Al-Azhar Scholar Warns Against Distorted Online Versions of Quran

IQNA – Abduh Al-Azhari, a scholar from Egypt's Al-Azhar University, has raised concerns about the presence of distorted versions of the Quran available on the internet.

Al-Azhari warned against relying on unverified Quranic applications and pointed to the importance of thoroughly checking the sources of such platforms before use, Egyptian media outlets reported on Tuesday.

He urged users to download Quranic applications only from trusted sources approved by major centers such as Al-Azhar to ensure the accuracy of the sacred text.

“Extensive efforts have been made throughout history to preserve the Quran from distortion, and these efforts must continue in the digital age,” Al-Azhari stated.

He also highlighted the risks posed by some applications offering religious rulings (fatwas) that contradict Islamic principles. Al-Azhari advised people to seek fatwas exclusively from official religious authorities, which are readily accessible online.

Discussing the risks of using artificial intelligence (AI) for religious guidance, Al-Azhari warned against relying on AI-powered chat applications for fatwas and religious information.

Issuing fatwas is a specialized task that requires contextual understanding of individual circumstances, something AI cannot adequately provide, he said.

Al-Azhari further emphasized that fatwas should not be sourced from search engines or social media platforms. 

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