The rapid advancement of artificial intelligence (AI) has driven the emergence of numerous ethical frameworks at the global level, most of which remain rooted in secular-Western paradigms that tend to separate instrumental rationality from transcendental values. This article examines the potential of Islamic epistemology—through the integration of bayani, burhani, and irfani reasoning together with the principles of maqashid syariah—to function as an alternative evaluative framework for assessing the ethics of AI development and use. The study employs a qualitative approach through a philosophical-analytical library research design, drawing on primary literature consisting of reputable indexed international and national journal articles as well as regulatory documents, which are subsequently analyzed using content analysis and thematic synthesis. The findings reveal three conceptual contributions of Islamic epistemology: first, bayani reasoning preserves the authority of revelation as a normative boundary for AI development; second, burhani reasoning provides a rational-logical verification mechanism for algorithmic truth claims; and third, irfani reasoning instills a spiritual-ethical dimension in the form of intention (niyyah) and moral responsibility for both users and developers of AI. Furthermore, the five principles of maqashid syariah—hifz al-din, al-nafs, al-'aql, al-nasl, and al-mal—serve as operational instruments for contextually assessing the benefits and harms of AI implementation. The study concludes that AI ethics grounded in Islamic epistemology is complementary, rather than contradictory, to global ethical frameworks such as the UNESCO Recommendation, while introducing a spiritual dimension that has not yet been accommodated in mainstream AI ethics discourse.
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