Analytical Review of Islamic Bioethics Literature on Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare: Implications for Muslim Patients in Nigeria

This study conducts an analytical review of the emerging Islamic bioethics literature on artificial intelligence (AI) applications in healthcare and examines its implications for Muslim patients and Islamic medical institutions in Nigeria. The rapid integration of AI diagnostic tools, algorithmic treatment decision systems, and health data analytics into global healthcare is generating complex Islamic ethical questions about autonomy, privacy, informed consent, and the spiritual dimensions of medical decision-making. The study employs a systematic literature review methodology, analysing 75 peer-reviewed articles, fatawa, and scholarly monographs on Islamic bioethics and AI in medicine published between 2020 and 2025, supplemented by interviews with 15 Islamic bioethics scholars and 10 health informatics professionals in Lagos, Abuja, and Kano. Data are synthesised using thematic analysis and comparative Islamic jurisprudential analysis. Findings reveal a nascent but rapidly developing Islamic bioethics discourse on AI in healthcare, with scholarly consensus emerging on the permissibility of AI-assisted diagnostics under conditions of human oversight and transparency. Significant gaps exist in the literature regarding AI and end-of-life care, algorithmic bias impacting Muslim health populations, and data privacy under Islamic principles. The study recommends the establishment of an Islamic bioethics AI advisory panel within Nigerian medical Islamic institutions and targeted research on AI fairness in Nigerian health contexts. Keywords: Islamic bioethics, artificial intelligence, healthcare, Muslim patients, Nigeria.