November 2023 – Page 2 – Virtually Islamic News

Wed 8 Jumada Al Oula 1445AH 22-11-2023AD
Google, Malaysia, Malaysia Internet

Malaysia-Google Collaboration

Reuters, Malaysia, Google announce strategic collaboration on skills opportunities – state news agency , 16 Nov 2023 “The Malaysian government and Google (GOOGL.O) announced a strategic collaboration to create inclusive growth...

Tue 7 Jumada Al Oula 1445AH 21-11-2023AD
Digital Qur'an, Qur'an, TikTok

TikTok Converts and Qur’an Encounters

Alaina Demopoulos, The Guardian, Young Americans are picking up the Qur’an ‘to understand the resilience of Muslim Palestinians’, 20 November 2023. “Rice is not alone in wanting to experience...

Sun 5 Jumada Al Oula 1445AH 19-11-2023AD
Hajj, Mecca, umrah

Tawaaf on a Scooter

It’s important that tawaaf is made as accessible as possible for all pilgrims, including those with mobility needs. This clip shows a remarkable result of the new scooter policy....

Sun 5 Jumada Al Oula 1445AH 19-11-2023AD
al-Qaeda, Influencers, TikTok

OBL and ‘Influence‘

Thu 2 Jumada Al Oula 1445AH 16-11-2023AD
cassettes, Egypt,, Music

C30 C60 C90 Go

A thread on audiocassettes in 70s Egypt:

Thu 2 Jumada Al Oula 1445AH 16-11-2023AD
Artificial Intelligence, Terminology

‘Hallucinations‘

Mon 29 Rabi Al Thani 1445AH 13-11-2023AD
Research

#Heştek İslam: İslami Siber Ortamlar Dinî Otoriteyi Nasıl Dönüştürür?

Commercial break: I was pleased to receive the print edition of ‘#Heştek İslam: İslami Siber Ortamlar Dinî Otoriteyi Nasıl Dönüştürür?‘ This is the Turkish translation of ‘Hashtag Islam: How...

Sat 27 Rabi Al Thani 1445AH 11-11-2023AD
UAE, UAE Digital

UAE Coding Day

The National, Sheikh Mohammed hails technology drive as UAE coding day goes global, 11 Nov 2023 ““In a new global initiative for the UAE, Unesco today adopts an Emirati...

Thu 25 Rabi Al Thani 1445AH 9-11-2023AD
China,, Hamas, Israel-Gaza Conflict 2023, Israel-Hamas Conflict 2023, Politics, Russia

Fiona Hill Interview

Analysis by Fiona Hill of contemporary global political contexts in this comprehensive interview by Lewis Goodall on LBC’s The Newsagents. Check out the programme link below.

Wed 24 Rabi Al Thani 1445AH 8-11-2023AD
Artificial Intelligence

Machine Unlearning

Shubham Agarwal, New Scientist, With privacy concerns rising, can we teach AI chatbots to forget?, 31 Oct 2023, (paywalled/Apple News) “With concerns that AI-powered chatbots could reveal private data,...

Islamic Algorithms – book cover

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

Explore the book

Paperback, hardback and ebook editions are available now.

Amazon.com

Amazon.co.uk

Prof. Gary R. Bunt, 2026

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

Review by Michael Dhanoya (University of Leicester) in LSE Blogs

“Islamic Algorithms is a great contribution to the topic of Digital Religion …”

Review in The Muslim World‘ by Dr Akif Tahiiev of Goethe-Universitat Frankfurt am Main

‘Gary R. Bunts Islamic Algorithms liefert detaillierte Einblicke in die digitalen Räume von AkteurInnen, die sich auf unterschiedliche Weise auf den Islam “

“Gary R. Bunt’s Islamic Algorithms provides detailed insights into the digital spaces of actors who relate to Islam in various ways.*

* Google Translation

Margareta Wetchy, Gary R. Bunts Islamic Algorithms unter der Lupe, Machine Against the Rage

“Overall, Islamic Algorithms: Online Influence in the Muslim Metaverse is crucial to contemporary Islamic studies. The book is highly recommended for researchers, academics, and practitioners interested in the interaction between
technology and religion.” Reza Adeputra Tohis and Zulkifli Mansyur, Religion & Theology, 32 (2025): Issue 1-2 (Jun 2025) [PDF]

” … Bunt’s volume is an important step forward in understanding the importance of digital discourse to contemporary Islamic traditions and Muslim communities.” James Riggan, Reading Religion (American Academy of Religion)

“Islamic Algorithms provides a timely and thoughtful examination of how Islam, algorithms, and digital culture intersect. It is a valuable resource for scholars and researchers interested in digital presence of Islam, and digital culture both in theory and practice.” Mohamed Taher, Middle Eastern Librarians Association

Book cover: Dijital Dünyada Müslüman Olmak: Mecra, Kimlik ve Otorite‘

Gary R. Bunt’s chapter ‘Şeyh Google’dan Yapay Zekâ İmama Mı?: Müslüman Dijital Mecralarda İslami Etki ve Otoritenin Dönüşümü‘?‘ (trans. Necmiye Durmuş) is available in ‘Dijital Dünyada Müslüman Olmak: Mecra, Kimlik ve Otorite‘ edited by Mehmet Ali Başak (Eskiyeni). The original version was in

Scharia im Wandel edited by Mahmud El-Wereny and Alexander-Kenneth Nagel. (Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz Verlag, 2024).

Available from:

AI ‘Fake Journalism‘ Fri 28 Rabi Al Thani 1448AH 9-10-2026AD

Starlink Test Implications Fri 28 Rabi Al Thani 1448AH 9-10-2026AD

Virtually Islamic on Substack Fri 28 Rabi Al Thani 1448AH 9-10-2026AD

Iran AI Fri 28 Rabi Al Thani 1448AH 9-10-2026AD

Indonesia Online Gambling Thu 27 Rabi Al Thani 1448AH 8-10-2026AD

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

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 von Kodifikation, Migration und Digitalisierung,” edited by Mahmud El-Wereny and Alexander-Kenneth Nagel. (Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz Verlag, 2024). Studies on Islamic Cultural and Intellectual History, Noorhaidi Hasan et al.

The book is the result of a 2022 conference at Georg-August-Universität Göttingen.

A Turkish version of the chapter is in preparation for publication in 2026.

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