Wednesday, June 29, 2016

Malaysia approaches fintech with Islamic twist

Computer Weekly, Malaysia approaches fintech with Islamic twist, 28 June 2016 "Malaysia is adapting to the financial technology (fintech) revolution by adjusting its financial regulatory guidelines with an Islamic angle."

iMulla: Tatarstan citizens were offered to invite imam by one click

realnoevremya.com, iMulla: Tatarstan citizens were offered to invite imam by one click, 29 June 2016 online access for Tatarstan imams discussed here: "In general, iMulla is very simple to use. On the home page of the website there are two big buttons — 'Invite a mullah' and 'Find a mullah'. Clicking on the 'Find a mullah', we found a list of 21 profiles, where it is specified what rites and where they are ready to hold them, their work schedule, age, place of work and place of study, additional data. In the case if a user decides to invite a mullah, he or she can order a call or fill in the form on the website with information about themselves, the rite they want, place and time of the meeting. If a person does not know whom to choose, the system can do it for him. The majority of profiles belongs to the Moscow clergy, and the project is mostly focused on the Muscovites yet."

Global terror database World-Check leaked

The Register, Global terror database World-Check leaked, 29 June 2016 "The mid-2014 version of the database contains some 2.2 million records and is used by 49 of the world's 50 largest banks, along with 300 government and intelligence agencies.



"The Thomson Reuters database is accused of falsely designating citizens and organisations as terrorists. Banks have used this data in whole or in part to shutter accounts, effectively locking people out of vast swathes of the global banking system."

Istanbul Airport Attack

BBC News, Istanbul Ataturk airport attack: 41 dead and more than 230 hurt






vocativ.com, Why ISIS Adherents Aren't Applauding The Istanbul Attack



vocative.com, Turkey Blocks News Sites, Twitter, Facebook After Deadly Attack



Mashable, Reports: Turkish government blocks social media in wake of airport attack

Monday, June 27, 2016

The Sunnah of Muhammad

The Sunnah of Muhammad, Heart and Soul - BBC World Service "Safaa Faisal travels to Egypt to explore how the Sunnah is being fought over by those who think the messages that lie within its pages are being interpreted wrongly. She also explores whether the Sunnah, because of the way it was compiled, can legitimately be called the word of the Prophet and therefore whether it could actually be revised for the modern world." Have yet to hear it all, but the programmes references the impact of social media/search engines on religious authority issues.

Friday, June 24, 2016

Internet #halal shopping

foodmanufacture.co.uk, Halal range launches with 16 lines on Amazon Fresh

CYBERCOM 'reluctant' to cut off Islamic State internet

scmagazine.com, CYBERCOM 'reluctant' to cut off Islamic State internet, 24 June 2016 "Thomas Atkin, the acting assistant Defense Secretary for homeland defense and global security, told press earlier this week that the DOD was wary of treading on the rights of internet users in IS strongholds. He characterised the deliberation over such an action as a “careful balance, even in Raqqa or Mosul, or anywhere on how we balance the rights to have access to the Internet versus the use of the Internet illegally by folks like ISIL”."

Wednesday, June 22, 2016

Pakistan 'honour' killing: Why clerics' call may fall on deaf ears

BBC News, Pakistan 'honour' killing: Why clerics' call may fall on deaf ears, 15 June 2016 "The Council of Islamic Ideology (CII) in Pakistan has declared that killing in the name of family honour is un-Islamic and against the law. The group, which advises the government on religious aspects of law and society, issued its statement after a recent spate of killings shocked many in Pakistan and around the world. Will anyone listen?" Article refers to the internet and female 'empowerment'

No 'magic bullet' against jihadist propaganda

AP/Daily Mail, No 'magic bullet' against jihadist propaganda, Lynch says "The Orlando massacre at a popular gay nightclub shows no one yet has "found the magic bullet" to prevent Americans from being inspired to violence by jihadist propaganda on the internet, Attorney General Loretta Lynch said Tuesday as she visited a city still shaken by the shootings."

Israel eyes law to remove online content inciting 'terrorism'

Reuters/Daily Mail, Israel eyes law to remove online content inciting terrorism, 22 June 2016 "Israel's Justice Ministry is drafting legislation that would enable it to order Facebook, YouTube, Twitter and other social media to remove online postings it deems to be inciting terrorism."

Tuesday, June 21, 2016

Analyzing How Islamic State Recruits Through Social Media

eurasiareview.com, Analyzing How Islamic State Recruits Through Social Media, 17 June 2016 "The researchers, who identified and analyzed second-by-second online records of 196 pro-ISIS groups operating during the first eight months of 2015, found that even though most of the 108,000-plus individual members of these self-organized groups probably never met, they had a striking ability to adapt and extend their online longevity, increase their size and number, reincarnate when shut down–and inspire “lone wolves” with no history of extremism to carry out horrific attacks like the nation’s deadliest mass shooting at a gay nightclub in Orlando this week." Report is here: N. F. Johnson et al., Science, New online ecology of adversarial aggregates: ISIS and beyond”, June 17, 2016 [one for the reading list]

With its Caliphate Faltering, Islamic State Rushes to Indoctrinate Children

VOA News, With its Caliphate Faltering, Islamic State Rushes to Indoctrinate Children, 20 June 2016 "In the long run, the IS indoctrination of children will likely have a chilling reverberation for years to come, experts say, way after IS has been removed from the cities it now controls."

New tool to take down terrorism images online spurs debate on what constitutes extremist content

Ellen Nakashima, washingtonpost.com, New tool to take down terrorism images online spurs debate on what constitutes extremist content "“If you could search out the beheading videos, or the picture of the ISIS fighter all in black carrying the Daesh flag across the sands of Syria, if you could do it with video and audio, you’d be doing something big,” said Mark Wallace, chief executive of the Counter Extremism Project (CEP), a nonpartisan policy group. “I believe it’s a game-changer.”" CEP info here + related IBTimes piece here

50 young Saudis arrested over ‘un-Islamic’ necklaces, haircuts

Middle East Online, 50 young Saudis arrested over ‘un-Islamic’ necklaces, haircuts

The State and Islamic clergy must stop radicalisation among the Muslim youth

hindustantimes.com, The State and Islamic clergy must stop radicalisation among the Muslim youth "A collapse of the so-called Caliphate will trigger an exodus of trained mercenaries towards the lands they came from. Are we prepared to handle them?" op-ed

The Orlando Massacre and the Conundrum of Online Radicalization

David Fidler, Net Politics, The Orlando Massacre and the Conundrum of Online Radicalization "Radicalization stories commonly involve online components, but they also exhibit a diversity that complicates understanding how extremist material on the internet influences radicalizing individuals. Typically, other factors are involved when someone embraces terrorism. Information about Mateen is still emerging, but understanding his decision to slaughter people at an LGBT night club while declaring allegiance to the so-called Islamic State confronts the confusion and complexity often experienced in trying to make sense of other radicalization cases."

Friday, June 17, 2016

Internet Security Firm: 'Cyber Jihad' Is Coming

newsmax.com, Internet Security Firm: 'Cyber Jihad' Is Coming  "Islamic terrorists are arming themselves with the technical tools and
expertise to attack the online systems of Western companies and other
infrastructure, warns a study from the Institute for Critical Infrastructure Technology."

Hacker admits he gave military members’ data to the Islamic State

washingtonpost.com, Hacker admits he gave military members’ data to the Islamic State

Kosovar hacker pleads guilty in US court to aiding Islamic State

csmonitor.com, Kosovar hacker pleads guilty in US court to aiding Islamic State 'A Kosovar who was extradited to the US earlier this year, Ardit Ferizi admitted in a federal court in Virginia to providing material support to Islamic State and to breaking into the computer network belonging to an unidentified US retailer.



'Data that Mr. Ferizi stole from the computers included information on more than 1,000 American government employees and military personnel that Islamic State propagandists included in hit lists that it spread to supporters via Twitter, hoping to inspire attacks.'

Anonymous hacks ISIS's Twitter

Techly, Anonymous hacks ISIS's Twitter, makes it as fabulously gay as humanly possible "A hacker by the name of WauchulaGhost has been responsible for the majority of the attacks."

Tuesday, June 14, 2016

'Live-streaming' attack

Standard, Isis fanatic 'live streamed brutal knife killing of senior police officer and his wife on Facebook' "A terrorist pledging allegiance to Islamic State posted video and photos on Facebook during the brutal knife murder of a senior police commander and his wife at their home in France."

The Complicated Pain of America's Queer Muslims

theatlantic.com, The Complicated Pain of America's Queer Muslims, 14 June 2016 "In the midst of a post-Orlando debate that pits Islamophobia against homophobia, LGBT members of the Islamic community find themselves trying to balance multiple identities." online element to this discussion

#Orlando shootings

This is a summary of stories, specific to this blog's core themes, relating to the attack in Orlando, Florida.  

Guardian, Orlando shooting – as it happened

VOA, Orlando Shootings Illustrate IS Potential to Radicalize From Afar, 13 June 2016 "“Radical individuals in many Western countries enjoy a large degree of autonomy and freedom of movement,” said Houzan Mahmoud, a London researcher on Islamic militancy in the Middle East and North Africa. "She told VOA that governments and intelligence agencies need to take more preventive measures to be ready for the unpredictable. "“Radicals [in the West] are allowed to utilize all platforms to spread their ideology,” she said. “They use colleges, mosques, media outlets and social media sites to radicalize people.”

Guardian, Being suspicious of Muslims won't stop terrorism – video

Amanullah De Sondy, Washington Post, LGBT Muslims do exist, and they are grieving. It’s time for acceptance

The Intercept, Stop Exploiting LGBT Issues to Demonize Islam and Justify Anti-Muslim Policies

Independent, Orlando attack: Muslims join hundreds who answer call to donate blood

Telegraph, Omar Mateen's imam says he was known at the mosque for being aggressive

Heatstreet, Reddit Mods Locked Threads, Banned Users After Orlando Shooter Revealed to Be Muslim "Reddit’s r/news, the subreddit that exists for the sole purpose of discussing and sharing breaking news, locked multiple threads and deleted others on articles pertaining to the Orlando shootings after it was revealed that the shooter was Muslim. When a thread is locked users can no longer comment. The moderators blamed it on “brigading” and “hate speech,” but they also blocked people from sharing useful information on blood donations and ways to help."

Reuters, Wolf dens, not lone wolves, the norm in U.S. Islamic State plots

foreignpolicy.com, Are There Any More ‘Lone Wolves’ in the Age of the Islamic State? "The gunman who slaughtered innocents in Orlando didn’t need any specific orders from Islamic State commanders. The group’s hateful ideology was enough."

Yahoo! News, After the Orlando Shooting, a Muslim Man's Post Is Going Viral for the Best Reason

Telegraph, Orlando shooting: Gunman Omar Mateen 'was a regular at LGBT nightclub Pulse' and 'used gay dating apps'

Tuesday, June 07, 2016

16 things Muslims who are fasting during Ramadan can relate to

Soofiya Andry, Metro, 16 things Muslims who are fasting during Ramadan can relate to, 6 June 2016 "So to get started during the Islamic holy month, here’s 16 little things people who are observing it can totally relate to." Includes references to social media...

Monday, June 06, 2016

App for Ramadan

Share the meal with refugees on Ramadan - CNN Video

World's Muslims mark beginning of Ramadan 2016

aljazeera.com, World's Muslims mark beginning of Ramadan 2016 "The Muslim holy month of Ramadan begins on Monday for most of the world's 1.2 billion Muslims."

#30Days30Writers

patheos.com, Ramadan 2016 – #30Days30Writers, A Special Altmuslim Ramadan Series "We have spent the past few months soliciting bloggers, leaders, students, writers, activists, Islamic scholars and everyone in between to join our special Ramadan 2016 #30Days30Writers series. It’s a unique Ramadan series we are hosting here on Altmuslim (on Patheos Muslim), where 30 different voices will be featured over the course of the holy month – one every day."

Thursday, June 02, 2016

Islamic scholars agree on a shared lunar calendar for Muslim world

Daily Sabah, Islamic scholars agree on a shared lunar calendar for Muslim world "The International Hijri Calendar Union Congress wrapped up Monday in Istanbul, hopefully marking the end of a long-standing conflict dividing the world's Muslims. Scholars from across the globe convening for an event hosted by Turkey's state-run Presidency of Religious Affairs (DİB) agreed to adopt a single Islamic lunar calendar. The landmark move is particularly important regarding the observance of religious holidays and especially concerns the fasting month of Ramadan which begins next week, as Muslims will hopefully celebrate the sacred festivals on the same day." Let's see how it works in practice ...

Uber gets $3.5 billion from Saudi Arabia

CNN Money, Uber gets $3.5 billion from Saudi Arabia " According to Uber, 80% of its customers in Saudi Arabia are women, since women are not allowed to drive themselves."

'Wi-Fi Fatwa'

Washington Post/Independent, Saudi scholar issues fatwa against stealing WiFi, 1 June 2016 ""We do not need a religious edict to pinpoint such basic things,” a Saudi blogger noted, according to the Gulf Times. “Private property should remain private, especially [since] the owner paid money for the services. Nobody should just take advantage.""

Sweden prosecution

Reuters/Daily Mail, Sweden convicts man of preparing suicide bomb attack ""The man had gathered information on bomb-building from the Internet and downloaded propaganda from IS," the Attunda District Court said. "He is now sentenced to five years in prison for preparing to commit a terrorist crime.""

IS "sex slaves on the internet"

SMH, Islamic State fighters appear to be selling sex slaves on the internet, 30 May 2016 "The photos were taken down within hours by Facebook, and it is unclear whether the account's owner was doing the selling himself or commenting about women being sold by other fighters. But the unusual posting underscores what experts say is an increasingly perilous existence for the hundreds of women who are thought to be held as sex slaves by the Islamic State."

Wednesday, June 01, 2016

'FajrUp'

[App Review] A New Way to Wake up for Fajr with 'FajrUp' - ProductiveMuslim.com "“As-salatu khairon min al-nawm” (Prayer is better than sleep). My father used to wake me up saying this. He wouldn’t stop until I wake up. It always never took me more than 30 seconds to wake up and say “Alhamdulillah!”



"It was interesting for me to observe how the new and free app, FajrUp, seemed to create a similar experience for the users. We snooze or dismiss alarms we set to wake up for fajr, but what’s interesting about this app is that you’re not relying on an alarm; you will actually be receiving a phone call from someone to wake you up!"