Abstract

Objectives: This study analyzes how generative artificial intelligence and algorithmic recommendation systems are becoming epistemic structures that shape the production, consumption, and justification of religious knowledge, especially in Western European Muslim minority contexts where translation needs, rapid access, fragmented local authority, and platform attention economies intersect. Methods: Using an integrative conceptual synthesis that brings together AI ethics, digital religion scholarship, and Islamic ethics, the article proposes a practical maqasid-based framework centered on protecting religion (hifz al-din) and protecting intellect (hifz al-'aql) as criteria for evaluating risks and designing safeguards. The framework is translated into implementable governance tools: source-provenance and verification protocols for Qur'anic, hadith, and juristic citations; explicit communication of uncertainty; contestability and review mechanisms; qualified human-in-the-loop oversight for fatwa-like guidance and religious counseling; and community-facing digital and AI literacy programs. Conclusions: The study concludes that AI can support access and learning in religious knowledge domains when governed by clear ethical and institutional safeguards, and it proposes an empirical research agenda for systematically auditing model outputs in common religious queries.