Artificial Intelligence and Gender Bias: A Critical Analytical Study in Light of Islamic Principles of Justice and Human Dignity

Artificial Intelligence (AI) increasingly shapes contemporary human experience, influencing critical domains such as employment, healthcare, education, finance, and digital governance. Despite its promise of neutrality and efficiency, growing empirical research demonstrates that AI systems frequently reproduce and intensify existing gender inequalities embedded within historical data, algorithmic design, and socio-technical infrastructures. These algorithmic biases disproportionately marginalize women and other vulnerable groups, thereby raising profound ethical, social, and theological concerns. This study critically examines the phenomenon of gender bias in AI through the normative framework of Islamic principles of justice (ʿadl) and human dignity (karāmat al-insān).
Grounded in Qur’anic teachings and Prophetic traditions, Islam articulates a comprehensive moral vision rooted in equity, accountability, and the inherent dignity of every human being. The paper argues that these foundational principles provide a robust ethical paradigm for evaluating and regulating emerging technologies. By engaging contemporary case studies including discriminatory hiring algorithms, biased facial recognition systems, and gendered patterns of digital surveillance, this study highlights how algorithmic systems can conflict with the Islamic commitment to fairness, non-harm (la darar wa la dirar), and social responsibility.
Methodologically, this study adopts a qualitative analytical approach, synthesizing interdisciplinary scholarship from gender studies, AI ethics, and Islamic intellectual tradition. It proposes a faith-informed ethical framework that emphasizes transparency, inclusivity, accountability, and moral intentionality in AI development and governance.
The paper concludes that confronting gender bias in AI is not solely a technical correction but also a moral and civilizational responsibility. Islamic ethical thought offers valuable normative resources capable of contributing to global AI governance debates, ensuring that technological advancement remains aligned with justice, dignity, and human flourishing.