March 2025 – Page 2 – Virtually Islamic News

Mon 17 Ramadan 1446AH 17-3-2025AD
‘Islamic State', Radicalisation

‘Death Video‘ site

“Experts are concerned that viewing such content normalises extreme violence and helps in the radicalisation of young people.” The article also refers to videos generated by ‘Islamic State.‘ Shut...

Sun 16 Ramadan 1446AH 16-3-2025AD
‘Islamic State', Iraq

Abdallah Makki Muslih al-Rifai

Al Jazeera, Iraq says ‘dangerous’ ISIL leader Abu Khadija killed, 15 Mar 2025. “Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani said on Friday that Abdallah Makki Muslih al-Rufay’i, also known as...

Sat 15 Ramadan 1446AH 15-3-2025AD
dress-code, Facial Recognition, Gender, Iran, Iran internet, Iranian internet, Surveillance

Human Rights Council, Report of the independent international fact-finding mission on the Islamic Republic of Iran, Fifty-eighth session. 24 February–4 April 2025, Agenda Item 4 (A/HRC/58/63) Advance unedited copy...

Thu 13 Ramadan 1446AH 13-3-2025AD
Malaysia, Malaysia Internet, Ramadan

Malaysia conversion controversy

SCMP, Japanese ex-adult star Rae Lil Black raises eyebrows as ‘Muslim convert’ in Malaysia, 12 Mar 2025. “Japanese former adult film star Rae Lil Black has ignited a social...

Tue 11 Ramadan 1446AH 11-3-2025AD
Indonesia, Ramadan, Sermons

Ramadan Indonesia Sermons

Stefanno Sulaiman, Reuters, At Ramadan, Indonesia offers sermons on inflation to keep a lid on prices, 11 Mar 2025 “The address by a central bank official and two Muslim...

Tue 11 Ramadan 1446AH 11-3-2025AD
Gender, LGBTQ+, Sexuality

AI relationships

Holly Baxter, Independent, Welcome to your new AI relationship, 11 Mar 2025 – I was considering the societal implications in some of this article (which mentions Middle East contexts)....

Tue 11 Ramadan 1446AH 11-3-2025AD
Indonesia, Indonesia Internet, LGBTQ+

TikTok Prosecution Indonesia

BBC News, TikToker jailed in Indonesia for telling Jesus to cut his hair, 11 Mar 2025“Ratu Thalisa, a Muslim transgender woman with more than 442,000 TikTok followers, had been...

Sun 9 Ramadan 1446AH 9-3-2025AD
Syria

Syria Violence

At least 1,000 people killed in Syria violence www.channel4.com/news/at-leas… [image or embed] — Channel 4 News (@channel4news.bsky.social) 9 March 2025 at 19:12 At least 1,000 people killed in Syria...

Sun 9 Ramadan 1446AH 9-3-2025AD
'Islamophobia', Anti-Muslim Hate, Anti-Muslim Prejudice, British Muslims

Tell Mama

Tell Mama has been an important service for many years, with a significant online presence: Exclusive: The government is cutting all funding from the Islamophobia reporting service Tell Mama,...

Sun 9 Ramadan 1446AH 9-3-2025AD
Human Rights, Iran, Iran internet, Iranian internet

Iran – Recipes for Survival

Rachel Cooke, Observer, Crumble, cookies and madeleines – recipes of hope for Iran’s jailed women “Sepideh Gholian’s diary of prison life came out four years ago. Next month, she...

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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