Fake Fatwas and AI-Generated Scholars

A scholar may appear on screen with his familiar face and recognizable voice, citing a Quranic verse and delivering a religious ruling. But what if none of it were real?

This is where the danger of AI-generated fatwa manipulation becomes clear. Manipulation is no longer limited to fabricating information or misquoting someone; it can now replicate a scholar’s voice and appearance and attribute religious rulings to him that he never issued.

The problem becomes even more serious because neither voice nor image can always be treated as sufficient proof of a speaker’s identity. A 2025 study found that participants judged AI-generated voices to match the identity of the real speaker in around 80% of cases, while they successfully recognized an AI-generated voice in only about 60% of cases.

Faking a Scholar’s Voice

A study published in Nature Communications, involving thousands of participants, found that some forms of synthetic speech generated through text-to-speech systems were particularly difficult to detect. In one experiment, participants identified certain AI-generated audio deepfakes correctly only 72% of the time.

This means that even a religious clip that sounds familiar may itself require verification.

The Quran gives us a fundamental principle here: {O believers, if an evildoer brings you any news, verify ˹it˺ so you do not harm people unknowingly, becoming regretful for what you have done.} [Al-Hujurat 49:6]

Failing to verify information can lead to harm and regret. This becomes even more serious when a clip falsely attributed to a scholar can damage his reputation, fuel disputes between schools of thought, create conflict among Muslims, or alter public attitudes toward an entire religious institution.

A Fatwa Is More Than Information

Issuing a fatwa requires an understanding of the relevant texts, knowledge of scholarly agreements and disagreements, awareness of the questioner’s circumstances, and the ability to apply a ruling to a particular situation.

Ibn Al-Qayyim relates from Imam Ash-Shafi`i that a mufti must have knowledge of the Book of Allah and its sciences, the sayings of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), the Arabic language, the differing views of scholars, and the jurisprudential qualifications necessary to speak about what is lawful and unlawful.

This is where the distinction between a tool that assists a researcher and a qualified scholar becomes clear. In Resolution No. 258, issued in 2025, the International Islamic Fiqh Academy affirmed that the basic ruling on the use of artificial intelligence is permissibility, provided that its use is lawful, beneficial, avoids harm, protects rights, and adheres to honesty, documentation, and transparency.

The problem, therefore, is not using AI for research or indexing. The problem arises when it generates fabricated fatwas that appear authoritative and then attributes them to a scholar or institution that never issued them.

AI-Generated Fatwas and the Usurpation of Religious Authority

The danger of AI-generated fatwa manipulation does not stop at fabricating the words of a real scholar. Artificially generated religious figures are also beginning to appear on digital platforms as sources of religious knowledge. In August 2026, Religion News Service reported on AI-generated religious personalities, including one called Shaykh AI, which openly identifies itself as an artificial system.

A user may know that such a figure is not a real human being, yet gradually grant it the authority of a scholar because it is always available, responds instantly, and speaks with confidence.

This creates another danger: the ability to produce convincing answers can gradually become a source of religious authority without the knowledge or qualifications that such authority requires.

Allah says, {Then ask those who have knowledge ˹of the Scriptures˺.} [An-Nahl 16:43]

The principle is clear: when we do not know, we turn to qualified people of knowledge, not simply to any source capable of producing a convincing answer.

The Prophet (peace be upon him) also warned against unqualified people taking the place of scholars, saying: “Allah does not take away the knowledge, by taking it away from (the hearts of) the people, but takes it away by the death of the religious learned men till when none of the (religious learned men) remains, people will take as their leaders ignorant persons who when consulted will give their verdict without knowledge. So they will go astray and will lead the people astray.” (Sahih al-Bukhari, 100)

How Can We Verify a Fatwa Before Sharing It?

In an age of deepfakes, a familiar voice or convincing image is no longer enough. The original recording should be sought, along with the scholar’s official account or the institution he represents. The clip should be compared with the original recording or a published transcript, and no fatwa should be shared unless its attribution can be verified.

This is particularly important for young people. In a global UNESCO survey conducted in 2024, 62% of digital content creators surveyed said they did not conduct rigorous and systematic fact-checking before sharing information.

The Quran reinforces this principle: {Do not follow what you have no ˹sure˺ knowledge of. Indeed, all will be called to account for ˹their˺ hearing, sight, and intellect.} [Al-Isra’ 17:36]

The Prophet (peace be upon him) likewise said: “It is enough of a lie for a man to narrate everything he hears.” (Sahih Muslim, 5)

The responsibility for verification does not rest with the public alone. Religious institutions also need to establish a trustworthy digital presence: archiving fatwas and lectures, verifying official accounts, preserving original versions of their material, and providing clear channels for reporting and refuting fabricated clips.

AI itself can also be used for indexing, research, and detecting manipulation rather than allowing it to become merely a tool for deception.

Verify the Source of the Fatwa

Islam has never opposed the transmission of knowledge; rather, it established principles to protect it. One of the profound lessons of the science of Hadith is that attributing a statement to its source is not a trivial matter. This is why Muslim scholars developed meticulous methods for examining transmitters and chains of transmission.

A digital clip cannot, of course, be equated with a Hadith chain of transmission. Yet the underlying principle remains relevant: statements should not be attributed to people without verification.

Therefore, confronting AI-generated fatwa manipulation does not mean rejecting technology or fearing it. It means placing the technology in its proper position: as a tool that can serve research and knowledge, but that does not possess, by itself, the qualifications required to issue religious rulings or the authority of a scholar.

A real scholar can be questioned, reviewed, and corrected. His works, teachers, and institutions can be identified and examined. An artificial persona, by contrast, may be nothing more than a voice and an image created to deceive you.