EN.MUHAMMADIYAH.OR.ID, SURABAYA — Muhammadiyah is set to launch ChatHPT during the opening ceremony of the 33rd Tarjih National Conference at the Muhammadiyah University of Surabaya on Thursday (5/11). The AI assistant is designed to help the public understand rulings and fatwas issued by the Tarjih and Tajdid Council. At the same time, it should be able to maintain clear boundaries on its authority in religious matters.
The launch is guided by a fundamental principle: AI can help users find and explain religious references. The AI assistant, however, has no authority to issue fatwas. The system works by searching official Tarjih documents and generating answers based on the sources it retrieves.
This principle is central to ChatHPT’s development. The November 2026 edition of Panduan Lengkap ChatHPT (Complete Guide to ChatHPT) explains that ChatHPT is not a digital mufti. Its role is to help users find, understand, and summarize existing religious rulings. For new issues or personal cases requiring specific consideration, users are still directed to the Tarjih and Tajdid Council for qualified Islamic scholars.
How ChatHPT Generates Its Answers
Technically, ChatHPT uses a Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) approach. This technology enables the system to generate answers by first retrieving information from an indexed collection of documents. Its AI agent is instructed to use the official Tarjih corpus as its source. It is, thus, not allowed to independently draw conclusions from unverified materials.
The process begins when a user submits a question. The system identifies relevant keywords and concepts, searches its document collection, examines relevant passages, and then generates an answer. The results include explanations, religious evidence, notes, conclusions, and links to the original reference documents.
ChatHPT also applies a hierarchy of sources. Rulings adopted by a Tarjih National Conference or Muhammadiyah National Congress and subsequently formalized through tanfidz receive higher priority than individual fatwas. Fatwas, in turn, take precedence over materials from the Tanya Jawab Agama (Religious QnA) sections. This arrangement is intended to ensure that the system accounts for the respective standing and authority of each Tarjih publication.
One example presented in the guide concerns a question about the ruling on performing funeral prayers for a deceased person convicted of corruption. When the system could not find a fatwa directly addressing the question, it connected the issue with relevant Tarjih decisions and arguments. The resulting answer pointed to the conclusion that a deceased Muslim who has committed sins must still be given funeral prayers.
However, the example is presented as an examination based on available references. It is not presented as a new official fatwa issued by ChatHPT. Users are still expected to examine the cited sources and consult the Tarjih and Tajdid Council when they need an authoritative religious ruling.
Human Oversight and Institutional Collaboration
A feedback mechanism has also been established to support oversight. Users can rate responses or report answers they consider problematic. The development team can then improve the search system, instructions, and document processing. Issues concerning the substance of Islamic legal rulings, meanwhile, will be referred to the Tarjih and Tajdid Council.
ChatHPT’s development involves the Muhammadiyah Central Board’s Tarjih and Tajdid Council, Publication and Information Council, and LabMu. This division of responsibilities places scholarly authority with the Tarjih and Tajdid Council, documentation management and digital channels with the Publication and Information Council, and technological development with LabMu.
