The Viral AI Content Phenomenon of Ustazah Hajar, Ministry of Religious Affairs: Religious Counselors as Fact Checkers Based on Scholarly Chains

The viral spread of AI-based preaching accounts like Ustazah Hajar on TikTok highlights a shift in Islamic scholarly authority. That virtual character is known to be fully AI-generated, not human, yet it has attracted around one million followers and 12 million likes. Director of Islamic Religious Information at the Ministry of Religious Affairs, Muchlis M. Hanafi, emphasized that AI lacks scholarly chains, moral responsibility, or understanding of social context. He encourages religious counselors to serve as fact checkers grounded in scholarly lineage, and to offer exemplary conduct, empathy, and guidance that machines cannot replace. Muchlis also reminded of the importance of fiqh al-waqi' and fiqh at-tahawwulat so that preaching remains adaptive to changing times. He appreciated the dedication of counselors and called for improving digital literacy competence and wise use of technology, while affirming that the role of religious counselors is even more crucial in the AI era. https://mozaik.inilah.com/halal-living/konten-ustazah-ai-hajar-viral-saatnya-penyuluh-agama-jadi-fact-checker-berbasis-sanad-keilmuan