July 2025 – Page 2 – Virtually Islamic News

Wed 28 Muharram 1447AH 23-7-2025AD
Artificial Intelligence, Journalism, Research

Digital News Report

Nic Newman, Reuters Institute, Overview and key findings of the 2025 Digital News Report. “This year’s report comes at a time of deep political and economic uncertainty, changing geo-political...

Tue 27 Muharram 1447AH 22-7-2025AD
Artificial Intelligence, Pakistan, Pakistan Internet

Pakistan AI ‘slop‘

Mavra Bari, DW, Pakistan lags in AI readiness, but surges in ‘slop’ content, 21 Jul 2025 “Despite trailing in global AI readiness rankings, Pakistan is seeing a boom in...

Tue 27 Muharram 1447AH 22-7-2025AD
Artificial Intelligence, Indonesia, Indonesia Internet, Malaysia, Malaysia Internet

Indonesian national AI strategy is in line with competing Malaysian developments in AI, as reported by Reuters: Stanley Widianto, Reuters, Indonesia targets foreign investment with new AI roadmap, official...

Tue 27 Muharram 1447AH 22-7-2025AD
Artificial Intelligence, Malaysia, Malaysia Internet, Nvidia, Southeast Asia,

NationGate AI Issues

Lionel Lim, Fortune, Malaysia’s AI darling NationGate sees shares tumble after it got raided in a scrap metal smuggling probe, 18 Jul 2025. “NationGate is the only company in...

Tue 27 Muharram 1447AH 22-7-2025AD
Cyber Security, Malaysia, Malaysia Internet

Malaysia Digital ID Issues

SCMP, Malaysia mulls making digital ID mandatory as security fears hinder adoption, 22 Jul 2025 “A botched roll-out and data leaks involving millions in recent years have made Malaysians...

Sun 25 Muharram 1447AH 20-7-2025AD
Gaza, Human Rights, Israel, Israel-Hamas Conflict 2025, Palestine, Pope Leo XIV, War crimes

Gaza in Crisis (cont/d)

Nick Maynard, a UK surgeon in Gaza, told BBC this morning he is seeing injuries cluster chronologically. Teenage boys are getting shot at the food distribution sites, but in...

Sun 25 Muharram 1447AH 20-7-2025AD
Afghanistan, Afghanistan Internet, Taliban, UK Government,

Data Leak Afghanistan (updated)

Taliban 'on killing spree of Afghan interpreters' after Government data breach put thousands at risk of reprisals www.lbc.co.uk/politics/uk-… [image or embed] — Gary R. Bunt (@garyrbunt.bsky.social) 19 July 2025...

Fri 23 Muharram 1447AH 18-7-2025AD
Artificial Intelligence

Isambard-AI

NVIDIA Blog, Isambard-AI, the UK’s Most Powerful AI Supercomputer, Goes Live, 17 Jul 2025. “The University of Bristol’s Isambard-AI, powered by NVIDIA Grace Hopper Superchips, delivers 21 exaflops of...

Thu 22 Muharram 1447AH 17-7-2025AD
Artificial Intelligence, Books, Digital Islam, Gary R. Bunt

Islamic Algorithms – Religion & Theology Review

Religion & Theology has comprehensively (and generally positively) reviewed ‘Islamic Algorithms‘, with reflective insights from Reza Adeputra Tohis and Zulkifli Mansyur, who suggest the book ” … is crucial...

Mon 19 Muharram 1447AH 14-7-2025AD
British Muslims, Business, Fashion, Lifestyle, UAE, UAE Digital

Islamic Lifestyle Brands

There is, of course, a substantial online element to lifestyle brands and their marketing (we discuss it in the Digital British Islam project): “The global Islamic clothing market is...

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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