2026 – Page 15 – Virtually Islamic News

Tue 18 Dhul Qidah 1447AH 5-5-2026AD
Academia, Artificial Intelligence

Lecture ‘Slopification’

Lecture “slopification” is the latest dumbing-down education model …...

Mon 17 Dhul Qidah 1447AH 4-5-2026AD
Elon Musk, Iran, Iran internet

Starlink Iran

This is a significant issue in contemporary Iranian contexts. While there has been substantial focus (quite rightly) on the Lego and Minecraft pro-Iran videos (and other AI-generated content), one...

Fri 14 Dhul Qidah 1447AH 1-5-2026AD
Research

‘Dark Fibre‘ Iraq

Indranil Ghost, RestofWorld, Big Tech is moving data out of the Gulf through Iraqi oil pipelines, 1 May 2026 “U.S. hyperscalers secure “dark fiber” capacity along Iraqi land route...

Thu 13 Dhul Qidah 1447AH 30-4-2026AD
Anti-Muslim Prejudice, Politics

Candidate’s Rhetoric

Of course, these opinions may surface across other political sectors: This, from @lbc.co.uk...

Thu 13 Dhul Qidah 1447AH 30-4-2026AD
Artificial Intelligence

AI-Generated Websites

I just found this from last month. Alarming, but not surprising. It has relevance within cyber-Islamic contexts as much as anywhere else....

Thu 13 Dhul Qidah 1447AH 30-4-2026AD
UAE, UAE Digital

Big Data Hit

Jeremy Hsu, Ars Technica, Drone strikes on data centers spook Big Tech, halting Middle East projects, 29 Apr 2026. “A data center developer has paused all Middle East project...

Thu 13 Dhul Qidah 1447AH 30-4-2026AD
UAE, UAE Digital

UAE Digital Regulations

Be careful what you screenshot … "For residents, tourists, creators, and anyone carrying a smartphone, the practical lesson is simple: Some common online habits can have legal implications." The...

Thu 13 Dhul Qidah 1447AH 30-4-2026AD
Artificial Intelligence, chatbots

Jailbreaking AI

Jamie Bartlett reflects on ‘jailbreaking‘ AI … significant, underreported themes with relevance to CIEs. Really interesting on AI jailbreaking …...

Thu 13 Dhul Qidah 1447AH 30-4-2026AD
Artificial Intelligence, chatbots, Disinformation

Your Friendly Neighbourhood Chatbot?

Hallucinations, false positives, anxious to please … chatbots unpacked in this article. I’m writing about related themes of religious authority for my next book. University of Oxford, Friendly AI...

Wed 12 Dhul Qidah 1447AH 29-4-2026AD
Disinformation

(More) Fake News

The proliferation of false narratives generated by AI is easily shared and directly impacts communities and individuals, as in this case from Rotherham … A video’s been widely shared...

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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