Transformation of Mufassir Authority in the Era of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Tafsir

Zulfikar Fikar; Muhammad Fathi Salim; Muhammad Dzul ‘Izzi Ash-Shiddiqi

doi:10.21154/tafasir.v3i2.13781

Authors

Zulfikar Fikar Universitas Muhammadiyah Surakarta
Muhammad Fathi Salim Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia, Malaysia
Muhammad Dzul ‘Izzi Ash-Shiddiqi STAI Al-Akbar Surabaya

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.21154/tafasir.v3i2.13781

Keywords:

Artificial Intelligence, Digital Tafsir, Epistemic Legitimacy, Hybrid Authority Model, Mufassir Authority

Abstract

The development of artificial intelligence (AI) and digital tafsir platforms has significantly transformed the production and distribution of Islamic knowledge within digital spaces. The emergence of AI-based chatbots, online Qur’anic interpretation applications, and religious social media platforms enables Muslims to access interpretations of the Qur’an instantly without relying exclusively on traditional religious scholars or mufassirs. This phenomenon has generated new concerns regarding the shift of interpretive authority from an ulama-centered model toward a more open and participatory digital framework. This study aims to analyze the transformation of mufassir authority in the era of artificial intelligence and to examine the epistemological implications of digital tafsir for contemporary Qur’anic studies. This research employs a library research method using contemporary tafsir approaches and digital discourse analysis. The data were collected from scholarly articles, academic books, and various digital tafsir platforms relevant to the topic. The findings reveal that AI has altered the structure of Qur’anic interpretive authority through broader accessibility, accelerated knowledge production, and the emergence of participatory interpretive practices. Nevertheless, this transformation also raises issues related to validity, fragmentation of authority, and weak scholarly verification in digital-based interpretation. This study concludes that the reconstruction of mufassir authority is necessary to respond adaptively to technological developments while maintaining methodological principles within the Islamic tafsir tradition.

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