umrah – Virtually Islamic News

Wed 19 Rabi Al Thani 1448AH 30-9-2026AD
Apps, Mecca, umrah

Umrah Apps

Taken from TheIslamicInformation.com’s Facebook post: integrating apps into the ritual experience is significant (and also an expectation for pilgrims), so it has become more nuanced, including food deliveries and...

Sat 9 Rabi Al Awwal 1448AH 22-8-2026AD
Apps, Hajj, Pilgrimage, Research, umrah

Nusuk

Tue 16 Dhul Hijjah 1447AH 2-6-2026AD
Artificial Intelligence, Hajj, Mecca, Pilgrimage, umrah

Hajj 1447 and AI

The Islamic Information, Facebook, “A pilgrim at the Masjid al-Haram in Saudi Arabia recorded 5G internet speeds of 514 Mbps. The high-speed connectivity is provided via SIM cards available...

Wed 5 Dhul Qidah 1447AH 22-4-2026AD
Apps, Hajj, Mecca, Pilgrimage, Research, umrah

e-Hajj

I’ve written extensively about digital hajj in my books and related chapters, so this story is of particular interest: E-hajj tracking...

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

Masjid Al-Nawabi’s Robot

Wed 14 Dhul Qidah 1445AH 22-5-2024AD
Hajj, Mecca, umrah

Flying Taxi to Mecca

The next step is an uber:

Sun 5 Jumada Al Oula 1445AH 19-11-2023AD
Hajj, Mecca, umrah

Tawaaf on a Scooter

It’s important that tawaaf is made as accessible as possible for all pilgrims, including those with mobility needs. This clip shows a remarkable result of the new scooter policy....

Wed 21 Safar 1445AH 6-9-2023AD
Egypt Internet, Egypt,, Hajj, umrah

‘Proxy Pilgrimage’

Mera Aladam, Middle East Eye, Egypt arrests religious influencer who sponsored paid ‘proxy pilgrimage’, 6 Sep 2023. “Egyptian authorities arrested a social media influencer on Tuesday who has promoted an...

Sat 25 Muharram 1445AH 12-8-2023AD
Hajj, Saudi Arabia, umrah

Haramain Railway

Tech on rails adds a different dimension to pilgrimage traffic …

Fri 24 Muharram 1445AH 11-8-2023AD
Artificial Intelligence, Fatwas, Hajj, Mecca, Pilgrimage, robots, umrah

Fatwa Robot in Mecca

Arab News, Grand Mosque employs ‘guidance robot’ for fatwa inquiries, 11 August 2023. “A “guidance robot” has been developed to assist pilgrims and Umrah performers in understanding the rituals...

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:

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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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