March 2025 – Virtually Islamic News

Mon 2 Shawwal 1446AH 31-3-2025AD
Human Rights, Palestine, West Bank

Eid and Gaza/West Bank

At this time of ‘celebration, tragedy continues in the West Bank (and beyond), making these articles poignant pieces of reporting: As Eid al-Fitr approaches, more than 4,000 families remain...

Sun 1 Shawwal 1446AH 30-3-2025AD
Indonesia, Ramadan

Eid Mubarak

Eid Mubarak to all who are celebrating… #eidmubarak...

Sun 1 Shawwal 1446AH 30-3-2025AD
Andrew Tate, Influencers

Tate update

I continue to post on the Tates, given the role of Andrew Tate as an ‘influencer‘ (as discussed in ‘Islamic Algorithms‘): The Trump administration pressured the Romanian government to...

Sat 29 Ramadan 1446AH 29-3-2025AD
Gaza, Palestine, War crimes

Gaza Tragedy and Orphans

A powerful piece by Alistair Bunkall on the Gazan victims of conflict and policy: Gaza’s orphans: Alistair Bunkall’s powerful report for @skynewsrss.bsky.social...

Fri 28 Ramadan 1446AH 28-3-2025AD
Artificial Intelligence, Turkey, Turkey Internet

‘Pikachu‘ and Protest

Didn't think this needed saying, but as these images of Pikachu at the protests in Turkey are going viral, it's worth saying that both of them are AI-generated and...

Gary R Bunt, February 2025, Barcelona, Digital religions: Technological and spiritual transformations

Wed 19 Ramadan 1446AH 19-3-2025AD
Conferences, Digital Islam Across Europe, Gary R. Bunt, Spain internet,

I attended ‘Digital religions: Technological and spiritual transformations’ in Barcelona last month on behalf of CHANSE Digital Islam Across Europe. I gave a lecture based around my ongoing research....

Mon 17 Ramadan 1446AH 17-3-2025AD
Indonesia, Indonesia Internet

Indonesia Ramadan

Important fact-checking from Deutsche Welle‘s Afrose Jahan and Matt Ford "A viral video claims to show Christians being harassed in Indonesia for not observing Ramadan. It does show Ramadan-related harassment, but...

Mon 17 Ramadan 1446AH 17-3-2025AD
Human Rights, Journalism, Syria, Syria Internet, War crimes

Syria Violence

Essential viewing (click through for the video) This is from CNN on the Syria situation: "A masked fighter filmed himself parading around the ransacked home, singing “ethnic cleansing, ethnic...

Mon 17 Ramadan 1446AH 17-3-2025AD
Malaysia, Malaysia Internet, Ramadan

Malaysia Ramadan Assault Allegations

This incident captured social media attention in Malaysia: "The alleged assault has drawn broad condemnation on Malaysian social media, with many agreeing that the assailant be subjected to the...

Mon 17 Ramadan 1446AH 17-3-2025AD
Artificial Intelligence, chatbots, Disinformation, Russia, Wikipedia

Disinformation Infiltration

This article is definitely worth a deep dive: NEW 🚨 The #Pravdanetwork—a Russia-linked disinformation operation—has infiltrated #Wikipedia, AI chatbots, and #X, spreading pro-Kremlin narratives globally. @vchatelet.bsky.social & @checkfirst.network reveal...

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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