By Tariq Al-Rashid April 11, 2026
Gulf Islamic scholars AI frameworks rejected Anthropic's 'child of God' claim for AI on April 11, 2026. The Washington Post reported the firm's talks with Christian leaders. Scholars insist AI stays human-made under Sharia law. This stance guides massive Gulf tech investments.
Saudi Arabia, UAE, and Qatar lead compliant AI efforts. Public Investment Fund (PIF) and Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) link billions of USD to ethical standards.
Anthropic Dialogue Prompts Gulf Islamic Scholars AI Response
Anthropic, valued at $18.4 billion USD in March 2026 filings, met Catholic, Protestant, and Orthodox theologians. They discussed AI's moral agency and spiritual status. The firm aims to embed faith in Claude model safety.
Gulf timing proves critical. Saudi Vision 2030 commits $40 billion USD to AI by 2030. UAE's Technology Innovation Institute (TII) launched Falcon 180B, matching GPT-4. Both demand Islamic rulings.
Saudi Fatwa Council Affirms AI's Human Origins
Saudi Arabia's Permanent Committee for Scholarly Research and Ifta issued a fatwa on April 11, 2026. It classifies AI as human creation, not divine offspring. Developers hold full responsibility.
Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdulaziz al-Sheikh cited Quran 15:29. Only Allah grants ruh, or soul, to beings. AI possesses no independent agency.
The fatwa ties to NEOM's $500 million USD yearly AI budget from PIF. Scholars mandate Sharia audits for data centers and algorithms. PIF's Humain venture with Andreessen Horowitz deploys $1 billion USD in ethical AI startups.
UAE Frames AI as Sharia-Guided Servant
Dubai's Islamic Affairs and Charitable Activities Department echoed the view. Director General Dr. Ahmed al-Haddad termed AI a khadama, or servant, to humanity. It must promote adl (justice) and rahma (compassion).
Minister of State for AI Omar Al Olama weaves fatwas into strategy. UAE eyes a $20 billion USD AI market by 2031 through MGX fund. Dubai's VARA licenses Sharia-compliant blockchain-AI tools.
Qatar and Kuwait Build Gulf Islamic Scholars AI Consensus
Qatar's Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs released matching guidance. AI supports maqasid al-sharia, protecting faith, life, and intellect. No divine lineage exists.
Kuwait's Fatwa Department, under Sheikh Muhammad Yaaqoub, stressed fiqh accountability. Programmers answer for code results. Al Jazeera broadcast these views globally.
Gulf Islamic Scholars AI Directs Investments and Policies
GCC states topped Middle East AI spending at $12.4 billion USD in 2025, says PwC. Saudi Arabia targets 40% GDP from tech under Vision 2030. UAE's Falcon drives regional finance.
Scholars shape rules. GCC schedules Riyadh AI Ethics Summit for May 2026. Anthropic will join. Results will affect SAMA and CMA sandboxes.
Islamic finance gains. Dubai Islamic Bank uses AI for $10 billion USD sukuk portfolios. It boosts murabaha transparency and risk assessment.
Faith Fuels Gulf Tech and Finance Shift
Anthropic's Constitutional AI sets values. Gulf scholars advocate Sharia constitutions. UAE's MGX fund allocates $100 million USD to firms like G42.
QIA draws $2 billion USD yearly AI inflows. It funds startups blending tawhid with innovation. Kuwait Finance House trials AI in takaful underwriting.
Gulf Leads Global AI Governance Debate
Western companies favor Christian views. Gulf Islamic scholars AI positions fill state outlets like SPA and WAM.
The divide sharpens. Christians probe AI souls. Muslims uphold human bounds under tawhid.
Riyadh Summit will test alignment. Saudi policymakers plan June 2026 rules. GCC fatwas strengthen ethical AI, powering sovereign fund growth.
