REIMAGINING ISLAMIC CIVILIZATION IN THE DIGITAL AGE: TECHNOLOGY, AUTHORITY, AND THE TRANSFORMATION OF RELIGIOUS MEANING
Abstract
The rapid expansion of digital technologies and artificial intelligence has profoundly transformed the production, circulation, and interpretation of religious knowledge within Muslim societies. Islamic civilization, historically shaped by institutional scholarship and structured chains of authority, now operates within algorithmically mediated environments that redefine visibility, legitimacy, and engagement. This study aims to examine how technology reshapes religious authority and transforms the meaning-making processes within contemporary Islamic contexts. A mixed-method design was employed, combining quantitative survey analysis (n = 95), digital ethnography, discourse analysis of online religious content, and semi-structured interviews with institutional scholars, digital influencers, and Muslim users. Multivariate analysis revealed a significant relationship between digital engagement and perceived transformation of religious meaning (? = 0.46, p < 0.001), while qualitative findings indicated a shift toward networked, participatory authority structures. The results demonstrate that religious authority is not eroded but reconfigured through accessibility, interactivity, and algorithmic visibility. The study concludes that Islamic civilization in the digital age undergoes structural adaptation rather than rupture, requiring a reconceptualization of authority that integrates technological mediation with classical epistemic traditions.
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