Hamas – Virtually Islamic News

Wed 18 Rabi Al Awwal 1447AH 10-9-2025AD
Hamas, Israel, Qatar

Qatar Under Attack (updated)

There is rolling coverage from various channels on this situation: BBC News, Qatar looks to hold Israel’s PM responsible for breaching international law over strike, 10 Sep 2025 CNN,...

Mon 25 Shaban 1446AH 24-2-2025AD
Gaza, Gaza Protests, Hamas, Israel-Hamas Conflict 2023, Israel-Hamas Conflict 2024

Gaza Film

This film was subsequently withdrawn from the BBC iPlayer (at the time of posting). The post below relates to its original release. BBC faces questions over Gaza film's Hamas...

Sat 16 Shaban 1446AH 15-2-2025AD
Gaza, Hamas, Human Rights, Israel-Gaza Conflict 2023, Israel-Gaza Conflict 2024, Israel-Hamas Conflict 2023, Israel-Hamas Conflict 2024, Politics

Gaza releases

Palestinian prisoner releases were blocked at the time of posting. Militants have handed over the bodies of four hostages taken into Gaza during their October 2023 attack, with Hamas...

Mon 11 Shaban 1446AH 10-2-2025AD
Gaza, Gaza Protests, Hamas, Israel-Hamas Conflict 2023, Israel-Hamas Conflict 2024, Israel-Hamas Conflict 2025, Palestine, West Bank

Archiving Gaza

I’ve recorded (some of the) online activities associated with Gaza and Palestine since October 2023, on a month-by-month basis. I’m still watching activities, but in this situation phase, I...

Fri 1 Shaban 1446AH 31-1-2025AD
Hamas, Israel-Hamas Conflict 2025, Palestine, Qatar, Research

Social Media and Online Coverage: Israel-Hamas Conflict (Month Sixteen) – updated

This is the sixteenth month since the current Israel-Hamas conflict commenced. I have been keeping copies of selected online content since 7 October 2023. While there is a ceasefire...

Image from Pixabay. https://pixabay.com/illustrations/ai-generated-palestine-gaza-boy-8579114/

Fri 3 Rabi Al Awwal 1446AH 6-9-2024AD
Gaza Protests, Hamas, Israel-Gaza Conflict 2024, Israel-Hamas Conflict 2024

Social Media and Online Coverage: Israel-Hamas Conflict (Month Eleven) – updated

Image by press 👍 and ⭐ from Pixabay This is the eleventh month since the current Israel-Hamas conflict commenced. I have been keeping copies of selected online content since...

Wed 28 Dhul Qidah 1445AH 5-6-2024AD
Hamas, WhatsApp

Police Officer Prosecuted

Duncan Gardham, Sky News, West Yorkshire Police officer given community order over pro-Hamas WhatsApp posts, 4 Jun 2024 “Mohammed Adil pleaded guilty to posting two images supporting the al...

Thu 8 Dhul Qidah 1445AH 16-5-2024AD
Anwar Ibrahim, Facebook, Hamas, Malaysia, Malaysia Internet, Meta

Meta Malaysia Meltdown

Having followed Anwar Ibrahim’s activities for decades (and supervised a PhD on him that became a book) I found this story an interesting convergence of interests.

Tue 28 Shawwal 1445AH 7-5-2024AD
Broadcasting Media, Gaza, Hamas, Human Rights, Israel-Gaza Conflict 2024, Israel-Hamas Conflict 2024, Palestine, War crimes

Social Media and Online Coverage: Israel-Hamas Conflict (Month Seven) – updated

This is the seventh month since the current Israel-Hamas conflict commenced. I have been keeping copies of selected online content since 7 October 2023. Many of these posts feature...

Thu 25 Ramadan 1445AH 4-4-2024AD
Broadcasting Media, famine, Gaza, Hamas, Health, Human Rights, Israel-Gaza Conflict 2024, Israel-Hamas Conflict 2024, Media manipulation, News Media, Streaming Media, War crimes

Social Media and Online Coverage: Israel-Hamas Conflict (Month Six) – updated

This is the sixth month since the current Israel-Hamas conflict commenced. I have been keeping copies of selected online content since 7 October 2023. Many of these posts feature...

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:

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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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