A blessing is any kind of goodness and beauty that Allah bestows upon people, which provides direct or indirect benefit, facilitates human life, beautifies it, and offers material and spiritual values such as peace, health, sustenance, knowledge, and love. Every blessing is a favor, mercy, and grace from Allah. In the Qur'an, it is revealed:
"He has given you everything you asked Him for. If you tried to number Allah’s blessings, you could never count them..." (Surah Ibrahim, 34)
This verse informs us that blessings are countless and comprehensive, and that man would be unable to even count them.
Most of the time, when blessings are mentioned, fruits in nature, animals, or man's own organs come to mind. However, human-made products are also among the blessings offered by Allah. This is because man did not acquire his intellect, knowledge, inspiration, and abilities on his own; all of these are the grace of Allah. Everything produced by man comes into being through the raw materials created by Allah and the intellect He has given. From this perspective, artificial intelligence, which has entered our lives today, should also be evaluated as a blessing from Allah. Like every blessing, the accurate and productive use of artificial intelligence is possible through the consciousness of gratitude and responsibility. Muslims must make the utmost effort to use this blessing in the way of Allah.
Does the Absence or Loss of Something Make One Realize the Value of a Blessing?
In the Qur'an, the importance of contemplation is emphasized, revealing: "Those who remember Allah standing, sitting and lying on their sides, and reflect on the creation of the heavens and the earth..." (Surah Al 'Imran, 191). In order to realize a blessing, one needs to question how and by whom that thing was created, and with what means it came into being, and to think about the benefit, convenience, and beauty it provides to the individual or society. On the other hand, contemplating what kind of difficulties would be experienced in the absence of the blessing, and how a life without it would be, also helps us understand the value of the blessing. Consequently, knowing that all of these are the grace of Allah leads us to thank Him and serves as a means for us to use this blessing in the right way.
The difficulties that man encounters are also, in fact, blessings. This is because they mature man, and teach him patience and gratitude. In the Qur'an, it is revealed:
"‘If you are grateful, I will certainly give you increase...’" (Surah Ibrahim, 7)
Everything That Causes Man to Draw Closer to Allah Is a Blessing
When blessings are mentioned, mostly products growing in nature, animals, or rains come to mind. However, there are many other blessings besides these. Man produces things with the intellect, knowledge, ability, and means given by Allah; but their source is still Allah. For example, a house, a car, a telephone, a medicine, a technological product, or a work of art comes into being from elements directly created by Allah, through the knowledge and inspiration He has given. In the Qur'an, it is revealed:
"Say: ‘What do you think? If Allah made it permanent night for you until the Day of Rising, what god other than Allah could bring you light?’..." (Surah al-Qasas, 71)
This verse reminds us that every kind of opportunity used by man is, directly or indirectly, a blessing from Allah.
The technological or cultural products produced by man are also a result of the intellect, knowledge, and opportunities given to man by Allah. Therefore, these are also blessings. Man is responsible for giving thanks for these blessings.
Artificial Intelligence: A Modern Blessing
Every kind of technological development produced by man is, in fact, a result of the intellect, knowledge, and creativity bestowed upon him by Allah. Innovations emerging in the modern age, such as advanced technologies, computers, the internet, and artificial intelligence, are also among the blessings offered by Allah. Just as the wheel, writing, electricity, or the printing press were great blessings for humanity in the past, today artificial intelligence and similar technologies must be evaluated as new conveniences and opportunities offered to people by Allah.
Artificial intelligence offers conveniences and provides new opportunities to humanity in many fields, from communication to health, and from science to art. While using these blessings, man must thank his Lord and evaluate the blessings He has given in accordance with His approval. In the Qur'an, with the verse, "It is He who conveys you on both land and sea..." (Surah Yunus, 22), it is reminded that the opportunities possessed by man are given through the mercy of Allah.
Reflections of Artificial Intelligence in Daily Life
Artificial intelligence, which is one of the most remarkable developments of technology today, offers great conveniences and innovations in almost every area of our lives. Artificial intelligence means computer systems that have the ability to analyze complex data, learn, solve problems, and assist people in various fields. These systems, as a reflection of the intellect and knowledge bestowed upon people by Allah, provide important conveniences for Muslims in both their individual and social lives.
For example, thanks to artificial intelligence-supported Qur'an applications, people can learn to read the Holy Qur'an in Arabic with correct pronunciation, quickly access the commentaries of the verses, and obtain instant information on subjects they do not understand. Likewise, for those who wish to deepen their knowledge in Islamic sciences, accessing sources of hadith, fiqh, and siyar has become much easier and faster with artificial intelligence. Artificial intelligence-based translation programs enable Islamic works in different languages to reach large masses, thereby allowing the universal message of Islam to reach more people.
In addition, many digital services developed for Muslim communities, such as prayer time reminders, prayer and Qur'an research applications, help in performing daily worship regularly and correctly. In the field of health, artificial intelligence-supported diagnosis and treatment systems offer faster and more effective solutions to patients, while strengthening the solidarity and cooperation of societies by providing rapid information flow during times of disaster and crisis.
All these examples clearly show that artificial intelligence, as a blessing from Allah, is a means of convenience and mercy for people. Muslims must be grateful for these blessings and seek ways to benefit both in this world and the hereafter by using them in accordance with Allah's approval.
Allah's Knowledge Encompasses All Things
No matter how much human intellect and scientific developments progress, at the basis of everything lies the infinite knowledge and power of Allah. From the functioning of the universe to the smallest thought in the human mind, everything is encompassed by the knowledge of Allah. In the Qur'an, it is revealed:
"The keys of the Unseen are in His possession. No one knows them but Him. He knows everything in the land and sea. No leaf falls without His knowing it. There is no seed in the darkness of the earth, and nothing moist or dry which is not in a Clear Book." (Surah al-An'am, 59)
This verse shows that Allah knows everything down to the finest detail, and that every movement and every system in the universe is encompassed by His knowledge. Man also acquires all the knowledge and technology he possesses through the grace of Allah. Although complex systems like artificial intelligence seem to be the product of the human mind, in reality, they are a result of the knowledge and ability given to people by Allah.
Artificial Intelligence and Human Intellect: The Inspiration of Allah
It is Allah Who gives man the ability to think, analyze, and produce. In the Qur'an, it is revealed: "Say: ‘It is He who brought you into being and gave you hearing, sight and hearts. What little thanks you show!’" (Surah al-Mulk, 23)
Artificial intelligence is a reflection of the human mind's ability to think deeply, learn, and make decisions. However, man must see these abilities not as his own, but as a grace from Allah. The ability of a computer, a software, or an algorithm to process billions of data is actually a result of the intellect and knowledge given to man by Allah. When man assumes his own power and knowledge to be absolute, he falls into a great deception. Whereas, unless Allah wills, no human being can acquire even the smallest piece of knowledge.
The Complexity of Artificial Intelligence and Allah's Infinite Art
Artificial intelligence systems work with millions of lines of code, complex algorithms, and massive datasets. In order to establish these systems, many branches of science such as mathematics, algorithms, logic, statistics, and psychology must come together. Each of these is a reflection of the order in the universe created by Allah. In the Qur'an, the perfection in Allah's creation is described as follows:
"He Who created the seven heavens in layers. You will not find any flaw in the creation of the All-Merciful. Look again — do you see any gaps?" (Surah al-Mulk, 3)
Artificial intelligence is, in fact, a very simple imitation of the human brain and thought system created by Allah. The human brain is a magnificent structure consisting of trillions of connections, capable of performing billions of operations per second, self-repairing, learning, and possessing emotions. Artificial intelligence, on the other hand, is only a very small reflection of this magnificent creation. Man's admiration for a machine he has made himself should be a means for him to contemplate the miracle in Allah's creation.
Conclusion: Everything Happens by the Power of Allah
Great technological developments like artificial intelligence, which seem to come from the hands of software developers and engineers, should lead man to think more deeply about the power and knowledge of Allah. When man realizes his own weakness and the infinite power of Allah, he attains faith and submission in the true sense. It must not be forgotten that the Creator of everything and the Owner of all knowledge is Allah. Unless He wills, man can achieve nothing and reach no knowledge. In the Qur'an, it is revealed:
"Allah is the Creator of all things and He is the Guardian of all things." (Surah az-Zumar, 62)
