Virtually Islamic News – Researching Islam, Muslims and the Internet

Thu 4 Jumada Al Akhira 1446AH 5-12-2024AD
Artificial Intelligence, Israel, Israel-Gaza Conflict 2024, Israel-Hamas Conflict 2024, Palestine

Social Media and Online Coverage: Israel-Hamas Conflict (Month Fourteen) – updated

This is the fourteenth month since the current Israel-Hamas conflict commenced. I have been keeping copies of selected online content since 7 October 2023. Some of these posts feature...

Scharia im Wandel book cover. Showing figures reading, a stack of books, and the background of a minaret and mosque dome.

Thu 4 Jumada Al Akhira 1446AH 5-12-2024AD
Artificial Intelligence, Books, Gary R. Bunt, Research

From Sheikh Google to ImamAI?

My chapter “From Sheikh Google to ImamAI? Evolving Islamic Influence and Authority in Muslim Digital Worlds” is published in “Scharia im Wandel. Beiträge zur Transformation islamischer Autorität im Spannungsfeld...

Sun 29 Jumada Al Oula 1446AH 1-12-2024AD
Books, Gary R. Bunt, Research

Islamic Algorithms

My book ‘Islamic Algorithms’ has been reviewed in ‘The Muslim World‘ by Dr Akif Tahiiev of Goethe-Universitat Frankfurt am Main: “Islamic Algorithms is a great contribution to the topic...

Lebanon flag (Image by jorono from Pixabay)

Sat 28 Jumada Al Oula 1446AH 30-11-2024AD
Ali Khamenei, Artificial Intelligence, Disinformation, Hassan Nasrallah, Hezbollah, Houthi, Israel, Lebanon, Lebanon-Israel Crisis 2024

Lebanon-Israel Crisis (updated)

I’m focusing on social media/tech issues and crisis coverage here. Check the earlier post on Exploding Pagers. Follow X @garybunt for updates on this shifting situation. Warning: sensitive content....

Thu 4 Jumada Al Akhira 1446AH 5-12-2024AD
Gender, Pakistan, Pakistan Internet

Pakistan Digital Rights

Kanika Gupta, Wired, She Escaped an Abusive Marriage—Now She Helps Women Battle Cyber Harassment, Feb 2025. “Inspired by her own experienced of abuse, Nighat Dad fights for women’s social...

Poster: Jummah Aesthetics: British Muslim Men and Their Sartorial Choices exhibition at Oxford House, Bethnal Green, London, until 31 January 2025.

Thu 4 Jumada Al Akhira 1446AH 5-12-2024AD
Research

Fashion Statements

I’m not qualified to talk about fashion(!), but this article by Remona Aly was interesting (and within a price bracket). It’s an excellent piece, based on the Jummah Aesthetics:...

Thu 4 Jumada Al Akhira 1446AH 5-12-2024AD
Archives, Digital Archives, Digital Islam Across Europe, Gary R. Bunt, Influencers

Online Legacies

Anna Grasso, Gary R. Bunt, Digital Islam Across Europe, The Online Portrayal and Legacy of Deceased Influential Figures “In this short article we wish to analyse the issue of...

Sat 28 Jumada Al Oula 1446AH 30-11-2024AD
Artificial Intelligence, LLMs, SLMs

Indigenous AI

This is a slight digression, but this subject is also relevant in discussions across LLM/SLM AI development in Muslim contexts. How Indigenous engineers are using AI to preserve their...

Sat 28 Jumada Al Oula 1446AH 30-11-2024AD
Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, Syria, Syria Internet

Aleppo

There’s plenty of online coverage associated with the Aleppo situation. Syrian rebels claim to have entered city of Aleppo www.bbc.com/news/article… [image or embed] — Gary R. Bunt (@garyrbunt.bsky.social) 29...

Sat 28 Jumada Al Oula 1446AH 30-11-2024AD
British Muslims, Food, History

‘Bangla Town‘ Documentary

BBC World Service, How ‘Bangla Town’ changed a nation’s food culture “Devina Gupta traces their history and flavours on Brick Lane in east London, where many people settled and...

Sat 28 Jumada Al Oula 1446AH 30-11-2024AD
Scotland

Young Muslims in Scotland

There’s an online dimension to this report on Young Muslims in Scotland. PDF available. It’ll be interesting to see how this correlates to the Digital British Islam project findings.

Islamic Algorithms – book cover

Gary R. Bunt, Islamic Algorithms: Online Influence in the Muslim Metaverse (London: Bloomsbury Academic, 2024)

Explore the book

Hardcover and ebook editions are available now; the paperback edition’s publication date is to be confirmed.

Gary R. Bunt, 2024

Amazon.com

Amazon.co.uk

Comments

“Gary Bunt’s Islamic Algorithms explores the dynamic relationship between technology shifts and the evolving engagement of Muslims online. Bunt emphasises the unchanging core of Islam, adapting its expression to developing technology. A testament to Bunt’s brilliance in the ever-changing Cyber Islamic Environments, this is a must-read for those interested in Islamic studies, digital Islam and Muslim metaverses.” ―Eva Nisa, Senior Lecturer of Anthropology, The Australian National University, Australia

“A timely and insightful exploration, the book offers a concise yet comprehensive glimpse into the evolving landscape of Cyber Islamic Environments. From the serene halls of Jakarta’s Istiqlal Mosque to the potential realms of Muslim metaverses, this book takes readers on a journey to unveil the dynamic relationship between Islam and technology. In a world where smartphones guide prayers and iPads connect elders in study groups, Bunt shares a compelling and timely perspective on the evolving relationship between Islam, technology and the digital age.” ―Umar Ryad, Professor of Arabic and Islamic Studies, University of Leuven, Belgium

Bibliography and Glossary