Digital Waswasah: Reexamining the Medieval Islamic Thought in Light of the Contemporary Context of Algorithmic Manipulation and Spiritual Disruption

Reda Abdelgalil

doi:10.32350/jitc.162.08

Authors

Reda Abdelgalil University of Sharjah , United Arab Emirates https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2465-989X

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.32350/jitc.162.08

Keywords:

algorithmic influence, artificial intelligence, digital era, medieval islamic thought, social media, spiritual disturbance, waswasah (whispering)

Abstract

This study incorporates the insights of the medieval Muslim scholars and modern scholarship into the exploration of the concept, roots, and mechanisms of Satan’s wasāwis (whisperings) in the past, and the contemporary digital context. Drawing on its comparative and qualitative analysis approach, the article draws a parallel between the traditional forms of wasāwis and their modern digital patterns presented in the algorithmic systems that disrupt human spiritually and influence their behavior and conduct in online and offline spaces. The study argues that these systems function as a modern form of misguidance based on whisperings, driving people away from their religious obligations and jeopardizing their well-being at the spiritual, intellectual, ethical and social levels. The study also shows how today’s algorithm-driven content–when used negatively–aligns with the concept of Shayṭān’s whisperings, as presented in the classical literature of Al-Ghazālī, Fakhr al-Dīn al-Rāzī, Ibn Taymiyyah, and Ibn Al-Qayyim. These scholars explained how Shayṭān takes advantage of man’s weaknesses, such as desire (shahwa), anger (ghaḍab), and heedlessness (ghafla), to achieve his evil goals. Similarly, algorithms are used in the design of social media platforms to captivate users and provide highly personalized content that shapes their beliefs and thoughts. These classical writings introduced by the aforementioned scholars, therefore, can provide a strong foundation for addressing the wasāwis (whisperings) of modern algorithms in today's digital world. Furthermore, this study seeks to contribute to scholarly discourse on how we grasp spirituality and knowledge in the age of digital media. It also pinpoints that not only are these scholars’ insights into human weaknesses undying, but they also provide practical guidance for engaging with algorithm-driven social media platforms in a balanced and thoughtful way.

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