Decoding Islamic HCI: What Current Patterns Reveal About Future Possibilities

Paper Title

Decoding Islamic HCI: What Current Patterns Reveal About Future Possibilities

Publication Info

• Topic area: Intersection of Islamic values, epistemology, and Human-Computer Interaction (HCI).
• Keywords: Islamic HCI, Muslim-centered design, religious epistemology, techno-spirituality, ritual-centered design, Islamic principles, cultural diversity, Shariah-compliant systems, Islamic fintech, value-sensitive design.

Background and Problem

• Problem / challenge: The field of Islamic HCI lacks a clear epistemological foundation, with ambiguity surrounding what constitutes "Islamic" in design versus broader Muslim-centered research. Current scholarship is fragmented and often conflates community-oriented studies with faith-based epistemological work.
• Significance: Addressing this gap is essential for designing technologies that align with Islamic values, meet the spiritual and ethical needs of practicing Muslims, and contribute to inclusive and pluralistic HCI practices.
• Motivation and related work: Prior work has explored Muslim communities' technology use, privacy, modesty, and gender norms, as well as faith-oriented systems like prayer apps. However, these studies often lack grounding in Islamic epistemology, leaving a gap in integrating Islamic principles into HCI methodologies.

Solution

• Proposed approach: A four-layer model distinguishing Islamic HCI, HCI in Islamic contexts, Muslim-centered HCI, and broader religious and spiritual HCI, grounded in Islamic epistemological principles.
• Novelty:
  1. A synthesized map of Islamic HCI, highlighting definitional, epistemological, and methodological pluralism.
  2. A four-layer model to clarify boundaries and scope within Islamic HCI.
  3. Practice-oriented principles like ritual-integrity-by-design, translating Islamic values into actionable design guidance.
  4. Collaborative research models involving Islamic scholars as epistemic partners.
• Procedure and key techniques:
  1. Conducted a scoping review of 268 papers (2006–2025) on religion, spirituality, and faith in HCI.
  2. Performed 12 semi-structured interviews with researchers in Islamic HCI.
  3. Used inductive coding to identify themes and patterns, interpreted through Islamic epistemology.
  4. Proposed a conceptual framework integrating Islamic principles like tawḥīd (unity), ʿilm (knowledge), and maqāṣid al-sharīʿah (higher objectives of Islamic law).

Results

• Concrete findings:
  • 78% of reviewed studies used qualitative methods, with a focus on rituals, education, gender, privacy, and Islamic fintech.
  • Islamic HCI remains in its infancy, with significant gaps in addressing diverse Muslim practices and epistemological grounding.
  • Proposed a four-layer model to distinguish between faith-based design (Islamic HCI) and broader Muslim-centered or interfaith research.
• Advantage over baselines:
  • Provides a clear framework for situating research within Islamic epistemology.
  • Introduces ritual-integrity-by-design as a novel principle for aligning technology with Islamic practices.
  • Emphasizes pluralism and inclusion, addressing gaps in cultural and jurisprudential diversity.
• Experiments / evaluation:
  • Scoping review followed PRISMA-ScR guidelines, analyzing 268 papers across venues like CHI, CSCW, and DIS.
  • Interviews with 12 researchers provided insights into epistemological tensions, thematic boundaries, and future directions.
• Limitations and future work:
  • Limited coverage of non-English and gray literature.
  • Challenges in accessing Islamic scholars and addressing regional diversity.
  • Future work should explore regional innovations, longitudinal studies, and collaborative frameworks with religious authorities.

Summary

This study addresses the conceptual and epistemological gaps in Islamic HCI by proposing a four-layer model that distinguishes faith-based design from broader Muslim-centered research. Grounded in Islamic principles like tawḥīd and maqāṣid al-sharīʿah, the model clarifies boundaries and offers actionable guidance for designing technologies that align with Islamic values. Findings from a scoping review and interviews highlight the need for ritual-integrity-by-design, pluralism, and collaboration with Islamic scholars. This work establishes a foundation for advancing Islamic HCI as a distinct, justice-oriented field within HCI, while emphasizing inclusivity and cultural diversity.