Virtually Islamic News – Page 173 – Researching Islam, Muslims and the Internet

Wed 9 Dhul Qidah 1443AH 8-6-2022AD
Indonesia Internet

Indonesia: Islam di Dunia Maya dalam Perspektif Gary R. Bunt

Here’s a discussion on some of my work and associated theoretical approaches on CIEs. Paelani Setia, Islam di Dunia Maya dalam Perspektif Gary R. Bunt, Jurnal Iman dan Spiritualitas,...

Wed 9 Dhul Qidah 1443AH 8-6-2022AD
Academia, Education, Islamic Education

‘Islamic education and activism in theory and practice’

New and noted: Alessandra Palange, Islamic education and activism in theory and practice: the case of two online e-learning institutes, PhD thesis, University College London, Institute of Education, 2022,...

Wed 9 Dhul Qidah 1443AH 8-6-2022AD
LGBTQ+, Malaysia, Malaysia Internet

LGBTQ+ activism Malaysia

Megan Tatum, MIT Technology Review, Meet the LGBTQ activists fighting to be themselves online in Malaysia, 8 June 2022 “Getting online can help people connect and organize in the...

Wed 9 Dhul Qidah 1443AH 8-6-2022AD
Research

TikTok Challenges

Insider, “Teenagers in Indonesia are jumping in front of moving trucks for a TikTok challenge, according to local reports. At least two have died doing so.”, 8 June 2022...

Mon 7 Dhul Qidah 1443AH 6-6-2022AD
Indonesia Internet

Ma’arif

SCMP, Why Indonesians of different faiths are mourning Ahmad Syafi’i Ma’arif, the Islamic scholar who preached ‘co-existence’ over tolerance “Ahmad Syafi’i Ma’arif, who passed away on May 27 at...

Mon 7 Dhul Qidah 1443AH 6-6-2022AD
Iranian internet

Iran internet

Kourosh Ziabari, Foreign Policy, ‘Iran’s Leaders Are Scared of the Internet’, 6 June 2022 “It is expected that in the final stage of the law’s implementation, still being pondered...

Sun 6 Dhul Qidah 1443AH 5-6-2022AD
Indonesia Internet

#Islam: Konstruksi Identitas Muslim Kontemporer Lewat Media Digital

I was pleased to see this comprehensive review, which also has some striking graphics (see the Twitter thread below): Izmy Khumairoh, The Suryakanta, #Islam: Konstruksi Identitas Muslim Kontemporer Lewat...

Thu 3 Dhul Qidah 1443AH 2-6-2022AD
Abu Dhabi, Blockchains, crypto, NFTs

Abu Dhabi Crypto

Arabian Business, Women residing in Abu Dhabi to get free crypto, NFT, and blockchain domains, 2 June 2022 “The initiative provides women with complete control of their data and...

Wed 2 Dhul Qidah 1443AH 1-6-2022AD
Books, Gary R. Bunt

‘Cyber Muslims’ book

The ‘Cyber Muslims’ book is out now. My chapter is entitled ‘The Net Imam Effect’. Robert Rozehnal (editor), Cyber Muslims: Mapping Islamic Digital Media in the Internet Age. Bloomsbury...

Tue 1 Dhul Qidah 1443AH 31-5-2022AD
Islamic Fintech, MENA

MENA FinTech

Alvin R. Cabral, The National, Demand and public initiatives ‘to drive digital payments in Mena’ , 31 May 2022 “Consumer demand and government initiatives will boost the Middle East...

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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