Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has called on Muslims to deepen their connection with the Qur’an while embracing emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, quantum computing and digitalisation, provided these are grounded in Islamic values and ethics.
Speaking at the 66th National Qur’an Recitation and Memorisation Ceremony in Kuala Lumpur, Anwar said Qur’an-related programmes should not stop at recitation and memorisation. He stressed that their true purpose was to bring Muslims closer to the Qur’an through reading, studying, understanding, memorising, implementing and internalising its teachings.
“What is our objective? To bring people closer to the Qur’an, closer in the sense of reading, studying, understanding, memorising, implementing and internalising it,” he said.
Anwar warned that Muslims who neglected new fields of knowledge risked falling behind. He said mastering AI and other emerging technologies was now a necessity, not an option. “A community that abandons AI as a new field of knowledge will fall behind,” he stated, adding that Muslims should not simply copy or adopt these technologies wholesale from foreign countries but develop an approach rooted in their own values.
He said the reform of Muslima must go beyond attending religious gatherings and translate into the pursuit of knowledge, character building and a commitment to fulfilling responsibilities.