Egypt, – Virtually Islamic News

Fri 15 Rabi Al Awwal 1448AH 28-8-2026AD
British Muslims, Egypt,

Eman el-Shazly detention

There is a YouTube/social media element to this case, hence its inclusion here:

Wed 16 Muharram 1448AH 1-7-2026AD
Artificial Intelligence, Egypt Internet, Egypt,, Religious Authority

Grand Imam on AI

Egypt Today, Al-Azhar Grand Imam: AI without ethical safeguards threatens values, 28 Jun 2026. “Prof. Dr. Ahmad El-Tayyeb, Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, Egypt’s top Islamic Sunni institute, warned that...

Thu 17 Shaban 1447AH 5-2-2026AD
Egypt Internet, Egypt,, Gaming

Egypt blocks Roblox

The New Arab, Egypt blocks popular game-creator Roblox over child safety concerns, 5 Feb 2026 “Egypt’s Supreme Council for Media Regulation announced the ban soon after several senators called...

Mon 7 Shaban 1447AH 26-1-2026AD
Egypt Internet, Egypt,, Religious Authority, Research

The Digital Minbar

Some familiar themes ++ here in this discussion on Egyptian digital issues. I haven’t read it yet in full: Muhammad Latif Fauzi, Imam Mustofa, Ibnu Akbar Maliki, Faiz Husaini,...

Mon 17 Jumada Al Akhira 1447AH 8-12-2025AD
Artificial Intelligence, Disinformation, Egypt Internet, Egypt,, Research

"Egypt's government has unveiled a new artificial intelligence-based platform to verify the accuracy of news and identify what officials describe as “false or misleading” reports concerning the state, society...

Sat 17 Jumada Al Oula 1447AH 8-11-2025AD
Arabic, Artificial Intelligence, Egypt,, Google, YouTube

YouTube Shorts Veo 3 MENA

YouTube Shorts Veo 3 in MENA: "The Google-owned platform also plans to broaden the reach of its auto-dubbing feature, currently available to about 51,000 Egyptian creators translating Egyptian Arabic...

Wed 2 Rabi Al Thani 1447AH 24-9-2025AD
Artificial Intelligence, Bangladesh, Bangladesh Internet, Egypt Internet, Egypt,, Google, Indonesia, Indonesia Internet, Nigeria, Nigeria internet, Senegal Internet

AI and Digital Influence

The AI competition is hotting up. This is interesting, given yesterday’s post about Indonesia, and has particular relevance in investigations into digital Islam/influence in majority and minority contexts. Ivan...

Wed 27 Shaban 1446AH 26-2-2025AD
Egypt Internet, Egypt,, Music

Umm Kulthum

Digression (with digital overtones): Amuna Wagner, OkayAfrica, Legends: Umm Kulthum’s Legacy Lives in the Emotion of Younger Generations, 21 Feb 2025 “The Egyptian government announced 2025 to be the...

Wed 15 Rajab 1446AH 15-1-2025AD
Egypt Internet, Egypt,, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, Muslim Brotherhood, Syria, Syria Internet

Syria-Egypt pressure drops(?)

An interesting test for the (new) Syrian administration: "The move could help ease concern in Cairo over the rise to power of the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham rebels, who led...

Wed 25 Jumada Al Oula 1446AH 27-11-2024AD
Alaa Abdel-Fattah, Egypt Internet, Egypt,, Human Rights

Alaa Abd el-Fattah

Ahdaf Soueif, The Guardian, My sister is on hunger strike to free her son Alaa Abd el-Fattah from jail in Egypt. We don’t want her to die, 27 Nov...

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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