Digital Surveillance and Human Dignity (Ḥifẓ al-ʿIrḠ): An Islamic Ethical Appraisal with Reflections from Nigeria

The rapid expansion of digital surveillance technologies -including CCTV systems, biometric identification, mobile data tracking and social media monitoring- has transformed public and private spaces across the globe. In Nigeria, these technologies are increasingly deployed for security, governance and commercial purposes, often with limited ethical oversight. This article offers an Islamic ethical appraisal of contemporary digital surveillance through the lens of ḥifẓ al-Ê¿irḠ(protection of human dignity and reputation), a core objective of Islamic law. Drawing on QurÊ¾Ä nic principles, Prophetic practice, maqÄ á¹£id al-sharÄ«Ê¿ah theory and classical juristic discussions on privacy, suspicion and moral exposure, the study examines the moral boundaries of surveillance in relation to dignity, consent, proportionality and harm prevention. The article adopts a normative-contextual methodology, combining Islamic ethical reasoning with reflections from Nigeria’s expanding surveillance landscape, including public CCTV usage, biometric governance systems and digital monitoring practices. It argues that while Islam does not reject surveillance categorically, it imposes strict ethical constraints to prevent dignity erosion, reputational harm and unjustified intrusion. By foregrounding ḥifẓ al-Ê¿irḠas an underexplored maqá¹£ad in digital ethics, the article contributes to contemporary Islamic moral discourse and offers a principled framework for evaluating surveillance practices in Muslim societies.