Reconstruction of Islamic Religious Education in the Artificial Intelligence Era: A Critical Review of Teacher Roles, Digital Ethics, and Epistemic Authority

Abstract

The advancement of Artificial Intelligence (AI) has brought fundamental disruption to global educational systems, including Islamic Religious Education (IRE). This article critically analyzes the dimensions of reconstruction required in IRE in response to AI penetration, specifically across three main aspects: the teacher's role as a moral-spiritual educator, the formation of digital ethics grounded in Islamic values, and the redefinition of epistemic authority amid the proliferation of algorithm-based information access. This study employs a qualitative approach using library research methods and critical analysis of contemporary literature in Islamic education, philosophy of technology, and AI ethics. The findings indicate that: first, the position of teachers in IRE cannot be replaced by AI, as the dimension of moral exemplarity (uswah hasanah) is inherently human and relational; second, Islamic epistemic authority faces serious challenges from algorithms that may reduce religious understanding to its textual dimension alone. This article recommends an integrative IRE reconstruction model, namely a synthesis of fundamental Islamic values with critical digital literacy competencies as the foundation for future Islamic education.