Religious Authority – Page 2 – Virtually Islamic News

Sat 1 Safar 1447AH 26-7-2025AD
Artificial Intelligence, Radicalisation, Religious Authority

AI Islam Issues

New Age Islam, Artificial Intelligence, Islam, and the Road to Militancy: How Generative Technologies Could Exacerbate Extremism, 25 Jul 2025 opinion/analysis focused on the potential impact of AI on...

Sun 5 Dhul Hijjah 1446AH 1-6-2025AD
Artificial Intelligence, chatbots, Malaysia, Religious Authority

AI Malaysia

“The so-called Smart Sharia Officers are seen by critics as contradicting Islamic principles that emphasise learning the faith through human interaction and community. “ [image or embed] — Gary...

Mon 14 Dhul Qidah 1446AH 12-5-2025AD
Artificial Intelligence, Education, Islamic Education, Religious Authority

AI and Islamic Learning

AI has ‘revolutionised’ Islamic learning. Is it coming for scholars next? – Hyphen hyphenonline.com/2025/05/06/a… [image or embed] — Gary R. Bunt (@garyrbunt.bsky.social) 11 May 2025 at 10:40 Issues of...

Wed 9 Dhul Qidah 1446AH 7-5-2025AD
Artificial Intelligence, Qur'an, Religious Authority

AI and Islamic Learning

Yousra Samir Imran, Hyphen Online, AI has ‘revolutionised’ Islamic learning. Is it coming for scholars next?, 6 May 2025 “In a Friday prayer sermon published on its website, the...

Thu 11 Jumada Al Akhira 1446AH 12-12-2024AD
Indonesia, Indonesia Internet, Malaysia, Malaysia Internet, Religious Authority

Tea Storm

Hadi Azmi, SCMP, Indonesians, Malaysians unite in outrage over insult of tea seller by Java cleric, 6 Dec 2024 “The video, which went viral in both countries in late...

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....

Thu 7 Rabi Al Thani 1446AH 10-10-2024AD
Indonesia, Indonesia Internet, Religious Authority

New and noted: Islamic preachers in contemporary Indonesia

Raya, M.K.F. Digital Islam: new space for authority and religious commodification among Islamic preachers in contemporary Indonesia. Cont Islam (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11562-024-00570-z From the abstract: “This study found that digital media platforms...

Fri 8 Dhul Hijjah 1445AH 14-6-2024AD
Artificial Intelligence, Hajj, Medina, Mosques, Pilgrimage, Religious Authority, robots, umrah

Masjid Al-Nawabi’s Robot

Thu 13 Rajab 1445AH 25-1-2024AD
Influencers, Religious Authority, Research, Twitter

Millennial Muslims and Use of Cyber-Islam

Cabrera Cusi, M. R., & Berghout, A. . (2023). Millennial Muslims and Use of Cyber-Islam: A Case Study of Bilal Philips and Mufti Menk on Twitter and their Impacts. Journal...

Thu 13 Rajab 1445AH 25-1-2024AD
Australia, Books, Religious Authority, Research

Islamic Religious Authority in a Modern Age

New and noted: Shaheen Amid Whyte, Islamic Religious Authority in a Modern Age: Australian and Global Perspectives (Palgrave Macmillan 2024). Looks interesting. It’s just come out, so I haven’t...

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:

AI ‘Fake Journalism‘ Fri 28 Rabi Al Thani 1448AH 9-10-2026AD

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Indonesia Online Gambling Thu 27 Rabi Al Thani 1448AH 8-10-2026AD

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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