AI SURVEILLANCE, PRIVACY (ḤIFẒ AL-ʿIRḌ), AND HUMAN DIGNITY IN ISLAMIC JURISPRUDENCE

Abstract

The rapid proliferation of artificial intelligence (AI) surveillance technologies presents unprecedented challenges to privacy and human dignity, necessitating examination through the lens of Islamic jurisprudence. This study explores the intersection of AI-enabled surveillance systems with the Islamic principle of Ḥifẓ al-ʿIrḍ (protection of honor and privacy), which constitutes a fundamental objective (maqṣid) of Shariah. Through a comprehensive analysis of classical Islamic legal texts, contemporary fatwas, and current AI surveillance practices, this research investigates how Islamic ethical frameworks can address modern surveillance challenges while preserving human dignity (karāmah al-insān). The study employs a qualitative methodology integrating classical Islamic legal theory (uṣūl al-fiqh) with contemporary technology ethics literature. Findings reveal that while Islam permits certain forms of surveillance for legitimate purposes (maṣlaḥah), AI surveillance systems often violate fundamental Islamic principles of privacy, consent, and human dignity through mass data collection, algorithmic bias, and unwarranted intrusion into private spaces. The research concludes that Islamic jurisprudence offers robust ethical guidelines for regulating AI surveillance, emphasizing the inviolability of private life, the requirement of legitimate necessity, proportionality in monitoring, and accountability mechanisms. This study contributes to the emerging discourse on Islamic digital ethics and provides practical recommendations for developing Shariah-compliant AI surveillance governance frameworks.