June 2025 – Page 3 – Virtually Islamic News

Thu 9 Dhul Hijjah 1446AH 5-6-2025AD
Artificial Intelligence, Facial Recognition, Surveillance, Turkey, Turkey Internet, Türkiye,

AI Türkiye

Ylenia Gostoli, New Lines Magazine, Turkey’s AI-Powered Protest Crackdown, 5 Jun 2025 “Sinclair-Webb noted that some defendants are facing charges of inciting a crime based solely on social media...

Thu 9 Dhul Hijjah 1446AH 5-6-2025AD
Gaza, Human Rights, Israel, Palestine, War crimes

Gaza Under Siege (cont/d)

Multiple stories and issues are emerging associated with human rights, war crime allegations, and conflict, in which, in the absence of journalists, those on the ground are documenting digitally....

Thu 9 Dhul Hijjah 1446AH 5-6-2025AD
Turkey, Turkey Internet, Türkiye

Qur’an Translations – Türkiye

"A legislative push in Turkey is drawing sharp rebuke over what many view as a direct assault on religious freedom: a proposed law that would empower the state’s top...

Thu 9 Dhul Hijjah 1446AH 5-6-2025AD
Artificial Intelligence, Bahasa Indonesia, Indonesia, Indonesia Internet, Languages, LLMs

An important development opening up AI interfaces across different Indonesian contexts: Meanwhile, in Indonesia: "This latest model operates in Bahasa Indonesia, the country’s national language, as well as five...

Thu 9 Dhul Hijjah 1446AH 5-6-2025AD
Artificial Intelligence, Hajj, Mecca, Research

Hajj 1446

There are several stories relating specifically to technology and hajj that are worth tracking: Riazat Butt, AP, No kids, excess heat and payment plans. What to know about Hajj...

Thu 9 Dhul Hijjah 1446AH 5-6-2025AD
Research

Sudan Crisis

In other world news: UN official says the ‘devastating milestone’ shows the damage of the displacement crisis after two years of fighting....

Thu 9 Dhul Hijjah 1446AH 5-6-2025AD
Digital British Islam, Gary R. Bunt, Wales

Senedd DBI

I’m speaking at a Senedd event next week: Digital British Islam: Policy Roundtable, Prof. Gary R. Bunt (UWTSD) & Dr Laura Jones (Edinburgh/UWTSD) 12-1.30, Wednesday, 11 June 2025, Seminar...

Wed 8 Dhul Hijjah 1446AH 4-6-2025AD
Digital Islam Across Europe, Research

CHANSE Digital Islam Across Europe

A photo gallery from the Digital Islam Across Europe conference held on 27th-28th May at the University of Edinburgh can be found here. All photos: Yvonne Howard-Bunt.

Wed 8 Dhul Hijjah 1446AH 4-6-2025AD
Research

Podcast on Gaza

Probably not the greatest programme, as the presenter (the usually excellent Anna Foster) had problems controlling the speakers talking despite their being requested not to. This may have been...

Sun 5 Dhul Hijjah 1446AH 1-6-2025AD
Books, Gary R. Bunt

‘Islamic Algorithms‘ Paperback

Now available to pre-order (out November 2025). Islamic Algorithms: Online Influence in the Muslim Metaverse is now available to pre-order in paperback from Bloomsbury. This version is much cheaper...

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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