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KERALAM (INDIA) – The Muslim world must embrace artificial intelligence (AI) and new technologies while ensuring that faith, moral values and Islamic heritage remain firmly preserved, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
Speaking to around 2,000 attendees, including Islamic scholars and students, Anwar said Muslim scholars and societies could not afford to remain on the sidelines as AI and modern technology developed rapidly, as a lack of knowledge and understanding could leave them vulnerable to external influences.
“Without knowledge, we will fail. Without understanding AI, we will be colonised and will just become weapons, weaponised by the foreign forces to weaken our resolve,” he said in his speech at the “Gathering of Honour for the Prime Minister of Malaysia” event at Markazu Saquafathi Sunniya, also known as Jamia Markaz, in Calicut here tonight.
He said the challenge facing Muslim societies was not merely to acquire knowledge and expertise in AI, but also to ensure that technological advancement was guided by faith and moral values.
Anwar said this was particularly important as technology was not value-neutral and could influence the values, ethics and beliefs of society if not approached carefully.
He also stressed the importance of preserving turath, or Islamic scholarly heritage, saying the Muslim world should not lose sight of the Quran, Sunnah and scholarly works while embracing new knowledge and technology.
The Prime Minister said Islamic heritage demonstrated the importance of tolerance, wisdom and constructive engagement, including in relations between Muslims and people of other faiths.
He pointed out that the Malaysia Madani approach was rooted in the values of humanity, respect and friendship among people of different races and religions, while remaining firmly grounded in the country’s Islamic faith and moral framework.
On his visit to Keralam, Anwar said the state had deep historical ties with the Malay world and had played an important role in the spread of Islam and Islamic scholarship across the Malay Archipelago, including Singapore, Brunei, Indonesia and the southern Philippines.
He also expressed appreciation to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi for facilitating his visit to Keralam, which was made in conjunction with his official visit to India to attend the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi.
Anwar said he looked forward to meeting Keralam Chief Minister V. D. Satheesan and members of the state Cabinet to discuss ways to further strengthen relations between Malaysia and Keralam.
He also expressed appreciation to the Keralam state authorities, security personnel, officials and others involved in facilitating his visit to Jamia Markaz, saying their cooperation, including that of non-Muslims, demonstrated the importance of mutual respect and working together towards a common goal.
Earlier, Anwar received the inaugural Sheikh Abu Bakar Foundation Excellence Award in recognition of his more than five decades of public service and contributions to education, Islamic scholarship, institutional development, international dialogue and human well-being. –BERNAMA
