2023 – Page 26 – Virtually Islamic News

Mon 22 Dhul Hijjah 1444AH 10-7-2023AD
Iran, Iran internet, Iran Protests 2023, Iranian internet, Iranian Social Media, Music

Toomaj Salehi

Reuters, Iranian rapper to be jailed for six years, avoiding death sentence – lawyer, 10 July 2023 “Well-known Iranian rapper Toomaj Salehi, who supported the protest movement that sprang...

Mon 22 Dhul Hijjah 1444AH 10-7-2023AD
Digital Qur'an, Religious Authority

About Islam, Does Reading Quran on Phone Count?, 6 June 2023 “Reciting the Noble Quran is greatly rewarded by Allah Almighty. This reward applies whether a Muslim recites the Quran from a written copy (Mushaf)...

Mon 22 Dhul Hijjah 1444AH 10-7-2023AD
Academia, Archives, Books, Digital Archives

Leiden

Digitisation of libraries is extremely important. I look forward to a deep dive into Leiden’s online content

Mon 22 Dhul Hijjah 1444AH 10-7-2023AD
Gary R. Bunt

Threads

I’m now on Threads, but it will take me a while to get up to speed on it. You can find my link here: https://www.threads.net/@g.r.bunt

Thu 18 Dhul Hijjah 1444AH 6-7-2023AD
Arabic

NaTakallam

Arab News, Refugee-powered NaTakallam launches professional Arabic language courses, 5 July 2023 “Six Syrian refugees in the US have crafted the “Arabic for Professionals” course launched on Wednesday by...

Wed 17 Dhul Hijjah 1444AH 5-7-2023AD
Malaysia, Malaysia Internet, Meta

Malaysia-Meta

Hadi Azmi, SCMP, Malaysia to work with Meta on wiping ‘undesirable content’ from Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, 5 July 2023. “Facebook parent company Meta has agreed to work with police in Malaysia to...

Wed 17 Dhul Hijjah 1444AH 5-7-2023AD
Gary R. Bunt

Update

I’ve been on holiday, and also putting some finishing touches to the manuscript for my next book, so there have been fewer posts over the past couple of weeks....

Tue 16 Dhul Hijjah 1444AH 4-7-2023AD
Disinformation, France internet

French riots disinformation

BBC Verify, False Posts about French riots spread online, 4 July 2023 (update). “Images of the unrest, which has spread to other French cities, are being shared on social...

Tue 16 Dhul Hijjah 1444AH 4-7-2023AD
Gaza, Palestine

Jenin

Mon 15 Dhul Hijjah 1444AH 3-7-2023AD
Digital divide, Senegal Internet, WhatsApp

Senegal WhatsApp

Rest of World, WhatsApp voice notes are revolutionizing farming in Senegal, 3 July 2023 “For farmers in Senegal who struggle to read or write, sending voice notes has unlocked...

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.

Dhul Hijjah 1444
S	M	T	W	T	F	S
« Qid				Muh »
	1	2	3	4	5	6
7	8	9	10	11	12	13
14	15	16	17	18	19	20
21	22	23	24	25	26	27
28	29	30