December 2025 – Virtually Islamic News

Sat 7 Rajab 1447AH 27-12-2025AD
Alaa Abdel-Fattah

Alaa Abd El-Fattah

Alaa Abd El-Fattah is back in the UK:...

Fri 6 Rajab 1447AH 26-12-2025AD
Censorship

Imran Ahmed

Sky News, US judge blocks detention of British free speech campaigner amid ‘censorship’ row, 26 Dec 2025 “A US judge has temporarily blocked the Donald Trump administration from detaining...

Fri 6 Rajab 1447AH 26-12-2025AD
'Islamic State', Nigeria internet

IS in Nigeria Strike

US launches strikes against Islamic State in Nigeria www.bbc.co.uk/news/article…...

Mon 2 Rajab 1447AH 22-12-2025AD
Influencers, UAE, UAE Digital

‘Emirati Influencers‘

Worthy of investigation: One for my reading list from @marcowenjones.bsky.social...

Mon 2 Rajab 1447AH 22-12-2025AD
'Islamic State'

IS Magazines

‘Dabiq‘ gets a mention here: Refers to online magazines...

Mon 2 Rajab 1447AH 22-12-2025AD
Turkey Internet, Türkiye

Turkey court rules

“Judges rule against husband who ogled at ‘seductive’ and ‘suggestive’ photos of women online; lawyers say actions may be grounds for divorce.” There’s plenty to take away from this...

Sun 1 Rajab 1447AH 21-12-2025AD
bots, UAE, UAE Digital

UAE-aligned Bot Analysis

New Analysis on my Substack: I Detected Over 5,000 Bot-Like Accounts Amplifying UAE-Aligned STC Narratives in Southern Yemen open.substack.com/pub/marcowen…...

Sun 1 Rajab 1447AH 21-12-2025AD
Human Rights, KSA, Saudi Arabia, Saudi Arabia Internet

KSA Human Rights

Rights groups condemn new record number of executions in Saudi Arabia www.bbc.co.uk/news/article…...

Fri 28 Jumada Al Akhira 1447AH 19-12-2025AD
Research

Important not to forget the tech work being undertaken in the catastrophically challenging Gaza tech environment: "Coders, repair technicians and freelance workers are labouring under impossible conditions to keep...

Thu 27 Jumada Al Akhira 1447AH 18-12-2025AD
Books, Gary R. Bunt, Research

Islamic Algorithms

Have you seen this person?? Paperback Writer. Pleased to finally get hold of the PB version of ‘Islamic Algorithms' (Bloomsbury). Bookpage: www.bloomsbury.com/uk/islamic-a… “…a must-read for those fascinated by the...

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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