The ‘AI revolution’ is here. Could it soon be leading Friday prayers?
The advent of AI powered chatbots is forcing some British imams to think about how new technologies could benefit their communities — or lead them astray
Urooba Jamal
February 20, 2023
“In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful,” the Islamic sermon began. “Brothers and sisters in Islam, today’s khutbah is about taqwa, which is often translated as ‘God-consciousness’ or ‘piety’.”
The sermon, or khutbah, was everything one might expect, but it wasn’t being delivered by an imam standing at the pulpit of a mosque in front of a congregation of worshippers. It was written by the AI-powered chatbot ChatGPT.
It usually takes Asim Khan, who’s in his mid-thirties and has been an imam for nearly a decade, half an hour to write a khutbah. For the chatbot he was playing around with, it took mere seconds.
Khan was left stunned, not just by the speed of the bot, but also because the khutbah was replete with a narrative arc, quotes from the Qur’an and traditions from the Prophet, or Hadith, and mirrored one he could have written and delivered himself. “It seemed like it was a human being on the other side,” said Khan, who shared the 10 minute-long sermon in a viral tweet.
Quran was recited in Masajid in KSA, sermons from Haramain Mosques were broadcast all over KSA. Books were distributed to youth in KSA. There were no hurdles in practicing Deen in KSA.
Today our elders cry for KSA youth, elders have more concerns for them, more than the Youth in phalestine and places where muslims are persecuted.
Bro i wouldnt realy worry about it, its a life cycle, we have a time when we have islamic revivalism, then a decline then a revivalism and so on over 100 years.
Let me quote my experience in ilmi majalis. (Hearing is not enough)
In our markaz, it is multi floor masjid, each floor is divided into two parts separated by walls with big doors between two halls. The main Hall has pillars.
One hour bayan influences a person depending on where he is sitting. The sound is reaching everyone in the audience through PA system. But :
1. brothers who are sitting near to the speaker,
2. person who is sitting behind the pillars in the same hall,
3. brothers sitting in other half of the masjid on the same floor.
4. brothers sitting in upper floors.
The place where these brothers sit has its affect.
Mashallah, brother. I agree completely. I've personally felt the difference when attending the majlis of ulama and mashaikh. Sitting very close to the speaker, it becomes very easy to tune everything else out and focus attentively on the speaker's address, and his words have a much greater impact on the heart.
Sitting further away and the effect is much more subdued.
Of course there are some people who are able to focus no matter where they sit. They are a class apart.
This cannot be undone and I am sure it will be greatly appreciated.
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