KUALA LUMPUR: Islamic scholars have the responsibility to use their wisdom to ensure that the latest technology is imbued with wisdom and morals, says Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
He said algorithms without ethics will silently shape young minds at the risk of losing moral values.
“In Islamic history, knowledge has never been separated from social responsibility. Knowledge must not remain confined to seminars, journals and academic spaces alone.
"Knowledge must guide society, assist policymakers, and answer the questions of the ummah with wisdom and intellectual courage," he said while officiating the Fourth Edition Southeast Asian Scholars Conference 2026 here on Saturday (June 13).
Also present was Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs) Dr Zulkifli Hasan and Muslim World League secretary-general Mohammad Abdulkarim Al-Issa.
He said scholars should play a pivotal role in guiding the proper use of knowledge and technology.
“We now live in an abundance of information, but often suffer from a poverty of wisdom. Data is increasing, yet wisdom is becoming more distant.
"This is where scholars play a vital role: to turn information into understanding, understanding into wisdom, and wisdom into action," he said.
He also said that religious scholars have a duty to push the agenda of “intellectual diplomacy” to solve the problems of the Muslim communities.
“Without the intervention of true knowledge, I fear that our generation's minds will continue to be shaped by information without wisdom, their character eroded by a culture without boundaries and society led by emotion without judgement,” said Ahmad Zahid.
Ahmad Zahid expressed concerns about technology becoming a tool of manipulation, stressing that users must also be thinkers, creators and drivers of its direction.
“Our young people are not only memorising the Quran, but are also excelling in medicine, engineering, technology, management, finance and leadership.
"I believe we can offer an Ethical Technology Model that embraces progress without eroding the values and identity of the ummah," he said.
