Saudi Arabia – Page 4 – Virtually Islamic News

Tue 15 Dhul Qidah 1446AH 13-5-2025AD
Saudi Arabia, Saudi Arabia Internet

Ahmed al-Doush Case

"A British man jailed for 10 years in Saudi Arabia, reportedly over a tweet he wrote seven years ago, has done nothing wrong and is being failed by the...

Tue 15 Dhul Qidah 1446AH 13-5-2025AD
Censorship, Elon Musk, Human Rights, Saudi Arabia, Saudi Arabia Internet

KSA Musk

Oh. "Elon Musk's warm welcome by Saudi royals is at odds with his ownership of X, whose users are imprisoned for criticising Riyadh."...

Wed 11 Shawwal 1446AH 9-4-2025AD
Muslim World League, Saudi Arabia

MWL on Gaza and UK Muslims

Imran Mulla, Middle East Eye, Saudi-funded Muslim World League chief tells Britons to avoid talk about Gaza to integrate, 8 Apr 2025 “Issa made the controversial remarks despite numerous...

Mon 3 Ramadan 1446AH 3-3-2025AD
KSA, Saudi Arabia, Saudi Arabia Internet, Twitter

Ahmed al-Doush Case

Dania Akkad, Middle East Eye, British man in Saudi Arabia told he will be charged over tweet deleted six years ago, 4 Mar 2025 “A British man is set to go...

Wed 20 Shaban 1446AH 19-2-2025AD
Business, Gaza, MENA, Palestine, Saudi Arabia, UAE

Cola goes Pop

I thought this was a useful reflection on the impact of MENA consumer regional boycotts on certain products. I’m not a soft drinks fan, but I would try the...

Sun 21 Jumada Al Akhira 1446AH 22-12-2024AD
Germany, Research, Saudi Arabia

Madgeburg Attack

Updated This is a ‘live‘ case, so full details are not available at the time of posting: Farage's tweet didn't age well. The German terrorist is a fan of...

Wed 25 Jumada Al Oula 1446AH 27-11-2024AD
China,, Digital MENA, MENA, Saudi Arabia, Saudi Arabia Internet

KSA China Tech ‘boost‘

Alvin R. Cabral, The National, China Telecom could boost Saudi Arabia’s tech capacity at huge scale, 26 Nov 2024 “The Beijing operator is the fourth-largest telecom company globally in...

Thu 5 Jumada Al Oula 1446AH 7-11-2024AD
Alphabet, Artificial Intelligence, Google, KSA, Saudi Arabia, Saudi Arabia Internet

KSA AI

There have been significant investments in AI (especially Arabic LLMs) in KSA as Saudi Arabia attempts to position itself as a key tech hub. Google is opening an AI...

Wed 20 Rabi Al Thani 1446AH 23-10-2024AD
Saudi Arabia, Saudi Arabia Internet, X

X Saud Al Qahtani (updated)

Guardian, X admits ‘error’ led to reinstatement of key suspect in Jamal Khashoggi murder, 22 Oct 2024“Hours after the Guardian reported on the account being reinstated, it was suspended...

Mon 18 Rabi Al Thani 1446AH 21-10-2024AD
Israel, Saudi Arabia, Saudi Arabia Internet, Spyware

Yahya Assiri Spyware Allegations

Reuters, UK-based Saudi dissident can sue Riyadh for alleged spyware use, court says, 21 Oct 2024 “He [Yahya Assiri] is suing Saudi Arabia at London’s High Court, saying 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.

Dhul Qidah 1446
S	M	T	W	T	F	S
« Shw				Hij »
		1	2	3	4	5
6	7	8	9	10	11	12
13	14	15	16	17	18	19
20	21	22	23	24	25	26
27	28	29