Virtually Islamic News – Page 73 – Researching Islam, Muslims and the Internet

Wed 18 Jumada Al Oula 1446AH 20-11-2024AD
Digital British Islam, Podcasts

Muslim Podcasters

Here’s an article by my Digital British Islam colleagues Dr Khadijah Elshayyal and Dr Sadek Hamid: Here’s an excellent article from @digibritislam’s @DrKElshayyal and @SadekHamid on British Muslim podcasters....

Sat 14 Jumada Al Oula 1446AH 16-11-2024AD
Artificial Intelligence

AI ‘terrorist clones‘

Isaac Crowson, Daily Mirror/Apple News, Terrifying app lets people create AI ‘clones’ of terrorists like Manchester arena bomber, 16 Nov 2024. “Character AI lets people use artificial intelligence technology...

Sat 14 Jumada Al Oula 1446AH 16-11-2024AD
Fatwas, Games, Religious Authority

Fatwa Overload?

My work has focused on the issue of ‘fatwa overload‘ (or frequent questions on ‘smaller‘ topics) for many years. This video neatly encapsulates the issues and frustrations surrounding it....

Digital British Islam banner. AI generated. Co-Pilot. Apr 2024

Sat 14 Jumada Al Oula 1446AH 16-11-2024AD
Conferences, Digital British Islam

Digital British Islam Conference Programme

Check out the Digital British Islam Conference’s provisional programme, now available here: https://digitalbritishislam.com/conference-programme/ Join us in Coventry 5-6 February 2025 for two days of panels, conversations, and presentations. Register...

Conference Hall, Universitas Islam Internasional Indonesia - UIII

Sat 14 Jumada Al Oula 1446AH 16-11-2024AD
Artificial Intelligence, Conferences, Gary R. Bunt, Indonesia Internet, Southeast Asia,

The Future of Artificial Intelligence in/and of Islam

Back in July, I participated in a fascinating conference and masterclass organised by Project 0100/Bart Barendregt (Leiden University). It was titled ‘The Future of Artificial Intelligence in/and of Islam:...

Tue 10 Jumada Al Oula 1446AH 12-11-2024AD
Conferences, Digital British Islam, Digital Islam Across Europe, Gary R. Bunt

Visual Minutes

Here are some ‘visual minutes‘ (by Julia Miranda) from recent presentations I have been involved with. Thanks to Julia and Recovira for permission to share.: Here's a photo from...

Bluesky garyrbunt.bsky.social 20 Nov 2024

Tue 10 Jumada Al Oula 1446AH 12-11-2024AD
Research

BlueSky Thinking (update)

Bluesky week 1 has gone well. I have now ditched the X Bluetick (that kicks in at the end of the month) and am using Bluesky as my primary...

Tue 10 Jumada Al Oula 1446AH 12-11-2024AD
Artificial Intelligence, Books, translation

AI (Lost in) Translation

Keza MacDonald, The Guardian, ‘It gets more and more confused’: can AI replace translators?, 12 Nov 2024 “A Dutch publisher has announced that it will use AI to translate...

Tue 10 Jumada Al Oula 1446AH 12-11-2024AD
Iran, prosecutions

Khalife case

Independent, Daniel Khalife ‘endangered Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe’ with fake intelligence, 12 Nov 2024 “Daniel Khalife could have endangered the life of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe by sending a fake intelligence document to Iran which said the British...

Mon 9 Jumada Al Oula 1446AH 11-11-2024AD
Halal Industries, Indonesia, Malaysia, Pets, Thailand

Halal Pet Food

Online issues are associated with halal pet food, forming part of the halal economy in some sectors. For Malaysia’s Muslim ‘pawrents’, halal pet food is a must – 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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