Examination of Artificial Intelligence Revolution Through the Lens of Maqāṣid Al-Sharīʿah in Nigeria

Artificial intelligence (AI) has evolved from speculative theory to a transformative global technology with insightful ethical, social, and legal implications. In Muslim contexts, the framework of maqāṣid al-sharīʿah - the higher objectives of Islamic law - offers a rich, value-oriented approach to evaluating and guiding the development of AI. It highlights both opportunities and risks across key domains such as healthcare, online content moderation, surveillance, and economic displacement. Acknowledging that AI has emerged as one of the most unsettling technologies of the twenty-first century with its attendant global transformative capacity, its implications for societies like Nigeria, where religious, cultural, and ethical frameworks shape governance and social order, remain underexplored. This article examines the revolution of AI in Nigeria through the lens of Maqāṣid al-Sharīʿah (the higher objectives of Islamic law). Drawing on classical Islamic jurisprudence and contemporary AI debates, the study analyzes how AI aligns with or threatens the preservation of religion (ḥifẓ al-dīn), life (ḥifẓ al-nafs), intellect (ḥifẓ al-ʿaql), lineage (ḥifẓ al-nasl), and property (ḥifẓ al-māl). It argues that Nigeria’s engagement with AI must not only reflect global ethical principles but also incorporate indigenous religious traditions to ensure justice, human dignity, and social welfare. The article concludes with maqāṣid-based policy recommendations to guide Nigeria’s AI future.