The Identity of Islamic Thought and the Challenges of Artificial Intelligence (Sufi Thought as a Model)

Abstract

The issue of identity, in its most precise operational sense, refers to particularity,distinctiveness, and the deep civilizational and cultural dimensions of any nation. When this concept is applied to Islamic thought, its epistemological meanings and implications acquire greater significance and sensitivity, as the subject is intrinsically connected to Islam's spiritual, faith-based, doctrinal, and legal dimensions-dimensions that are vast and not easily confined. Focusing on a specific aspect of Islamic thought, namely Islamic Sufi thought, renders the issue of identity more evident. This is because Sufism is fundamentally grounded in a living, dynamic relationship among its adherents and is primarily based on lived spiritual experience. Such characteristics bring into sharp focus the magnitude of the challenges that this form of thought faces in light of the rapid technological, digital, and virtual expansion of artificial intelligence, which is increasingly permeating various branches of the human sciences. This study does not seek to privilege one side over the other, nor does it attempt to negate either Islamic thought or artificial intelligence. Rather, it aims to propose a constructive balance that takes into account the realities of the contemporary world while preserving the core identity and experiential depth of Sufi Islamic thought.