iMuslims: Rewiring the House of Islam
Abstract
Exploring the increasing impact of the Internet on Muslims around the world, this book sheds new light on the nature of contemporary Islamic discourse, identity, and community.
The Internet has profoundly shaped how both Muslims and non-Muslims perceive Islam and how Islamic societies and networks are evolving and shifting in the twenty-first century, says Gary Bunt. While Islamic society has deep historical patterns of global exchange, the Internet has transformed how many Muslims practice the duties and rituals of Islam. A place of religious instruction may exist solely in the virtual world, for example, or a community may gather only online. Drawing on more than a decade of online research, Bunt shows how social-networking sites, blogs, and other "cyber-Islamic environments" have exposed Muslims to new influences outside the traditional spheres of Islamic knowledge and authority. Furthermore, the Internet has dramatically influenced forms of Islamic activism and radicalization, including jihad-oriented campaigns by networks such as al-Qaeda.
By surveying the broad spectrum of approaches used to present dimensions of Islamic social, spiritual, and political life on the Internet, iMuslims encourages diverse understandings of online Islam and of Islam generally.
... Much of the literature on this topic has focused on religious "influencers" and their growing prominence in the religious field (Berger et al. 2023;Beta 2024;Campbell 2020;Jetter 2024;Peterson 2020Peterson , 2022Zaid et al. 2022). Their vibrant personalities and creative use of audiovisual resources, as well as the challenges some pose to traditional structures of authority, make them extremely enticing subjects for scholars interested in shifting dynamics of religious power and influence (Bunt 2009(Bunt , 2022. ...
... Others have shown how Muslims feel freer to "surf" the internet, speak openly, question the views of established authorities, and advance alternative viewpoints under the cover of anonymity, as it offers protection against potential stigma, backlash, or persecution. Anonymity also provides a means of avoiding censorship and may facilitate engaging in illegal or otherwise nefarious activity (Bunt 2009;Larsson 2016;Schlicht 2013). At the same time, Muslims are more exposed to Islamophobic insults, and online forums may become conflictive and uncivil if participants are confident their personal identities cannot be detected (Greifenhagen 2013). ...
... For individuals who are wary of sectarianism and bias in theological interpretations, site descriptions that emphasize the diversity and neutrality of webpage administrators can help to build trust by mitigating such concerns. This function of anonymity in the sphere of "digital religion" is distinct from the functions hitherto emphasized in the literature, such as those of providing protection against stigma or cover for extremist or otherwise nefarious activity (Bunt 2009;Larsson 2016). ...
Much of the literature on digital religious authority has focused on spiritual “influencers” and the challenges they pose to traditional religious hierarchies and structures of authority. Less attention has been dedicated to religious websites, social media pages, and digital feeds whose popularity and influence do not hinge on the personalistic qualities of their creators. There is a wide assortment of generic religious reference sites that, although developed and managed by largely anonymous webmasters and administrators, command significant audiences and exert substantial influence on religious interpretations and practices. We argue that anonymity affords certain advantages for bolstering visibility and influence that have hitherto received insufficient attention in the literature on religion, authority, and cyberspace. In contrast to spiritual influencers, who draw attention to their personal biographies, credentials, appearances, and connections to enhance their legitimacy and authority, individuals or groups who administer religious reference sites commonly employ alternative strategies that involve concealing personal identities, experiences, and affiliations. Their aim is to come off as neutral, impartial, and free of ideological baggage that might bias their interpretations. This facilitates their efforts to frame the content they share as a form of universal religious truth that transcends ideological and sectarian differences. Our analysis centers on websites and social media pages that provide guidance to Spanish speakers on Islamic theology, jurisprudence, and piety.
... According to Gary R. Bunt (2009), the term "digital Islam, " lacks a single clear definition and admits that it is unable to provide a precise explanation. Bunt acknowledges that the term can have varied interpretations, depending on an individual's perspective. ...
... However, the articulation of digital Islam may also relate to specific cultural and political causes, which may be implicitly 'Islamic' in orientation". worldwide, presenting opportunities for further investigation into the intersection of religion and technology (Bunt, 2009). Therefore, a strong theoretical foundation in digital Islamic studies is crucial for a deeper understanding of the implications of digital tools and platforms on Islamic practices and beliefs. ...
... As shown In Fig. 18, Bunt (2009) provides a comprehensive examination of the impact of online platforms on Islamic activism, jihadi networks, Muslim identity, and the spread of religious teaching. The book "iMuslims: Rewiring the House of Islam" by Gary R. Bunt explored the impact of digital technologies on Islamic practices and communities, discussing the intersection of technology, religion, and society. ...
... Studies dealing with religiosity in general show that digital media and online forums have gained a massive importance as sources of information for religious concerns among Muslims during the digitalisation of everyday life (Bunt 2003(Bunt , 2009(Bunt , 2018. Regarding religious issues, Muslims are less likely to turn to their local imam or religious scholars but instead research online for answers. ...
... Studies dealing with religiosity in general show that digital media and online forums have gained a massive importance as sources of information for religious concerns among Muslims during the digitalisation of everyday life (Bunt 2003(Bunt , 2009(Bunt , 2018. Regarding religious issues, Muslims are less likely to turn to their local imam or religious scholars but instead research online for answers. ...
In recent decades, Islamic education and the religiosity of young Muslims have received considerable attention in academic research in German-speaking countries. However, an analysis of the different learning environments of religious education and their respective significance has yet to be carried out so far. Using Austria as an example, this paper explores these different processes of religious education among Muslim adolescents. Based on qualitative guided interviews, the experiences and learning processes in the family, in the mosque, in the school, and online are depicted from the learners’ perspective. In this way, this paper assigns Muslim adolescents a constitutive role in the analysis. In this context, we discuss how the understanding of education, pedagogical approaches, and person-centredness differs in the learning environments of Muslim religious education.
... Salafi networks are scrutinised in only one article, authored by Quintan Wiktorowicz who provides an excellent description of the ideological and doctrinal tenets of the movement (Muslim Networks 2005, 208-234). Another book in the series directly pertaining to the subject of this article delves into the role of the Internet in Muslims' network activities (Bunt 2009). ...
This article presents the results of a study into Islamic networks since 2015. Islamic networks are increasingly active actors within the Russian ummah, assuming leadership from traditional Spiritual Administrations of Muslims. Transregional and transnational networks demonstrate significant efficiency, establishing parallel Islamic communities in different regions. Muslim networks are successfully solving important everyday tasks related to various aspects of Islamic life. The power of networking lies in the absence of one apparent leader, combined with high mobility and the ability to discuss and solve problems almost instantaneously. Messaging applications have a pivotal role in the activities of Muslim networks, ensuring their effective functioning. Muslim networks in Russia also facilitate a deeper integration of the country's ummah into the global Islamic community by forming transnational networks within the Salafi and Sufi paradigms. Muslim transregional networks occupy a prominent position within the country, effectively uniting its Islamic space and fostering internal cohesion.
... Furthermore, in the era of digital transformation, Al-Mawardi's principles offer a foundation for navigating governance challenges and opportunities presented by technology. Discussions extend to digital citizenship education, emphasizing the cultivation of responsible and informed participants in the digital realm, reflective of Islamic ethical principles (Bunt, 2009). Additionally, Al-Mawardi's work contributes to contemporary dialogues on cultural diplomacy and the preservation of Islamic cultural heritage. ...
This paper explores the multifaceted implications of the philosophy and thoughts of Al-Mawardi, a seminal figure in Islamic jurisprudence and political theory, for contemporary global issues and development. Al-Mawardi’s extensive work in the 11th century laid down foundational principles of governance, ethics, and social welfare within an Islamic framework, offering insights into justice, leadership, and the role of the state. The paper, entitled “100 Implications of Philosophy and Thoughts of Al-Mawardi for the Current World and Development,” does not literally enumerate one hundred implications but employs ‘100’ symbolically to represent the vast, multidisciplinary impact of Al-Mawardi’s ideas across various fields including political governance, international relations, social justice, economic policies, environmental stewardship, education, and digital ethics among others. In an era marked by rapid globalization, digital transformation, and complex socio-political challenges, Al-Mawardi’s principles on ethical governance, adaptability of Islamic law, and community welfare provide crucial insights for contemporary discourse. This paper examines how Al-Mawardi’s thought can inform current debates on democratic values, human rights, global cooperation, and the sustainability of development efforts. It delves into the relevance of his work in promoting religious pluralism, enhancing international diplomacy, and addressing the ethical challenges posed by technological advancements. Furthermore, this analysis extends to exploring Al-Mawardi’s contributions to understanding the dynamics of globalization, the importance of education in the knowledge economy, and strategies for conflict resolution and peacebuilding in today’s interconnected world. By drawing parallels between Al-Mawardi’s philosophical underpinnings and modern developmental goals, the paper aims to highlight the enduring relevance of his thought in guiding ethical governance, fostering social cohesion, and promoting a just and equitable global society. Through a comprehensive review of Al-Mawardi’s legacy, this paper contributes to the ongoing scholarly engagement with Islamic political thought, emphasizing its potential to address contemporary issues and support sustainable development across cultures and civilizations. The multidisciplinary implications of Al-Mawardi’s philosophy underscore the timeless value of integrating ethical principles with practical governance to navigate the complexities of the 21st century.
... 198). Bajo esta perspectiva, la propaganda terrorista en internet se trata de un medio con capacidad de incitar a alguien a radicalizarse (Bunt, 2009). ...
Palabras clave: terrorismo; propaganda terrorista; terrorismo en internet; terrorism speech. / / / /
Keywords: terrorism; terrorist propaganda; terrorism in the internet; terrorism speech. / / / /
Sumario: 1. Introducción; 2. La propaganda terrorista on-line; 3. Las revistas terroristas; 4. El uso de las redes sociales; 5. El potencial de influencia de la propaganda terrorista en internet: entre la siembra y el regado de la semilla terrorista; 6. El reto de la política criminal contraterrorismo frente a la propaganda terrorista; 7. Conclusiones; 8. Bibliografía. / / / /
Summary: 1. Introduction; 2. Online terrorist propaganda; 3. The terrorist magazines; 4. The use of social media; 5. The potential influence of terrorist advertising and propaganda on the Internet: between the sowing and spreading of the terrorist seed; 6. The challenge of the criminal policy against terrorist advertising; 7. Conclusions; 8. Bibliography. / / / /
Resumen: Internet tiene una función importante en las causas de radicalización al terrorismo, pues posibilita el reclutamiento de combatientes para grupos terroristas (esto es, la “cuarta ola” del terrorismo), además del adoctrinamiento/instigación de los lobos solitarios (que son la “quinta ola” del terrorismo). Por ello, este artículo buscará abordar aspectos criminológicos de la actividad terrorista en internet, principalmente con respecto al uso de las redes sociales y de revistas terroristas en el adoctrinamiento, instigación, incitación o reclutamiento/radicalización de personas al terrorismo. En este contexto, analizará la influencia de estos medios bajo las teorías de la Comunicación Social, buscando entender si son medios de “siembra” o de “regado” de la “semilla” terrorista. / / / /
Abstract: The Internet plays an important role in the causes of radicalization to terrorism, since it enables the recruitment of fighters for terrorist groups (that is, the “fourth wave” of terrorism), in addition to the indoctrination and instigation of lone wolves (which are the “fifth wave”). wave” of terrorism). Therefore, this article will seek to address the criminological aspects of terrorist activity on the Internet, mainly regarding the use of social networks and terrorist magazines in the indoctrination, instigation, incitement or recruitment/radicalization of people to terrorism. In this context, it will analyze the influence of these media under the theories of Social Communication, seeking to understand if they are means of “sowing” or “watering” the terrorist “seed”.
... As Internet access expanded in the 2000s, so too did the use of blogs covering subjects as diverse as politics, poetry, personal narratives, technology, or international affairs, and producing a similar panoply as seen across much of the Middle East (Bunt 2009). Ben Ameur, the administrator of the aggregator "Tunisie blogs," estimated that in early 2006 there were possibly 300 to 400 blogs, only a handful of which were overtly engaged with Tunisian politics. ...
In mid-November 2010, prominent bloggers Lina ben Mhenni and Arabasta began a campaign to attract new voices to the Tunisian blogosphere under the rubric “7ell blog”[2] or “start blogging” through an eponymous webpage and Facebook group. Posts included instructions for beginners, links to hosting sites, explanations on how to add videos or how to participate in an aggregator, and debates about whether bloggers should write anonymously. By early January 2011 they tallied over 3,000 friends, and had posted links to 100 newly created or recently revived blogs. The site was then hacked by government censors (7ellblog 2011). While the initiative did not espouse an overt activist agenda, was not affiliated with any political party or civil society organization, by connecting blogs to increasingly popular forms of social networking it highlighted the importance of new media as a format for encouraging freedom of expression. Their efforts were comparable to previous online efforts to defy censorship in that a few motivated individuals were able to generate digital momentum for a cause just as their experience with censorship was typical of the prevalent Internet surveillance that characterized Tunisia under Zine El-Abidine Ben Ali (1987-2011). Across the Middle East, as young, well-educated, upper-class critics turned to the Internet to voice their opinions, they faced a range of serious consequences from harassment to arrest and torture (Lynch 2007). This article will examine Tunisia’s particular case, showing that the international focus on social media’s impact stemmed partially from the paradoxical ability of Ben Ali to control the Internet while maintaining a reputation as a modern, democratic statesman.
... As with many aspects of modern life, Sufism has also adapted to the digital age, and there are various ways in which Sufi practices and teachings are being transmitted and experienced in the digital realm (Howell, 2013). This can include online Sufi retreats, virtual study circles, social media platforms for Sufi communities, and even the use of digital tools (such as apps or online resources) for spiritual practices like dhikr or meditation (Bunt, 2009). However, it's important to note that the digital expression of Sufism may not always fully capture the depth and nuance of the traditional, in-person Sufi practice, which often relies heavily on the presence of a spiritual guide and the physical community . ...
The engagement of Sufism on Pakistani social media has sparked many concerns over the inclusivity of religious manifestations and the interpretation of the Qur'an. This research seeks to examine the historical development and objectives of Sufism in order to analyze the impact of Sufi activities in the digital domain, specifically focusing on the emergence of religious aberrations. The research was carried out utilizing qualitative methodologies by examining ancient Sufi literature and subsequently comparing it with Sufi practices in the digital domain. The findings demonstrate that internet platforms have fundamentally transformed the availability and dissemination of Sufi teachings, allowing an unparalleled avenue for dialogue and cultural manifestation that was before unachievable. Nevertheless, there are deficiencies in their attitude to community, instructional methods, and the impact of technology on their individual activities. The concept of Digital Sufism demonstrates the integration of traditional practices into the online world, resulting in both opportunities and challenges in the modern day.
... Kelebihan medium media sosial dilihat mampu menyembunyikan identiti seseorang yang bebas untuk mengamalkan pemkirannya dan ideologinya tanpa perlu mendedahkan dirinya di khalayak (Bunt, 2009;McAlexander et al, 2014). Golongan ateis juga dilihat tidak terkecuali menggunakan media sosial untuk bebas menulis mengenai ideologi mereka dengan menggunakan nama samaran terutamanya ateis yang tinggal di negara Islam. ...
This study aims to expose the writings of Malay atheists on Facebook regarding the teachings of Islam in Malaysia. Atheists are a group that rejects belief in God and religion. Furthermore, the existence of this thought is also detected in Malaysia and has successfully influenced some Malay communities to accept atheist thinking. As a result, there are several active Malay atheist groups on social media. They not only establish the Malay atheist movement but also actively write about their views, especially on Islam, through social media, including Facebook. Therefore, this study focuses on three main issues rejected by Malay atheists. The first issue relates to the concept of divinity (creed); the second issue is about the holy book, the Quran, and the third issue concerns worship. This study uses a qualitative method involving content analysis on social media. Their writings found in Malay atheist groups on Facebook from 2018 to 2022 have been analyzed to identify misunderstandings related to the three selected main issues. In addition, secondary sources such as journals, books, and magazines are used to strengthen the conducted study. The study found that the history of atheistic beliefs developed in the Malay Peninsula after the colonization by the communists. The development of this belief further expanded with the advancement of mass media technology, leading to the successful establishment of the Malay atheist movement and active engagement through social media. Furthermore, Malay atheists also use the progress of social media as a medium to criticize fundamental aspects of Islamic creed. Abstrak JURNAL ISLAM DAN MASYARAKAT KONTEMPORARI © PENERBIT UNIVERSITI SULTAN ZAINAL ABIDIN
... The internet has created a new environment for society. Without exception, the Islamic community can now access all Islamic content, without any restrictions, whether national or cultural (Bunt, 2009). The Islamic community's social media accounts have been a space for learning, movement, and at the same time have great economic potential (Bunt, 2018). ...
This article discusses the propagation and narrative of "Islam Nusantara" conveyed by NU Online, as a social media managed by the Nahdlatul Ulama or NU Executive Board. The NU Online channel has a number of platforms, including websites, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok and YouTube. This study discusses how the implementation of Indonesian Islamic da'wah on NU social media. This study uses a qualitative method with a digital discourse analysis approach. The results of this research show that, as an organization that claims to be moderate and aware of current developments, NU uses digital media to conduct da'wah. Social media is also used to counterattack and/or defend major religious narratives that have been spread in public spaces for a long time. The narrative in question is Islam Nusantara or a religious method based on moderation and pluralism in Indonesian society. In the current era of social media, debates about matters concerning Islam cannot be avoided. Therefore, each Islamic community group tries to carry out its activities while maintaining its ideology.
... In his "iMuslim," Bunt (Bunt, 2009) ensures that the internet has created an Islamic environment that can be accessed by all Muslims in the world without any restrictions, both country and culture. The existence of the internet has had real implications for the life of Muslim community. ...
My previous research on Pandalungan Kiai as a mediatized world shows a complicated case of negotiation between Internet and religion. From mediatization perspective, we can see a clear dynamic interplay between Internet and Pandalungan Kiai as each of them try to influence one another. This interplay is actually the nature of a mediatization process which, furthermore, leads to an interesting phenomenon of the rhizomatic fragmentation of religious authority causing many uncontrolled Islamic discourses to emerge. As corollary to that phenomenon, this article questions the role of the state in controlling the religious diversity of its people and the emergence of various Islamic discourses to be able to give a proper response to the fragmentation. This current research dedicated to critically unpack the problem by focusing on the case of Malaysia and Singapore as each share similar socio-cultural life. The data collected through observation and interview with 22 informants consisted of imams, asatizs, scholars, and local civilians in Malaysia and Singapore during my research field work in November and December 2018. This study found that the two countries implemented a strict certification policy for religious leaders to regulate the diversity of religious life. This fact leads this article to conclude the importance of the role of the government in making strict rules for religious leaders to be able to face the various consequences of the rhizomatic fragmentation of religious authority caused by the coming of (new) media in da’wa activities.
... The abundance of new digital devices (e.g., smartphones, tablets, smartwatches, etc.) in today's world enables religious people to engage with their faith easily. Previous studies have found that Muslims continuously and purposely use the new media platforms for spiritual reasons related to prayer times, fasting, religious holidays, Islamic lecture, prayer direction, and more (Bunt, 2009;Shareefi, 2012;Mishra & Semaan, 2010). Digital tools also benefit Muslims for other purposes besides faith-related quests. ...
... The medium has altered traditional sources of authority, facilitated new voices, flattened some gender and class hierarchies, and promoted new configurations of privilege, control, and power (Campbell & Teusner, 2011;Scholz et al., 2008;Slama, 2018). As a cultured technology, 1 scholars have argued that the Internet has transformed religious authority as well (Brouwer, 2004;Bunt, 2003Bunt, , 2009Bunt, , 2018Campbell, 2010;Marcotte, 2016;Turner, 2007;Zaman, 2008). Since its beginnings in the 1990s, according to some scholars, the medium has accelerated a "democratization" of knowledge for those who identify as religious, including for contemporary Muslims (Eickelman & Anderson, 2003;Mandaville, 2007;Patel, 2023;Robinson, 2009). 2 The Internet has made it easier for lay Muslims to access "sacred or once-private information" (Campbell, 2012:68), allowing them to interpret the traditions for themselves, and thus potentially challenging traditional gatekeepers and parameters of Islamic knowledge (Zaman, 2002:1l;Sands, 2010). ...
Drawing on qualitative interviews with 278 self-identified Muslims from across Canada, this article examines how Muslim Canadians engage with sources of religious authority online. We focus on how participants assess the authoritativeness of websites, which figures they follow, and whether the Canadian context factors into how they interpret Islam-related material online. We both agree and disagree with scholarship that characterizes the Internet as democratizing the traditions of Islam (Bunt, 2018; Eickelman & Anderson, 2003; Mandaville in Theory, Culture & Society, 24:101–115, 2007; Robinson in Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society 19:339–354, 2009; Sands in Contemporary Islam 4:139–155, 2010), and with who see it as unchanging (Berkey, 2016). Our interlocutors suggest that the online context fosters a notable and visible bi-directionality of authority; moreover, content remains shaped by view counts and algorithms. Lastly, despite the online nature of the World Wide Web, the materiality, textuality, and visual markers of the Qur’an remain vital for our interlocutors.
... In addition, every Islamic movement that carries out activism on the internet must equip itself with the ability to enter blogs or domains. The ultimate goal of Islamic movement activism on the internet is to promote ideas, ideas, and propaganda to the public (Bunt, 2009;Rustandi, 2022). ...
In 2017 the Indonesian government has officially banned two Islamic da'wah movements, HTI (Hizbut Tahrir Indonesia) and FPI (Islamic Defenders Front). These two da'wah movements are considered to be contrary to Pancasila ideology because they want to establish an Islamic state (Khilafah) in Indonesia. The focus of this research was carried out in the branch areas of HTI and FPI, namely in West Java and Banten. The data in this paper come from direct observation, in-depth interviews and documentation review. This paper finds differences in the pattern of the dakwah movements of HTI and FPI after they were disbanded, both in the dissemination of ideas and in the pattern of recruitment. HTI implemented a massive migration in preaching the idea of a khilafah from direct (offline) efforts to indirect (online) efforts. In its recruitment, HTI continues to maintain its conventional efforts through face-to-face preaching (Daurah), with the addition of using wing organizations as its spearhead. Meanwhile, the decline in the da'wah movement occurred in FPI, mainly due to the absence of the Grand Imam Rizieq Shihab and the loss of elite support for them. Even so, FPI continues to maintain its da'wah activities by disseminating its ideas through recitations at its activist headquarters, mosques and Islamic boarding schools. This research can contribute to the enrichment of the analysis of the hidden da'wah movement that occurs in the field, especially with the front stage and back stage approaches of Erving Goffman.
... Al di fuori del mondo cristiano non da meno sono state le comunità di fedeli, soprattutto quelle migranti, già abituate al mantenimento di relazioni a distanza con le comunità di origine (Bunt 2009;Abrams et al. 2013), che durante il lockdown hanno rotto il digiuno del Ramadan all'interno degli iftar virtuali, 3 hanno condiviso il Seder pasquale su Skype (Frei-Landau 2020; Lieber 2020), o che, come gli indù, si sono affidati a delle app per poter guardare i loro luoghi sacri e i filmati delle festività da vivere nei templi della realtà virtuale. 4 Se la presenza delle religioni online per alcuni non ha rappresentato una novità, tuttavia, durante la pandemia si è assistito inevitabilmente all'intensificarsi del ricorso di internet da parte di tutte le comunità religiose (Pew Research Center 2020; Cooperman 2020). ...
Attraverso la sistematizzazione di alcune ricerche che nei due anni di emergenza sanitaria hanno analizzato il riadattamento delle comunità religiose nella dimensione virtuale, il presente lavoro vuole evidenziare quali siano stati gli aspetti più controversi vissuti dai gruppi religiosi nel periodo pandemico. Lo farà passando in rassegna quelle ricerche che, da una prospettiva che interseca gli studi sui media, sulla comunicazione e sulle religioni (ovvero quella delle digital religion), hanno permesso di isolare le tre criticità più rilevanti affrontate dai gruppi religiosi nei periodi di lockdown: 1) la ridefinizione di una comunità religiosa online; 2) la trasformazione e la percezione del rito e dello spazio sacro online; 3) il mantenimento dell’autorità religiosa in rete nella comunicazione peer to peer di internet.
... With connectivity established in Islamic countries such as strengthening the internet, the demand for Islamic messages has increased tremendously. This has accelerated the growth of Islamic media websites, including information about Islamic identity (Bunt, 2009). Of course, this discourse opens the door for Muslims to bundle Islam with methods that suit the youth market. ...
This paper will discuss online media sites implementing religious moderation campaigns in Indonesia. The case study in this paper is the online media Harakatuna.com. The research method is qualitative, collecting data through virtual ethnography or online observations of the Harakatuna.com media page and Harakatuna Media's Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook social media accounts. This research found that it is not appropriate if the religious moderation campaign has only been carried out through conventional methods such as seminars, recitations, and workshops. Therefore, Harakatuna.com is present as a campaign agent for religious moderation by taking a role in social media. Consequently, Harakatuna.com carries out counter-narrative radicalism by introducing peaceful religious moderation in Indonesia with digital methods such as webinars, scientific publications, and opinion writing. Furthermore, Harakatuna.com also carries out a counter-ideological role against the Khilafahism ideology that Hizbut Tahrir Indonesia (HTI) echoes. Harakatuna.com carries out the counter-ideology through the Pancasila ideology campaign as the foundation of the nation and state by the values of religious teachings, including Islam. The roles carried out by Harakatuna.com are the actualization of the concept of a Cyber Islamic Environment, a new virtual world environment that can be used for the benefit of Muslims, one of which is the delivery of messages of religious moderation.
... Preaching is an important component in the Islamic ritual and religious devotion, and as such, plays a key role in the traditional religious landscape as well as in a wide range of technologies of da'wa (cassette, radio, TV, internet, podcasts) (Bunt 2009;Hirschkind 2012, pp. 5-21). ...
This paper analyzes online sermons on Muslim loyalty to non-Muslims uttered by Tareq Oubrou, one of the most prominent Muslim religious authorities in France. The aim of this study is twofold. First, Oubrou’s rhetoric will be examined (especially in what pertains to the opening, the hybrid format of preaching, the languages used, citations, digital tools, and the closing). Second, Oubrou’s online sermons will be addressed as a counter-narrative on loyalty intended primarily to neutralize the radical Salafi discourses which forbid any form of loyalty towards non-Muslims. Oubrou utilizes online preaching: (1) to teach wider audiences of ordinary Muslims, outside of the practicing audience who attend mosques regularly, loyalty towards non-Muslims; (2) to compete for space and authoritative discourse on Islam; and (3) to prosecute radical discourses on loyalty particularly present in the virtual space as well as among undersized, albeit active, Salafi communities in France.
... Numerous studies have sought to investigate Islam in the digital era and the features of mediatized discourses. Most of these studies have limited their investigation to Islamic outlets, such as mainstream Islamic websites, Islamic digital videos, and Muslim online content producers such as bloggers and vloggers (Bunt, 2000(Bunt, , 2009Campbell, 2010). These studies have tried to make sense of the role of new media in a Muslim's religious life and the number of social and faith-based factors which inform and guide their responses to the possibilities and challenges offered by digital media. ...
... Numerous studies have sought to investigate Islam in the digital era and the features of mediatized discourses. Most of these studies have limited their investigation to Islamic outlets, such as mainstream Islamic websites, Islamic digital videos, and Muslim online content producers such as bloggers and vloggers (Bunt, 2000(Bunt, , 2009Campbell, 2010). These studies have tried to make sense of the role of new media in a Muslim's religious life and the number of social and faith-based factors which inform and guide their responses to the possibilities and challenges offered by digital media. ...
New media studies on Islam are focused on investigating the characteristics of Islamic discourse or Muslim practices in digital landscape. Since there is increasing visibility of knowledge production on Islam by non-Islamic, secular middlebrow spaces such as TED, it is significant to examine their way of communicating Islamic ideas to a global audience. By conducting a discourse analysis of TED Talks on Islam, this study explores the dominant discursive strategies of TED Talks on Islam. By doing so, this study introduces how a more empirically and context-oriented understanding of the concept of the postsecular would benefit considerably from examining the discursive features of the contemporary nexus of Islam, new media, popular culture, and storytelling. Three main discourse features are found: (1) emphasis on a Judeo-Christian framework, (2) use of awe-inducing, personalized storytelling, and (3) secular translation of Islamic themes. While this emerging online-mediated discourse on Islam informs about new storytelling strategies, the language used adopts a highly attenuated perception of Islamic themes, and a great deal of traditional Islamic interpretation is replaced with excessively individualistic assumptions that are often tailored to cater to Western secular liberal mindsets.
This chapter provides a summary of the findings of the book. After a brief overview of the book chapters, I sum up the book’s findings in relation to each research question. In relation to the self-presentation of Muslim televangelists, the book has revealed two types of religious celebrities. While Yusuf Estes and Hamza Yusuf constructed their authorities as preachers, a figure associated with authority, Baba Ali’s authority emanated from his self-presentation of ordinariness and of being close to his online viewers. The book also revealed that digital media appeared to be key to televangelists’ self-presentation, as shown on their websites, and social media platforms (cf. Chapter 5). Another Research Question that the book has explored is the representation of Islam and Muslims in televangelists’ YouTube sermons. The analysis has shown that a call on Muslims’ unity and the appeal to a global community of Muslims were common patterns among the three televangelists realized through the use of collective terms (e.g., ‘Muslims’, ‘the Muslims’), positive predication, argumentation strategies, and was visually constructed through the invocation of religious/social practices that connoted unity and harmony in televangelists’ social media pages. A third Research Question that the book explored is the recontextualization of historical and religious references. The analysis has shown that—broadly speaking—historical invocation in televangelists’ sermons spanned many eras that included the Middle Ages, Ottoman histories and modern American histories, which pointed to the hybridity of televangelists’ sermons. Religious references—likewise—encompassed a variety of sources including Quranic references and references to the bible. The recontextualization of historical and religious references served a variety of functions, including persuasion, presenting religious sources as relevant to Muslims’ contemporary context and endowing televangelists with authority. These various parameters pointed to the novelty of Muslim televangelism as a genre that sought to appeal to multiple audiences, embedded online literacy practices, exemplified in the use of multimodality and online users’ remediation of televangelists’ content. Finally, I discuss the limitations of the book and the recommendations for future research.
Penelitian ini mengulas peran dan dampak dakwah digital dalam penyebaran nilai-nilai Islam di era digital. Di tengah kemajuan teknologi informasi, dakwah digital menjadi strategi penting bagi para dai dan organisasi keagamaan untuk menjangkau audiens yang lebih luas. Analisis literatur menyoroti pengaruh positif dakwah digital, seperti peningkatan aksesibilitas informasi keagamaan, penyebarluasan nilai-nilai Islam yang moderat, dan penguatan komunitas Muslim online. Meskipun efektif, strategi dakwah digital juga menghadapi tantangan seperti penyebaran misinformasi, isu keamanan siber, dan polarisasi opini. Pendekatan yang mengintegrasikan metode dakwah tradisional dan digital dianggap efektif dalam memperkuat pemahaman dan pengamalan nilai-nilai keislaman di tengah masyarakat global yang semakin terhubung secara digital.
The research aimed to examine how religious awareness affects the level of religiosity, with virtual Islamic da’wah content as an intervening variable. Data was collected from respondents using a survey method, and path analysis was used to test the relationship between these variables. The results indicate that religious awareness does not have a direct significant influence on the level of religiosity, with a path coefficient of 0.363. However, religious awareness does significantly influence the content of virtual Islamic da’wah, with a path coefficient of 0.012. Interestingly, the content of virtual Islamic da’wah itself does not significantly affect the level of religiosity, with a path coefficient of 0.880. The analysis of the coefficient of determination (R Square) revealed that the religious awareness model could only explain 1.5% of the variation in the level of religiosity, while the model for virtual Islamic da’wah content could only explain 1.2% of the variation in the da’wah content itself. Additionally, the results of the Sobell test show that virtual Islamic da’wah content is not an intervening variable that significantly mediates the influence of religious awareness on the level of religiosity. The conclusion drawn from this research is that there are likely other factors outside the model that have a greater influence on a person’s level of religiosity. These findings suggest the need for further studies to explore other factors that can influence an individual’s level of religiosity, as well as the role of virtual Islamic da’wah content in different contexts.
This chapter provides an overview of the relevant works at the intersection of Islam, postsecularism, TED Talks, and new media storytelling. This chapter will explore this turn as an interdisciplinary dialogue. It makes an argument for a specific approach to that intersection, which is evident in the TEDified Islam. Divided into three key sections, it begins by examining the debates on postsecularism and its connection with secular media narratives on the sacred. The second section introduces TED to the context and outlines key arguments about the platform (TED) and its communication practices. The final section surveys existing literature on Islam and new media, focusing on the audiences and authorities, and develops a case for examining the discourse on Islam in the new media landscape that is neither Islamophobic nor produced with ritualistic importance. This chapter outlines TED’s narrative production on Islam as a storytelling on Islam that echoes the secular’s renewed interest in exploring the quintessential of Islam. Therefore, TEDified Islam resonates a nexus between postsecular ways of storytelling on Islam in the new media landscape.
Penelitian ini untuk meningkatkan integritas nilai budaya pada peradaban NU dalam membangkitkan Era baru, menganalisis, memahami dan melihat gerakan yang dilakukan NU dalam membangun Era yang unggul serta bentk-bentuk penerapan nilai budaya yang diberikan NU kepada masyarakat khususnya generasi penerus. Kerangka teorii yang digunakan dari Nobert Elias dan F Ratzel. Nobert Elias mendalami kesosialan yaitu struktur sosial, dinamika sosial, dan kebudayaan. F Ratzel menjelaskan pentingnya adanya difusi pada masyarakat. Metode penelitian penulisan ini berupa jenisnya Kualitatif deskritif, dilakukan cara menggambarkan penelitian terkait gerakan NU tanpa menghilangkan unsur nilai budaya pada peradaban ormas. Dan metodenya yaitu narrative research, metode ini digunakan membantu untuk memahami, analisis serta mengevaluasi suatu kisah. Pendekatan yang diterapkan dari August Comte teorinya yaitu dinamika sosial dan statika sosial. Teknik pengumpulan data dilakukan menggunakan dua metode yaitu studi pustaka dan dokumen. Serta analisis data menggunakan beberapa teknik yaitu reduksi data, penyajian data, dan kesimpulan. Hasil dan pembahasan mengungkapkan bahwa gerakan NU dalam membangkitkan peradaban era baru melahirkan satu kesatuan dengan konsep-konsep disertai dakwah kekhasan yaitu dakwah yang diteruskan oleh para ulama dahulu. Untuk merealisasikan gerakan NU dalam membangkitkan peradaban di Era Baru, ormas harus bergerak sesuai langkah-langkahnya seperti gerakan pemikiran NU terkait penyebaran ajaran Islam (gerakan keagamaan), gerakan politik, bergerak di bidang ekonomi, dan gerakan pada ranah sosial. Penerapan nilai Budaya yang dilakukan NU terhadap era baru. NU menempatan kepercayaan dengan sub-dominan bertujuan agar terdorongnya semua aspek kehidupan masyarakat yang diwarnai dengan ajaran agama, termasuk dorongan sistem kepercayaan yang ikut ikut mengkonverensi kepercayaan dan budaya. Terakhir yaitu dampak positif dan negatif dari pengembangan gerakan NU di era baru, NU berupaya melestarikan nilai-nilai budaya yang menjadi ciri khas organisasi, sehingga nilai budaya yang diterapkan yaitu Islam Nusantara tidak luntur dan hilang di Era Baru. Dampak negatifnya Demi menjaga dan melestarikan nilai budaya NU bergerak maju tanpa penyesuaian dari kelompok aliran agama lainnya, sehingga hal tersebut menjadi ciri khas yang bersangkutan, bahwa NU memiliki nilai kebudayaan yang berbeda dari aliran lainnya. Kesimpulannya NU menerapkan nilai budaya ke dalam integritasnya, berkembang dengan merujuk penninggalan ulama dahulu, hal ini dikarenakan sebagian pemikiran NU merupakan kekayaan identitas dari lembaga. NU memunculkan suatu gerakan berupa strategi dalam menghadapi globalisasi dimasyarakat, dirumuskan dalam bentuk tujuh strategi kebudayaan (saptawikrama) Islam Nusantara.konsep ini lahir saat rakernas PBNU.
This study aims to explain the fatwas disseminated on YouTube social media. It explains why ustadz or Islamic preachers disseminate their fatwas on YouTube and what factors surround it. This study uses a qualitative method and an ethnographic approach, namely data collection using keywords to search engines for specific fatwa themes among three popular religious preachers: Ustadz Abdul Somad, Ustadz Adi Hidayat, and Ustadz Khalid Basalamah. The fatwas issued by Islamic preachers were analyzed using the theory of the Muslim public sphere from Dale F. Eickelman and Jon W. Anderson about moving narratives in cyberspace. The moving narrative allows the fatwa to be reached by people connected to the internet. This moving narrative creates a discourse war only possible through the Muslim public sphere. The selection of three popular preachers because they have different backgrounds in terms of thought which makes it possible for dialogue to occur in the form of moving narratives. This research found that the moving narratives that occur in cyberspace are not only in the form of dialogue and contestation in the form of fatwas but are related to the religious authority they receive. Social media like YouTube allows them to gain authority because of the democratic nature that social media provides. This contrasts earlier forms of authority where social media had not yet been invented.
The chapter discusses the impact of modern communication technology on the production of religious and political authority. It delves into the profound influence of Islamist movements, which have adeptly harnessed the power of the internet to propagate their ideologies and agendas. Focusing on prominent radical groups such as ISIS or ISIL and al-Qaeda, the discussion sheds light on how these organisations strategically utilise social media platforms and online communities to disseminate their messages, attract followers and advance their strategic and religious goals. The ability of these groups to effectively leverage the reach and interconnectedness of the digital realm has raised concerns among traditional authorities and governments alike. The chapter further explores the ways in which these radical groups actively contest religious authority and challenge established scholarship. They seek to redefine religious narratives and norms, often diverging from the interpretations upheld by traditional religious institutions. In response, religious leaders and governments have undertaken various efforts to counter the influence of these groups in the online sphere, aiming to maintain their own positions of authority and protect the integrity of religious teachings.
With the rise of an anti-secular (not post) politics in the West, gates of secularism are being jettisoned. Politics moving around „Islamicness‟ or politics of religiosity is trying to occupy the secularly constructed public spheres. This trend observed that the Christian preaching on television was one of the attractive methods, has changed its form through various means of development in communicative technologies. However, considering the intellectual gap, given by both secular modernity and Western religiousperformativity, Islamic media emerges as one of the recent development tried to address anxieties of the modern/secular on the one hand, and rational/religious/Islamic on the other. It is organised to recast Muslim subjectivities and highlights biased interpretation of secularism championed by the West. The major project of the Islamic media is to valorise the Islamicness; its heritage, culture and intellectual developments along with an ideological slot it uses in in its various presentations. In Islamic media, the idea of „Islamicness‟ is responsible to generate Muslim public spheres. Exchange of ideas in Muslim public spheres and its reintroduction through various forms of audible, visual and interactive media delineate this kind of genre as Islamic, equally capable to adjust itself in major modern worldviews namely left and right. Surprisingly, the process of adjustment never loses its independent structuration and distribution of knowledge even in societies known for plural assemblage of religious authorities. The very feature of „Islamicness‟ neither tries to offend ideological syncretism countries such as India celebrates nor ventures to destruct the societal imagination where goodness plays immense role. For example, in India, one can observe various Islamic or Muslim media presentations for a mixed/cultural audience. Those presentations often run by Muslim channels and Islamic satellites. By providing a neutral Muslim image in presence of biased global imaginary of a Muslim in rapidly growing media industries, one notices the formation of rational behaviour in societies predominantly inhabited by mixed people of different faith is influencing overall framework of intellectualism or popular intellectualism.
This piece will try to locate the phenomenon of Islamic preaching through media which is identified as Islamic media or televangelism, an important aspect in the realm of popular religion in India. In response to engage with Islamic media, one finds deliberate articulation of Islamic discourses in public sphere. So far, popular religion is related, it is understood as what is shared by the people in general, across all social boundaries. The popularly shared perception of the religion is being reconnected through an emerging role of the media-based performance of religion and consequentially generates discourses of various kind.
Social media has an essential role in spreading and transforming Islamic preaching in Indonesia. Through the utilization of various features on Instagram, this article focuses on Husein Ja'far al-Hadar's (HJA) efforts to spread peaceful Islamic preaching in the digital universe for urban millennials. This paper analyzes forms of mediatization in oral, text and visual, both content or captions, that affect HJA's engagement with its followers. This research is qualitative research with a virtual ethnographic approach. Data collection is done through interviews, observation and documentation. This study concludes that HJA's da'wa becomes interesting, light, relaxed and entertaining because it adapts to popular culture and follows social media trends. His simple and concise preaching narrative makes HJA preaching easy to accept and becomes a reference in answering contemporary religious problems. His tolerant preaching contains love, mutual respect, and inclusiveness that answer the unrest of communities wanting to know more about Islam. Changes in his innovative forms of proselytizing and adaptive to Instagram's needs make HJA a role model and figure of a young preacher whose competence is considered.
Relationships between religion and communication are myriad, complex, and deeply embedded in many facets of human cultures and societies. This chapter sketches the most significant development in communications and media studies – the shift from instrumental to cultural approaches – and then considers three different domains of religion and communication: religion and digital culture; public theology; and religion and popular culture. It examines the parallel fields of digital religion and digital theology and shows where they cross over with the religioussocial shaping of technology methodology. Digital communications and media and digital culture represent a significant development in the area of religion and communication. The chapter describes three approaches: Forbes' typology helpful for locating different relationships between religion and popular culture; Lynch's three‐fold scheme of auteur, documentary, and audience‐reception approaches; and Vanhoozer's method of cultural exegesis for use within faith communities.
The mediatization of religion reshapes public religion in its encounter with, and dependence on, modern media. This chapter takes a broader and more general perspective on mediatization. It opens a window onto the mediatization of religion outside Europe and North America, the areas where the theory has primarily been developed and discussed. Mediatization processes are driven when the logic of the media influences the logics of other institutions, like religion. Contemporary Sikhism is heavily mediatized, and has been slowly transformed in media communication to redefine Sikh identity and to uphold the Sikh community in a global setting. Buddhist theory of communication analyzes media practices “as the mutual conditioning of two or more communicators”. African independent Churches have developed alongside mainline national versions of Catholicism and the Protestant denominations. The Catholic Church has played a major role in the development of Latin American culture since the arrival of the Spanish and Portuguese colonizers.
This chapter begins with a set of definitions, raising the questions of: What is religion? What is communication? What is media, and how are we to understand the processes of mediation? Some scholarship on communication, media, and religion takes established religious organizations and affiliations as a starting point for analysis and some continues to theorize the role of media in social change in relation to processes of secularization and sacralization. The emergence of feminist theory, queer and critical race theories had shaped studies of both media and religion beginning in the 1960s and 1970s. The material turn invited understanding across various religious traditions and deeper connections between religions and how they are created, practiced, communicated, and re‐mediated. Scholarship in media, religion, and communication is turning to the ways that fears surrounding immigration, mass shootings, pandemics, masks, and vaccines are inflamed by social media sharing, pushing online conversations into in‐person spaces with near‐religious fervor.
This chapter looks at characteristics of the web that relate to faith communities in general. Factors include the types of groups creating and maintaining web presences, the audiences, and the purposes. It considers the present state of web usage in major faith traditions. In Australia, web pages provide a space for Church positionality on political matters when it comes to statements in support of Aboriginal rights. Within the Jewish tradition, different streams of faith practice have different types of web presence. As a diverse faith with multiple streams of belief and types of in‐person practice, Islam's diversity plays out on the web as well. The online presence reflects three areas of Hindu temple practice: digital darshan, online rituals, and virtual Hinduism. As faith organizations, new religious movements face a conundrum of sorts, with a desire to gain legitimacy through communications and a desire to keep secret knowledge a secret.
Although scholars have examined the link between religiosity and consumer ethics, the idea of Muslim consumer ethics has not received much traction within academia. The idea of Muslim consumer ethics is a manifestation of religious revivalism. Yet, its discussion must consider the critical roles played by Muslim youth and their consumption of new media because the latter has a profound effect on shaping and directing popular Muslim youth cultures. Muslim consumer ethics encompass the moral and humanistic dimension of living in a globalized world as an extension of an individual’s religious practice. This phenomenon of ethical consumption has also been commoditized in a lucrative halal industry that fosters a Muslim identity market.
Every aspect of one's life, from educating oneself through YouTube to finding a suitor on dating apps, shows how intertwined one's life is with digitalisation. COVID-19 has only allowed it to proliferate further. This chapter examines how different digitalisation policy initiatives in Brunei during COVID-19 have enabled the creation of a digital Islamic society through an Islamic governance perspective. A digital ethnographic approach was employed, and data were drawn from three sources: 1) document analysis, 2) social media, and 3) observation. Analysis was carried out using the Maqāṣid collaborative framework. Results from the study show that a digital Islamic society is currently being shaped in Brunei in all aspect of the Maqāṣid of the Sharia.
The absence of one single religious authority for the whole Muslim community in Britain results in the emergence of various religious authorities due to ethnic and sectarian differences. Muslim communities in Britain have generally been ghettoized around ethnic and sectarian identities, and thus establishing mosque and religious authority accordingly. This paper investigates what the sources of religious authority for British born young Sunnī Muslims are. The data was gathered via an ethnographic research made in Leeds, one of the most cosmopolitan cities of Britain, interviewing young Sunnī British Muslims who are between 18 and 30 years old. The main aim of this study is to reflect on how and where these young Muslims get religious advice for their daily religious lives. This paper presents the preferences of the informants in seeking religious authority in the context of Britain. It is particularly significant to discover the orientation of British born Muslims from that aspect. Based on the preferences of young Sunnī Muslims in searching religious authority in Leeds, this paper initially introduces four mosque imāms, who lie at the centre of religious authority for ordinary Muslims. By dealing with them, I expose the role of mosque imāms in the life of Sunnī Muslims in Britain. The types of the questions raised by the mosque attendees and their methods in approaching the imāms are reported while each imām’s profile is examined. Then, I focus on two famous figures who issue religious rulings and have a special importance in the religious lives of Muslims in Leeds. Finally, the Internet is examined as a virtual platform in seeking religious authority for ordinary Muslims living in Britain. Thus, this study offers two main results: From different sectarian orientations, such as Deobandī, Barēlwī and Jamāʿat-i Islāmī, they generally admit that following a school of law (Ḥanafī, Mālikī, Shāfiʿī, and Ḥanbalī) in current is essential for a lay person. Therefore, the tendency among them in seeking religious guidance initially starts from local mosque imāms, and then widened with more expert ʿulamāʾ repudiated across their ethnic and sectarian oriented communities.
The absence of one single religious authority for the whole Muslim community in Britain results in the emergence of various religious authorities due to ethnic and sectarian differences. Muslim communities in Britain have generally been ghettoized around ethnic and sectarian identities, and thus establishing mosque and religious authority accordingly. This paper investigates what the sources of religious authority for British born young Sunnī Muslims are. The data was gathered via an ethnographic research made in Leeds, one of the most cosmopolitan cities of Britain, interviewing young Sunnī British Muslims who are between 18 and 30 years old. The main aim of this study is to reflect on how and where these young Muslims get religious advice for their daily religious lives. This paper presents the preferences of the informants in seeking religious authority in the context of Britain. It is particularly significant to discover the orientation of British born Muslims from that aspect. Based on the preferences of young Sunnī Muslims in searching religious authority in Leeds, this paper initially introduces four mosque imāms, who lie at the centre of religious authority for ordinary Muslims. By dealing with them, I expose the role of mosque imāms in the life of Sunnī Muslims in Britain. The types of the questions raised by the mosque attendees and their methods in approaching the imāms are reported while each imām’s profile is examined. Then, I focus on two famous figures who issue religious rulings and have a special importance in the religious lives of Muslims in Leeds. Finally, the Internet is examined as a virtual platform in seeking religious authority for ordinary Muslims living in Britain. Thus, this study offers two main results: From different sectarian orientations, such as Deobandī, Barēlwī and Jamāʿat-i Islāmī, they generally admit that following a school of law (Ḥanafī, Mālikī, Shāfiʿī, and Ḥanbalī) in current is essential for a lay person. Therefore, the tendency among them in seeking religious guidance initially starts from local mosque imāms, and then widened with more expert ʿulamāʾ repudiated across their ethnic and sectarian oriented communities.
This chapter explores the implications of the Internet on concepts of Islamic spirituality. With the reduction in the digital divide and sustained increased in Internet access, opportunities for dissemination of diverse concepts of Islamic spirituality through various media channels have intensified. Whether it is through social media or web pages and databases, Muslims worldwide have opportunities to network and interact with varied religious concepts in multimedia formats. This chapter includes reference to forms of spiritual journeys as presented online, digital Islamic sources such as the Qur'ān, and the reactions of religious authorities and leaders to technological innovation as a means of articulating Islamic principles. This represents a globalized discourse, but there are also examples of the “local,” for example in Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, and the United States.
Islamism in Indonesia and Malaysia has undergone a fascinating transformation from social movement roots to mainstream politics. How did this take place, and to what ends? Drawing on social movement theories, this Element explains this transformation by focusing on key Islamic social movements in these two countries. It argues: first, that the popularity and appeal of Islamism in Indonesia and Malaysia cannot be understood without appreciating how these social movements have enabled and facilitated mobilization; and second, that it is precisely these roots in civil societal mobilization that account for the enduring influence of Islamist politics evident in how Islamic social movements have shaped and transformed the political landscape. These arguments will be developed by unpacking how Islamist ideas took root in social movement settings, the kinds of institutional and organizational structures through which these ideas were advanced, and the changing political landscape that facilitated these processes.
Kajian-kajian mengenai aktivisme Islam semakin banyak dilakukan oleh para sarjana beberapa dekade ini. Hal ini karena terjadi transformasi agama ke internet, seperti Islam. Salah satu karya yang mengawali kajian aktivisme Islam dan internet ditulis oleh Gary R. Bunt dengan judul iMuslims: Rewiring the House of Islam. Dalam definisi Gary R. Bunt, iMuslims adalah sebuah komunitas masyarakat Islam, relatif kaya secara ekonomi, berpendidikan tinggi, menguasai ilmu agama, dan memahami pengetahuan internet. Oleh sebab itu, buku ini memberikan rekomendasi tentang bagaimana umat Islam mengimplementasikan konsep Cyber Islamic Environment (CIE) (teori lingkungan siber Islam). Selain itu, buku ini juga menggambarkan deskripsi yang sangat komprehensif tentang perilaku umat Islam dalam memanfaatkan teknologi internet. Ini mencakup konflik, jihad, pengetahuan Islam, dan perlindungan data-data Islam.
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