Virtually Islamic News – Page 46 – Researching Islam, Muslims and the Internet

Sat 10 Muharram 1447AH 5-7-2025AD
Gaza, Palestine

Gaza and Coffee

Nagham Mohanna, The National, ‘It’s how we cope with life’: Gazans lament loss of coffee during war, 4 July 2025 “Ms Hameed is among many Gazans who see the...

Sat 10 Muharram 1447AH 5-7-2025AD
Research

7/7 – 20 Years On

A powerful interview, marking the 20th anniversary of 7/7. BBC News, ‘The 7/7 London bombings made me feel helpless’, 4 Jul 2025“On 7 July 2005, a series of bombs...

Sat 10 Muharram 1447AH 5-7-2025AD
Palestine

Palestine Action

BBC News, Palestine Action banned after judge denies temporary block, 5 Jul 2025 “Palestine Action has been banned after a judge refused its request to temporarily block the UK...

Sat 10 Muharram 1447AH 5-7-2025AD
Gender, Relationships

NikkahGram

This, from the Daily Telegraph, highlights the NikkahGram website and some associated viewpoints:

Fri 9 Muharram 1447AH 4-7-2025AD
Music, Sufism,

Peter Murphy and Sufism

I was a fan of the band Bauhaus back in the day, and even saw their ‘final‘ concert at the Lyceum (before they came back!). I learned from Prof....

Fri 9 Muharram 1447AH 4-7-2025AD
Artificial Intelligence, Intellectual Property, Law

Facial Copyright

I think this will be an issue for further exploration in Islamic contexts: Copyrighting your face might be important in AI contexts. I’d like to discuss the Islamic implications...

Fri 9 Muharram 1447AH 4-7-2025AD
Artificial Intelligence

This is the logical endpoint of platform incentives and AI video, AI rage bait – Racist AI-generated videos are the newest slop garnering millions of views on TikTok www.mediamatters.org/tiktok/racis…...

Fri 2 Muharram 1447AH 27-6-2025AD
Digital British Islam, Gary R. Bunt

Manchester Q&A

I will be at Khizra Mosque, Manchester, on 28th June to discuss the Digital British Islam project with my colleague Dr Sadek Hamid. Details above.

Thu 1 Muharram 1447AH 26-6-2025AD
Academia, Digital British Islam, Research

Digital Methodologies Symposium

The Digital Methodologies Symposium at Coventry University on 25 June was a great opportunity to explore interdisciplinary dimensions of the academic studies within digital religions. It was part of...

Wed 29 Dhul Hijjah 1446AH 25-6-2025AD
Artificial Intelligence

AI reflections

Pils, Jon. “Preserving Islamic Culture in the Age of Artificial Intelligence: A Reflective Inquiry.” Traversing Tradition. 23 June 2025. An interesting discussion, with some crossover to themes explored in...

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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