Virtually Islamic: Computer-mediated Communication and Cyber Islamic Environments (Religion, Culture & Society)

This is the first broad-ranging academic survey to explore how Islam and the internet combine and interact.

Information technology is now making a global impact on how Muslims approach and interpret Islam. Given its utilization as a primary source of information, the internet also influences how non-Muslims perceive Islam and matters relating to Muslims. Among the issues addressed are: how multimedia applications are being integrated into websites, enabling surfers to listen to and see ‘sermons’ delivered thousands of miles away and to partake of new opportunities for religious experience; how Muslim organizations are networking globally through the electronic medium, and how that impacts upon understanding of Islam and Muslim identities; how can Muslims and non-Muslims approach the Qur’an in its digital form; how the internet is used to present diverse dialogues relating to Islam, often reaching wide audiences where other forms of communication are heavily censored.

Gary Bunt is Lecturer in Islamic studies at University of Wales, Lampeter.