UAE – Page 2 – Virtually Islamic News

Fri 11 Muharram 1448AH 26-6-2026AD
Dubai Internet, UAE, UAE Digital

Dubai Online Concerns

Coverage of cases associated with Dubai (with online elements):

Thu 10 Muharram 1448AH 25-6-2026AD
UAE, UAE Digital

UAE Social Media Ban

Semafor, UAE bans social media for under-15s, 24 Jun 2026 “The UAE — where TikTok accounts outnumber people — is joining a rising tide of countries worldwide banning social...

Wed 24 Dhul Hijjah 1447AH 10-6-2026AD
Gulf Region, KSA, Qatar, UAE, UAE Digital

Defence Procurement Concerns

Well worth reading:

Thu 18 Dhul Hijjah 1447AH 4-6-2026AD
Arabic, UAE, UAE Digital

UAE Arabic Usage Issues

Tue 16 Dhul Hijjah 1447AH 2-6-2026AD
Artificial Intelligence, India internet, UAE, UAE Digital

UAE India AI Deal

Report by Indranil Ghosh:

Tue 16 Dhul Hijjah 1447AH 2-6-2026AD
Journalism, UAE

Sky News Arabia

Tue 16 Dhul Hijjah 1447AH 2-6-2026AD
UAE, UAE Digital

Social Media Arrests

Wed 26 Dhul Qidah 1447AH 13-5-2026AD
UAE, UAE Digital

UAE Cyber Factory

#UAE Cyber Factory: "The programme was launched by the Cyber Security Council, in co-operation with its strategic partner CPX Holding, in an effort to help the country counter the...

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...

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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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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