a generation of Muslims who are faithful, knowledgeable, and virtuous amid the currents of global digitalization.