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    <journal-meta />
    <article-meta>
      <title-group>
        <article-title>Bridging Islamic Knowledge and AI: Inquiring ChatGPT on Possible Categorizations for an Islamic Digital Library (full paper)</article-title>
      </title-group>
      <contrib-group>
        <contrib contrib-type="author">
          <string-name>Amina El Ganadi</string-name>
          <email>amina.elganadi@unimore.it</email>
          <xref ref-type="aff" rid="aff0">0</xref>
          <xref ref-type="aff" rid="aff3">3</xref>
          <xref ref-type="aff" rid="aff4">4</xref>
        </contrib>
        <contrib contrib-type="author">
          <string-name>Riccardo Amerigo Vigliermo</string-name>
          <email>r.a.vigliermo@unimore.it</email>
          <xref ref-type="aff" rid="aff0">0</xref>
          <xref ref-type="aff" rid="aff3">3</xref>
        </contrib>
        <contrib contrib-type="author">
          <string-name>Luca Sala</string-name>
          <email>luca.sala@unimore.it</email>
          <xref ref-type="aff" rid="aff1">1</xref>
          <xref ref-type="aff" rid="aff3">3</xref>
        </contrib>
        <contrib contrib-type="author">
          <string-name>Matteo Vanzini</string-name>
          <email>matteo.vanzini@unimore.it</email>
          <xref ref-type="aff" rid="aff2">2</xref>
          <xref ref-type="aff" rid="aff3">3</xref>
        </contrib>
        <contrib contrib-type="author">
          <string-name>Federico Ruozzi</string-name>
          <email>federico.ruozzi@unimore.it</email>
          <xref ref-type="aff" rid="aff3">3</xref>
        </contrib>
        <contrib contrib-type="author">
          <string-name>Sonia Bergamaschi</string-name>
          <email>sonia.bergamaschi@unimore.it</email>
          <xref ref-type="aff" rid="aff3">3</xref>
        </contrib>
        <aff id="aff0">
          <label>0</label>
          <institution>PhD Student</institution>
          ,
          <addr-line>Digital Humanities</addr-line>
        </aff>
        <aff id="aff1">
          <label>1</label>
          <institution>PhD Student, ICT Doctorate school</institution>
        </aff>
        <aff id="aff2">
          <label>2</label>
          <institution>Phd Student, CDS Doctorate school</institution>
        </aff>
        <aff id="aff3">
          <label>3</label>
          <institution>University of Modena and Reggio Emilia</institution>
          ,
          <addr-line>UNIMORE</addr-line>
        </aff>
        <aff id="aff4">
          <label>4</label>
          <institution>University of Palermo</institution>
          ,
          <addr-line>UNIPA</addr-line>
        </aff>
      </contrib-group>
      <abstract>
        <p>This research evaluates the capabilities of ChatGPT in assisting with the categorization of an Islamic digital library exploiting incremental Machine Learning and Transfer Learning techniques. Noticeably, ChatGPT showcased a remarkable familiarity with Islamic knowledge, evident in its ability to classify subjects hierarchically based on their importance, from Qur'anic Studies to Modern Islamic Thought. The library aimed to cater to a diverse Arabic Islamic audience with collections sourced from varied digital donations. Despite ChatGPT's commendable proficiency, challenges arose. In light of ChatGPT's significant performance, several challenges arose, with interpretability, generalization, and the hallucination issue standing out as the most critical obstacles.</p>
      </abstract>
      <kwd-group>
        <kwd>eol&gt;Libraries and Archives in CH</kwd>
        <kwd>Digital Libraries and Religious Archives</kwd>
        <kwd>ChatGPT</kwd>
        <kwd>Islamic studies</kwd>
        <kwd>Arabic script languages</kwd>
        <kwd>Islamic knowledge classification</kwd>
        <kwd>Islamic subjects</kwd>
      </kwd-group>
    </article-meta>
  </front>
  <body>
    <sec id="sec-1">
      <title>1. Introduction</title>
      <sec id="sec-1-1">
        <title>1.1. A Brief Overview of the Digital Maktaba Project</title>
        <p>
          In the present time, there is a pressing need for a global sharing of multicultural heritage, which
is made simpler by technology that can develop semi-automatic solutions to improve document
readability, comprehension, preservation, and advanced digital use with sophisticated
consultation and search capabilities. In this context, the Digital Maktaba project, hereafter referred to as
DM, is the result of a collaboration between the Foundation for Religious Studies (FSCIRE), a
national infrastructure located in Bologna and Palermo, the innovative startup mim.FSCIRE, and
the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia. This collaborative efort integrates the
interdisciplinary expertise of diverse professionals from both the Humanities and ICT fields[
          <xref ref-type="bibr" rid="ref1 ref2 ref3 ref4">1, 2, 3, 4</xref>
          ]. DM
is part of a broader research project known as ITSERR,1. Its objective is to improve the European
Research Infrastructure RESILIENCE [
          <xref ref-type="bibr" rid="ref5">5</xref>
          ] in response to the demands of the scientific community
in Religious Studies in terms of technology integration and capacity to increase innovation.
The aim of DM is to provide an intelligent system that can extract valuable information from
documents in various languages, encompassing rich metadata content. Additionally, it assists
in the manual work typically associated with the cataloging process, presenting an innovative
solution tailored for libraries specializing in religious studies, particularly those tasked with
managing multilingual and multi-alphabetic cultural heritage documents.
        </p>
      </sec>
      <sec id="sec-1-2">
        <title>1.2. ChatGPT and Islamic Texts: An Initial Stride Towards Connecting AI with the Categorization and Cataloging of Islamic Knowledge</title>
        <p>A project such as DM, involving the aforementioned research perspectives, cannot ignore the
recent progress made in OpenAI’s generative language model, GPT. Consequently, we carried
out an experiment using its AI chatbot to evaluate the capacity to generate potential text
classifications for an Islamic digital library. This stimulated us to delve into the formulation of
interesting queries regarding how Islamic texts could be efectively categorized by comparing
the outcomes with other digital libraries in the Islamic domain (e.g., Shamela, Quranic thought,
Keta¯bxa¯neh-ye Digˇita¯l-e noor, etc.). The experiment conducted with ChatGPT was not intended
to establish a definitive categorization of Islamic texts for a digital library. Nevertheless, it serves
as the inaugural attempt to combine a Large Language Model (LLM) with the classification
of Islamic knowledge and digital libraries. In this preliminary study, specific linguistic and
religious coordinates were used to assess ChatGPT’s behavior and analyze its responses, which
included proposed classifications for Islamic topics. It’s important to note that this study should
not be viewed as a basic exercise involving input-processing-output, nor the resolution of the
centuries-old debates and scholarly studies related to the categorization of Islamic knowledge
and bibliographic sciences; rather, it represents a pioneering step in exploring the intersection
of AI and Islamic scholarship, ofering valuable insights for future research and development in
this field.
1The ITSERR project was launched in November 2022 and funded by the Italian Ministry of Research with
NextGenerationEU program funds. It involves the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, CNR, University of Palermo,
University of Turin and the University of Naples "L’Orientale"
The paper is structured as follows: in Section 2, we will provide an overview of previous studies
concerning Islamic Knowledge classification and related works with ChatGPT. Subsequently, we
will delve into the details of our experiment involving the categorization of Islamic knowledge for
digital libraries in Section 3, highlighting our preliminary findings and engaging in discussions
pertaining to this inquiry. The conclusion and future perspectives will follow.</p>
      </sec>
    </sec>
    <sec id="sec-2">
      <title>2. A State-of-the-Art Exploration: Knowledge Classification and</title>
    </sec>
    <sec id="sec-3">
      <title>ChatGPT in Libraries</title>
      <p>To contextualize the proposed experiment on Islamic classification of knowledge, we must
consider the most important studies produced by Muslim information scientists (2.1), to better
introduce some related works connecting ChatGPT and libraries (2.2).</p>
      <sec id="sec-3-1">
        <title>2.1. Islamic Knowledge Classification and Bibliographic Studies</title>
        <p>
          The classification of Islamic knowledge has been investigated since the 8th A.D. century and it
is still a discussed topic in Information science and Librarianship fields. Early Muslim scholars
have already devised a subject-based classification when dealing, for example, with the h.adi
literature.2 In more recent times, the field of Information management for Islamic literature
has highlighted the urgency of establishing a sort of bibliographical control on one side and
evolving new classification schemes on the other. Works such as ’Is h. a¯q [
          <xref ref-type="bibr" rid="ref6">6</xref>
          ], Anees and Athar [
          <xref ref-type="bibr" rid="ref7">7</xref>
          ]
have dealt with the former. The latter emerged as a response to the Western-originated library
classification systems such as Dewey Decimal Classification (DDC), Library of the Congress
Classification (LCC), Universal Decimal Classification (UDC) and Colon Classification (CC)
which could not provide proper enumeration and suitable hierarchy to Islamic topics [
          <xref ref-type="bibr" rid="ref8 ref9">8, 9, 10</xref>
          ].
For this reason, more recently, librarians have proposed translations [11] or expansions of
the standard classification systems: DDC [ 12, 13], LCC [14]. At the same time independent
frameworks were proposed as an alternative [15, 16]. These studies are only an example of
what has been produced on the Islamic libraries classification topic. What emerges is a pretty
scattered frame where many attempts were proposed at a local level, but, as Sabzwari argued, a
universal Islamic classification has not yet been subjected to full discussion or analysis [17].
        </p>
      </sec>
      <sec id="sec-3-2">
        <title>2.2. Related Works Considering ChatGPT and Libraries</title>
        <p>LLMs’ application in library services is an emerging and auspicious research domain. As far
as a review of the literature has shown, the topic is still in a preliminary phase. Literature on
ChatGPT and libraries is currently limited, though in quick development. What emerged is a
focus on the use of AI chatbots in the educational field on topics such as Islamic education [ 18]
or Arabic Language in Higher Education [19], to cite a few. Scientific papers discussed possible
implementations of ChatGPT in various librarian and editorial fields [ 20], as well as some aimed
to determine its possible impact and implications on academic libraries [21, 22]. Additionally,
2Also Hadith, trans. "narrative", "talk", "speech". The term h.adi indicates the tradition of words and deeds of the
Prophet. As a proper Islamic literary genre, it includes also traditions on Companions of the Prophet and other
kinds of historical reports.
numerous conversations have been posted in blogs related to library science, exploring the
potential applications of ChatGPT and other AI tools within library settings [23, 24, 25]. To our
knowledge, the work most closely related to the one presented here is a recent publication by
Brzustowicz [26]. Through experiments with the cited AI chatbot, the author demonstrates its
ability to generate accurate MARC records using RDA and other standards.3 As evidenced by
the current state of the art, there has not been an experiment that combines LLMs with Islamic
topics classification and cataloging. Therefore, this paper can be regarded as the pioneering
efort in this genre, aligning LLMs with the classification of Islamic knowledge within the digital
library framework.</p>
      </sec>
    </sec>
    <sec id="sec-4">
      <title>3. ChatGPT for an Islamic Digital Library Classification</title>
      <p>This experimentation tries to assess the AI model’s competence in a novel capacity —that
of a knowledgeable librarian. Our focus was twofold: first, to ascertain its proficiency in
Islamic studies nuances, and Library information science, and then to explore its potential in
devising an efective categorization system for our extensive collection of Islamic literature.
The foundation of our experiment rested on the collaboration between human expertise and AI
capabilities. It began by formulating a comprehensive categorization structure for our digital
library. This involved brainstorming and generating categories spanning a myriad of topics,
including Qur’a¯nic studies, Hadith, Islamic law, Theology, History, and more. Each category
was meticulously tailored to cater to diverse audiences while maintaining scholarly integrity.
Once the initial categorization framework was established, ChatGPT was integrated into the
process. The AI’s proficiency in multiple languages, including Arabic, Persian, and Azerbaijani
proved to be a useful asset in transcending linguistic barriers. The model’s role extended beyond
translation; it actively participated in generating categories and subcategories across languages.
These AI-generated outputs underwent thorough review and refinement by human interventions.
This iterative collaboration resulted in an initial attempt to create a cohesive categorization
structure that tries to accommodate the linguistic diversity intrinsic to Islamic scholarship. The
AI chatbot’s capacity to identify connections across disparate categories within Islamic studies
brought interdisciplinary perspectives to the forefront. Its suggestions facilitated discussions on
conceptual overlaps, enabling the creation of cross-disciplinary categories that could eventually
expand our library’s knowledge ecosystem (e.g., Contemporary Issues &gt; Bioethics in Islam).
Moreover, ChatGPT’s involvement streamlined the process, significantly reducing the time
required for category creation. Its rapid idea generation, multilingual capabilities, and contextual
understanding expedited the creation of categories that remained faithful to the essence of
Islamic scholarship.</p>
      <sec id="sec-4-1">
        <title>3.1. Methodology</title>
        <p>As anticipated, our methodology was rooted in unleashing ChatGPT’s capabilities as a
knowledgeable librarian for our Islamic digital library. We interacted with the model by posing a series
3MARC, MAchine-Readable Cataloging. It provides the mechanism by which computers exchange, use, and interpret
bibliographic information. RDA, Resource Description and Access. It is a standard for descriptive cataloging
providing instructions and guidelines on formulating bibliographic data.
of diferent queries strategically designed to mirror real-world librarianship challenges. More
specifically, we asked the model to consider historical contexts, the spectrum of authors who
have contributed to Islamic literature, and the interaction between diferent Islamic schools of
thought. By analyzing its responses to these queries, we could gauge its ability to not only
formulate categories but also its adeptness at weaving a cohesive framework that encapsulates the
intricacies of Islamic scholarship. Each query represented a distinct facet of the categorization
puzzle, allowing us to evaluate the model’s versatility, and depth of comprehension as a virtual
librarian. The proposed methodology traversed beyond mere technical evaluation, venturing
into the realm of generative AI, and unfolding its role in scholarly pursuits. By entrusting
ChatGPT to propose categories mirroring the intricate tapestry of Islamic knowledge, we aimed
to test the boundaries of AI’s potential while unraveling its role in the context of knowledge
organization. This meticulously designed methodology stands as the foundational guide to our
experiment – a roadmap that led us to unveil the fusion of AI and human interventions in the
context of knowledge categorization for Islamic studies. For this preliminary experiment, we
exploited ChatGPT 4 during the frame time that went from June 27th to July 4th 2023. Due to
the limit of messages in this version (25 maximum at that time, now 50), in order to maintain
the workflow, we decided to also use ChatGPT 3.5 as a backup. The total number of queries
was 78 spread over 12 chats.4</p>
      </sec>
      <sec id="sec-4-2">
        <title>3.2. Experiment Observations and Preliminary Results</title>
        <p>In the very preliminary phase, we decided to ask the model to catalog a book by looking at its
title and author. We followed up by asking for information about other digital libraries and
how they are structured from a classification perspective. These couple of preliminary chats
were designed to make ChatGPT familiar with our goal from one side and to understand what
level of knowledge the model had on this topic, on the other. After this introductory phase, we
started with specific questions on possible cataloging schemes for a digital library of Islamic
studies. As long as questions proceeded we gradually refined prompts such as the expected
audience, languages involved, the extension of the collection, and so forth. We have selected
three key points related to the building of a digital library in order to create our prompts: A)
Digital library users; B) Collection characteristics; C) the Overall objective of the project. For
each variation of the parameters, a corresponding query has been introduced to the GPT model
that answered with a particular classification. Regarding the A and B points, specific attention
is given to the language(s) of both users and collection. Those parameters were chosen based
on the specific needs of our ongoing DM project. It should be noted that we are well aware that
these are not the only factors concurring in building a digital library. However, in our specific
case, they represent a common thread between our classification of Islamic knowledge needs
and the implementation of Machine Learing (ML) and Transfer Learning (TL) features, with
respect to other Islamic digital libraries. All suggestions the model produced during the chats
gave us a corpus with well-organized classifications. As a final step, we compared those with
the one already in use in the “La Pira” library. In order to do that, we downloaded and exploited</p>
        <sec id="sec-4-2-1">
          <title>4See Github repository https://github.com/projectmaktabah/Bridging-Islamic-Knowledge-and-AI</title>
          <p>the PDF reader plugins available for ChatGPT 4 (AskYourPDF 5 and Chat with PDF 6).
General observations
- The more questions are asked, the more the AI librarian increases its familiarity with the
languages that are proposed to it.
- If we pose similar questions within the same chat, the model ofers minor changes to its
classifications.</p>
          <p>A) Digital library users/audience
- For a general audience, there’s been an inclusion of introductory categories about Islam, e.g.</p>
          <p>"Introduction to Islam".
- When shifting from a general audience to an Arabic one, linguistic responses in both Arabic
and English are given. Yet, in the English version, specific technical Islamic terms, such as
"Hadith", are not translated. For an Arabic-speaking audience, there is also a subdivision
into subcategories with a greater degree of specificity. Interestingly, even in this scenario, an
introductory category to Islam is consistently referenced. This observation appears to stem
from ChatGPT’s interpretation, which may account for the consideration that not all Arabs
are necessarily Muslims.
- As we further refine the user profile of the digital library to emphasize the Islamic
religious aspect, the introductory category on Islam disappears while adjustments occur or new
subcategories, like Muslim minorities, become evident.
- When specifying the audience both from a linguistic perspective (Arabic) and a religious
perspective (Islamic), categories and subcategories are presented in Arabic (first language)
and English (translation, when applicable). As anticipated, these categories and subcategories
undergo further specialization.</p>
          <p>B) Collection characteristics
- As a variation, we introduced a prompt on the extensive multilingual (Arabic, Persian, Iranian</p>
          <p>Azerbaijani) La Pira Library’s digital books dataset.
- Emphasizing the actual multilingualism of the collection at our disposal, clear diferences in
classification depth are observable. We have noticed the emergence of categories that both
reflected multilingualism and a multicultural understanding. This classification, in general,
tends to accommodate linguistic diversity at the expense of thematic specificity. For example,
a process of translating categories into the three aforementioned languages was observed,
leading to the creation of subcategories such as "Seerah 7 in Arabic", "Seerah in Persian", and
"Seerah in Azerbaijani". Clearly, the latter two seem more like a hallucination (3.4) as they do
not correspond to any existent classification.
- By specifying the distinction between printed text and manuscript, the classification only
adds the subcategory "manuscripts" for every proposed category.
- Various digital formats were also taken into account. In this specific case, ChatGPT
provided interesting suggestions regarding data management, user experience, digital format</p>
        </sec>
        <sec id="sec-4-2-2">
          <title>5https://docs.askyourpdf.com/askyourpdf-docs</title>
          <p>6https://www.chatpdf.com/
7Also s¯ıra, is an early Islamic literature genre. It literally means “way of going”, “way of life” (similar to Sunna in
this sense). The term has been widely used to indicate the accounts/biographies of the Prophet Mu h.ammad.</p>
          <p>preservation, and especially Copyright and intellectual property.</p>
          <p>C) Overall objectives of the project
- Indicating to the model that the ultimate goal of the project is to create a comprehensive
digital library of Islamic studies, we have observed a sort of tension between accommodating
multilingualism and the depth of specialization in Islamic subjects.
- By stating as the ultimate goal the creation of a digital library for Islamic studies that exploits
incremental ML and TL to produce a semi-automated system for cataloging texts in
nonLatin alphabets, ChatGPT resumed unexpectedly a very detailed classification by expanding
sections such as "Hadith studies" or "Islamic Jurisprudence" (Figure 1).</p>
          <p>ChatGPT’s performance in its knowledgeable librarian role proved to be particularly impressive,
unveiling a substantial grasp of Arabic language intricacies, Islamic studies, and the
underpinnings of library science principles. Its contributions materialized in the form of some detailed
and comprehensive classifications, demonstrating its adeptness at navigating the complexities of
Islamic knowledge. The suggested categories demonstrated a level of comprehension of the AI
model that went beyond superficial recognition. The model seemed to possess a significant grasp
of the intricate dimensions of Islamic scholarship. Nonetheless, the challenge of interpretability
arises because we cannot determine the extent of its knowledge due to the unpredictability of
the patterns that underlie LLM’s generative process.
• Qur’a¯nic Studies: Qur’a¯nic commentaries (tafs¯ır) and studies on Qur’a¯nic sciences.
• Hadith Studies: Hadith collections, commentaries and so on.
• Fiqh (Jurisprudence): ChatGPT showed knowledge when categorizing fiqh according to
diferent schools of thought such as Hanaf ¯ı, Malik¯ı, Shafi’ ¯ı, and Hanbal¯ı.
• Islamic History and Civilization: This category exhibited a sophisticated breakdown
into significant historical periods, showing the AI model’s knowledge of the chronological
evolution of Islamic societies.
• Modern Islamic Thought: ChatGPT demonstrated relevance to contemporary discourses
by suggesting this category, attesting to its grasp of ongoing intellectual trends.
Beyond the categorization structure, ChatGPT’s prowess extended to proposing subcategories
and cross-references. These additions optimized user navigation and accessibility, a testament
to the AI’s role in enhancing user experience. In essence, the model’s logical and systematic
arrangement of categories, coupled with its intuitive suggestions, not only showcased its
technical competence but also highlighted its potential to bridge the gap between complex
Islamic knowledge and user-friendly access. This phase of the experiment underscores GPT’s
capacity to contribute meaningfully to knowledge organization in a digital Islamic library.</p>
        </sec>
      </sec>
      <sec id="sec-4-3">
        <title>3.3. Comparison Between AI-driven and Human-driven Classifications</title>
        <p>The AI-driven categorization by ChatGPT was remarkable in its speed, contextual skills, and
ability to deal with the vast complexity of Islamic literature. It was capable of producing a
well-structured categorization system significantly quicker than traditional human-led methods.
However, while the AI chatbot demonstrated a certain level of understanding of Arabic and
Islamic studies, it lacked the experiential knowledge and contextual understanding that human
librarians possess. This limitation became apparent in some instances where human intuition
and deep cultural understanding are vital for making complex categorization decisions.
Considering that it is extremely dificult to determine a definitive classification of Islamic knowledge,
we aimed to compare the various classifications with those formulated by ChatGPT as a result
of our queries (AI-driven). To do so, we started from the FSCIRE "La Pira" Library’s topographic
project, which is composed of a detailed classification with respect to the library’s specific
needs (Human-driven). Then, we selected from all the 36 classifications a range of 11 (that
represent 31% of the total) the most promising classification proposals based on project needs
such as comprehensiveness, specialization, multilingualism, and so forth. We put all the 12
classifications (that represent 33% of the total) in a PDF file 8 and then let Chat GPT read them
through its plugins to choose the better proposals (enumerated from 1 to 12). The following is
an extract from the chat:
- Query: Could you compare all the proposals starting from 1 to 12 and choose what you think
could be the better to accomplish the task mentioned at the beginning?
- ChatGPT response: To build a digital library for an Islamic studies research center that caters to
both specialized and non-specialized audiences, it’s important to have a classification system
that covers a wide range of topics in Islam, from the basics to more advanced theological and
8See the file "Classicfiation Proposals" within the GitHub repository https://github.com/projectmaktabah/
Bridging-Islamic-Knowledge-and-AI
philosophical studies. The library should also include resources on contemporary issues in
Islam and the contributions of Islam to various fields such as science, art, and economics.</p>
        <sec id="sec-4-3-1">
          <title>Considering these requirements, here’s a comparison of all the proposals:</title>
          <p>• Proposals 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, and 10 are more focused on religious texts and theological studies.</p>
          <p>They cover topics such as Qur’a¯nic Studies, Hadith Studies, Seerah (Life of the Prophet), Fiqh
(Islamic Jurisprudence), Aqidah (Islamic Theology), and Islamic Philosophy and Mysticism.</p>
          <p>These proposals would be more suitable for a specialized audience.
• Proposals 5, 6, 9, and 12 are more comprehensive and cover a wide range of topics in Islam.</p>
          <p>They include sections on the basics of Islam, Qur’a¯nic and Hadith Studies, the biography of
the Prophet, Islamic theology and jurisprudence, Islamic history and civilization, women and
family in Islam, ethics and spirituality in Islam, Islamic art and culture, Islamic economics
and finance, and science and Islam. These proposals also include sections on contemporary
issues in Islam, which would be relevant also to non-specialized users.
• Given the need to cater to both specialized and non-specialized audiences and to cover a wide
range of topics, Proposals 5, 6, 9, and 12 would be the most suitable for building the digital
library. They provide a broad overview of Islam, making them accessible to non-specialized
users, while also including in-depth resources for a specialized audience.
• However, among these, Proposal 5 seems to be the most comprehensive and well-structured.</p>
          <p>It covers all the essential areas of Islamic studies and also includes sections on contemporary
issues and the contributions of Islam to various fields. Therefore, Proposal 5 would be the
most suitable for building a digital library for an Islamic studies research center that caters to
both specialized and non-specialized audiences.</p>
        </sec>
      </sec>
      <sec id="sec-4-4">
        <title>3.4. Potential Obstacles in Generative AI Models: the Hallucination Case in our Inquiry</title>
        <p>During our experimentation with ChatGPT as an expert librarian for the categorization of
our Islamic digital library, we encountered a phenomenon known as "hallucination" within
generative AI models. This phenomenon refers to instances where AI generates information
that seems plausible but is actually non-verifiable, incorrect, or fabricated [ 27]. Although
ChatGPT has demonstrated a noticeable level of understanding and competence, it has not been
immune to occasional cases of hallucination. These instances of hallucination emerged when
the AI model generated information that seemed coherent and contextually relevant but lacked
factual accuracy or historical authenticity. The phenomenon of hallucination underscores a
crucial consideration when using AI models for tasks that require factual accuracy and scholarly
precision. Although GPT’s responses are generally reliable and well-informed, its ability to
generate entirely new information may inadvertently result in the creation of inaccurate content.
This emphasizes the importance of cross-referencing AI-provided information with authoritative
sources and consulting subject-matter experts. As we reflect on our exploration, it becomes
evident that while AI models like ChatGPT ofer remarkable capabilities, they are not immune to
limitations inherent in their design, training data, interpretability, and generalization challenges.</p>
        <p>As such, the integration of AI into scholarly endeavors must be accompanied by careful
monitoring, validation, and human oversight to ensure the accuracy and reliability of the
generated content. This raises broader questions about the ethical and epistemic implications
of AI-generated content in fields that require deep expertise and nuanced understanding, such
as Islamic studies. Some queries were misread or misinterpreted by ChatGPT resulting in a
sloppy, incoherent, or incomplete answer. This has been a clear obstacle to our workflow that
we addressed by rephrasing the prompts. This outcome, though expected, inevitably led us to
intervene on some of them in order to overcome this issue and obtain an analyzable output.</p>
      </sec>
    </sec>
    <sec id="sec-5">
      <title>4. Conclusions and Future Perspectives</title>
      <p>The assessment of ChatGPT’s potential as a knowledgeable librarian for organizing an Islamic
digital library provided valuable insights into the integration of generative AI within the
realm of academic research and knowledge organization. GPT’s AI-driven classifications of
Islamic topics, which span from Qur’a¯nic studies to modern-day issues, displayed a unique
blend of speed, comprehensiveness, and linguistic adeptness. Compared to traditional
humanled methods, ChatGPT’s approach showcased both its advantages, primarily in speed and
vastness and its limitations, particularly in areas that demanded deep cultural understanding
and experiential knowledge. A noteworthy observation was the model’s adaptability following
the temporary deactivation of the Bing browsing feature. The AI model, reliant on its training
data up until September 2021, continued to generate contextually relevant insights. Nonetheless,
the importance of real-time data sourcing was evident, emphasizing the added value of
upto-date information in rendering contemporary insights. However, the challenges posed by
"hallucination" incidents served as a cautionary tale. These episodes, where ChatGPT produced
seemingly accurate but in fact erroneous data, underline the imperative for meticulous validation
and human oversight in AI-driven scholarly endeavors.</p>
      <p>Looking forward, the project is keen to embrace the capabilities of other advanced language
models, notably Google Bard. A collaborative approach utilizing both ChatGPT and Bard
is envisaged to yield a more intricate categorization system, possibly even branching into
multilingual domains, for instance, integrating resources in Chinese alongside Arabic, Persian,
and Azerbaijani. This dual-model approach holds the promise of supporting and enriching
human-led eforts, helping to create a digital library that is adaptive, inclusive, and informed by
the latest in AI-driven academic organizations. As we advance in our research, there’s potential
in harnessing newer features like “custom instructions”, which during our initial experiments
were unavailable. This could refine our inquiries and potentially elevate the outcomes. Moreover,
detailed discussions on expansive classifications and specific topics, such as Islam in China 9,
could further enrich our understanding and provide depth to the library’s oferings. Lastly,
the collaborative eforts from AI generative entities from the Arab countries, including Jais
(MBZUAI) and Ejaba, suggest a larger, collective movement towards AI-augmented academic
endeavors. This merging of collective endeavors with the continuously advancing AI domain
hints at a promising future for Islamic studies in the age of AI-enhanced research and academia.
9See the file named "ChatGPT inquiry ..." p. 92-99, within the Github repository, https://github.com/projectmaktabah/
Bridging-Islamic-Knowledge-and-AI</p>
    </sec>
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      <title>Acknowledgments</title>
      <p>This work was supported by the PNRR project Italian Strengthening of Esfri RI Resilience
(ITSERR) funded by the European Union – NextGenerationEU (CUP:B53C22001770006).
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