Virtually Islamic News – Page 16 – Researching Islam, Muslims and the Internet

Tue 16 Dhul Hijjah 1447AH 2-6-2026AD
Malaysia, Malaysia Internet, Religious Authority

Malaysian ‘fringe movements‘

“Mohd Faizal Musa, a senior visiting fellow at the ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute, said religious authorities were still too dependent on scholars trained narrowly in scripture, rather than...

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

Social Media Arrests

Mon 15 Dhul Hijjah 1447AH 1-6-2026AD
Research

‘AI godbots‘

Adam James Fenton, Chris Shannahan, The Conversation, AI godbots: religious leaders warn of ‘alarming consequences’ when machines speak in the name of God, 29 May 2026

Thu 11 Dhul Hijjah 1447AH 28-5-2026AD
'Red-pill', ‘influencers', Gender

‘Manosphere Messiahs‘

Some important, detailed coverage across the BBC World Service on this issue, including this documentary; it’s relevant here because of its online element. The subject is explored in my...

Thu 11 Dhul Hijjah 1447AH 28-5-2026AD
Iranian internet, Iranian Social Media

In line with my research, I’m tracking specific online issues on this fast-moving situation. If you are seeking digital background information, there’s a chapter on Shi’i authorities/ayatollahs in Islamic...

Wed 10 Dhul Hijjah 1447AH 27-5-2026AD
Research

Eid al-Adha

Eid al-Adha Mubarak to all! Photo: Masjid Pangeran Diponegoro, Taman Mini Indonesia Indah. I took it a couple of years ago. © Copyright Gary R. Bunt, 2026

Mon 1 Dhul Hijjah 1447AH 18-5-2026AD
Research

Mosques and Social Media

Lucas Cumiskey, Samir Jeraj, Hyphen Online, Mosques could lose security funding if they ‘undermine’ government online, 18 May 2026. “The Home Office has warned faith organisations applying for public funding to...

Fri 28 Dhul Qidah 1447AH 15-5-2026AD
Research

AI-generated Disinformation

Marianna Spring, BBC News, Anti-immigration AI videos traced to overseas fakers, BBC finds, 15 May 2026. “One expert told the BBC that research shows people are worse at detecting...

Wed 26 Dhul Qidah 1447AH 13-5-2026AD
Gaza, Germany, Palestine

Watermelon Ban

This, from Germany … Germany’s intelligence agency BfV also classified the slogan “from the river to the sea” as extremist...

Wed 26 Dhul Qidah 1447AH 13-5-2026AD
e-commerce, Gaza, Palestine, Research

Gaza e-wallets

In #Gaza, e-wallets become essential … "As cash shortages intensified, e-wallet applications rapidly spread through markets, grocery stores, transportation networks, and displacement camps."...

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:

UAE Data Centres Thu 18 Jumada Al Oula 1448AH 29-10-2026AD

Iran’s Hidden Web of Military Agencies Thu 18 Jumada Al Oula 1448AH 29-10-2026AD

Satellites above KSA Wed 17 Jumada Al Oula 1448AH 28-10-2026AD

Handala Hack Wed 17 Jumada Al Oula 1448AH 28-10-2026AD

Dar al-Ifta Haseen platform Mon 15 Jumada Al Oula 1448AH 26-10-2026AD

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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