Halal-Internet:

Anuradha Shukla, TMCnet, Halal-Internet: A new Internet Protection Software, 26 Jul 2010 "To increase visibility of Islam in society, Halal-internet launched a new software program today designed with Muslims in mind. HalalGate, the first Internet filter with parental control features, is exclusively designed for Muslim parents, educators, and business owners to surf the internet freely without running into inappropriate web content that conflicts with essential Islamic beliefs and values.

"This powerful tool is created by Muslims and inspired by the growing need among the Islamic community to minimize degrading cultural variables. It is simple to install and easy to use. HalalGate empowers websurfers by blocking dating sites and webpages featuring gambling, alcohol, and drug usage. It allows the users to block the websites related to terrorism, violence, pornography, or exhibiting any extremist behavior."

For more information, take a look at the Halal-Internet site, which is where the image on the left is taken from. The image below (also from the site) gives an indication of what the interface looks like:

A Premium edition of this product is also planned. According to the product description:

"We eliminate all and every objectionable web sites from our database websites that can content or promote what can be considered as un-Islamic like Pornography, dating, Adult Image, Alcohol, Gambling, Criminal Skills, Alternative Lifestyles, Hate Speech, Match Making, Extreme, Profanity, Substance Abuse, Weapon, mind toxic sites like Myspace, certain Web-blog that promote un-Islamic unlawful criminal un-ethical and immoral behavior. Occult sites , and much much more.
we quarantine any website that promote Al-fuhsha, or Al-munkar, and any fake Islamic site that we come across. websites that are designed by Anonymous non Muslim to spread misinformation and confusion about the true teaching if the Islam." [sic]

Quite how these parameters are decided is unclear. There might be scope for extending this product outside of a Muslim market. I'd like to find out more, and maybe do a product test sometime.

Qur'an Software

muslimmatters.org, Review: Al-Mudarris Quran Software, 28 Apr 09, "A few months ago I got a copy of Al-Mudarris software. It’s essentially a software that incorporates ayaat with multiple translations and audio recitations of each individual ayah. That is nice, however, what really prompted me to utilize the software is the notes and tafsir features."

Details: Mudarris software. It looks like a useful piece of software. I like the repetition option for practising (shown on the demo), and might give a more thorough test sometime.

Islamic OS

e-linux.it, Distribution Release: Ubuntu Muslim Edition 8.04.1 "Ubuntu Muslim Edition (UbuntuME) 8.04.1, an Ubuntu-based distribution featuring Islamic software, a Quran study tool and a web content filtering utility, was released in the form of not just an update but a full new DVD with tons of software: "The Ubuntu Muslim Edition team is proud to announce the release of UbuntuME 8.04.1. This release is only available as an installable DVD. Highlights: WebStrict (parental control tool) enabled by default (so as browsing the Internet is safe); Zekr 0.7.0 (Quran study tool) installed and configured to play Quran recitations; Minbar and Firefox "Pray Times" addon installed; Monajat (display Islamic prayers) Thwab (encyclopedia); UbuntuME artworks: usplash, login screen, Islamic wallpapers, theme etc.""

Full details: Ubuntu Muslim Edition 8.04.1 released "The Ubuntu Muslim Edition team is proud to announce the final version of UbuntuME 8.04. It includes an installable live Desktop CD, a second CD with additional softwares (OpenOffice, Arabic language packs, Quran recitations etc.), an installable DVD (with more Quran recitations), and a script to convert standard Ubuntu installations to UbuntuME."

I plan to evaluate this at some future time.

Understanding Islam through Virtual Worlds


Dispatches from the Imagination Age, Understanding Islam through Virtual Worlds, 7 May 08 "Dancing Ink Productions is on a global quest to explore how virtual worlds might provide insight and a cultural bridge into one of the most misunderstood communities in the world: Islam. In the past five months we've spoken on this topic at places ranging from the Global Knowledge Summit in Kuala Lumpur to the U.S.-Islamic World Forum in Doha, Qatar.

"Today we are delighted to announce that the Richard Lounsbery Foundation has funded a collaboration between the Carnegie Council for Ethics in International Affairs and Dancing Ink Productions (DIP) to launch the “Understanding Islam through Virtual Worlds,” project. Rita J. King, DIP's CEO and Creative Director, and me (Joshua S. Fouts), Chief Global Strategist, are both Carnegie Council Senior Fellows." [via Wired]

aQ Software Update

Reuters, Jihadi software promises secure Web contacts, 18 Jan 08 "The software, available free on the password-protected Ekhlaas.org site which often carries al Qaeda messages, is a newer version of Mujahideen Secrets issued in early 2007 by the Global Islamic Media Front, an al Qaeda-linked Web-based group." Useful article.

Just picked this up via email. Some interesting products, including material for Macs and mobile phone. There is a zakat calculator for mobiles amongst the showcase. I haven't tested any of these yet, but may give them a go in due course. Any reports on these products would be appreciated: Guided Ways