Saturday, March 08, 2014
Turkish PM threatens to ban Facebook, YouTube
AP, Turkish PM threatens to ban Facebook, YouTube "Turkey's prime minister has threatened drastic steps to censor the Internet, including shutting down Facebook and YouTube, where audio recordings of his alleged conversations suggesting corruption have been leaked in the past weeks, dealing him a major blow ahead of this."
How Mars Became Haram
How Mars Became Haram: A Guide to Freaky Fatwa News | MuslimMatters.org "I know what you're thinking- come on, it's just another one of those made-up fatwas, like last year's Great Syrian Sex Jihad and the Erotic Fruit and Vegetable Fatwa of 2011. Those were great fun for the media, and in all their journalistic glee, they forgot to check their stories. There is something to be said for journalistic integrity, unless there's a funny fatwa story. Then it's a free for-all."
Opinion piece
Opinion piece
Top Saudi cleric calls for suing Google over anti-Islam Youtube film
Top Saudi cleric calls for suing Google over anti-Islam Youtube film - Al Arabiya News "Khaled al-Shaya, a top Saudi cleric, recently called on Islamic countries to ban and legislate against Google, after the internet search giant’s apparent “disrespect of Islamic beliefs” in continuing to display an inflammatory video against Islam, news website CNN Arabic reported on Saturday."
Wednesday, February 26, 2014
Turks Protest New Internet Restrictions, in the Streets and Online
Turks Protest New Internet Restrictions, in the Streets and Online - NYTimes.com "Social networks, which have been a source of irritation for the government in recent months as a vehicle for publishing leaks about officials accused of corruption, were soon awash with snapshots and video clips of police firing tear water cannons and tear gas at protesters, who replied by hurling insults and stones at armored police vehicles on Istiklal Street, a popular pedestrian walkway in central Istanbul."
Iranian teacher builds robot to teach prayer
AP, Iranian teacher builds robot to teach prayer "Rezaei who has built a robot to show to children how to execute daily prayers, has innovated an amusing way of encouraging young children to say their daily prayers by using the science of robotics." (this is the original article: also see my post below - this one has the advantage of a range of photographs!)
Iranian school teacher builds robot to teach children prayers
Iranian school teacher builds robot to teach children prayers - Gadgets & Tech - Life & Style - The Independent "Akbar Rezaie now teaches the Koran to boys and girls at the Alborz elementary school in the town of Varamin with the help of his humanoid robot Veldan."
Tuesday, February 25, 2014
Mayday: Mars One urges U-turn on Islamic fatwa
Mayday: Mars One urges U-turn on Islamic fatwa - Al Arabiya News:
"A one-way trip to Mars is not “tantamount to suicide,” the organization planning the first manned mission to the planet said on Friday, in response to UAE clerics who had ruled that a colony on Mars would be un-Islamic." a case of mars not barred?
"A one-way trip to Mars is not “tantamount to suicide,” the organization planning the first manned mission to the planet said on Friday, in response to UAE clerics who had ruled that a colony on Mars would be un-Islamic." a case of mars not barred?
Saudi religious police to monitor social media?
Eman El-Shenawi, Saudi religious police to monitor social media? - Al Arabiya News:
"A Saudi columnist has encouraged the country’s religious police to monitor social media platforms such as Twitter and Facebook, targeting “evil” accounts that “promote pornography, magic and sorcery.” "In a column published in the Saudi-based al-Madina newspaper on Friday, Lulu al-Hubaishi noted that efforts by the religious police, officially known as the Commission of the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice, to target such “vices” should be bolstered."
"A Saudi columnist has encouraged the country’s religious police to monitor social media platforms such as Twitter and Facebook, targeting “evil” accounts that “promote pornography, magic and sorcery.” "In a column published in the Saudi-based al-Madina newspaper on Friday, Lulu al-Hubaishi noted that efforts by the religious police, officially known as the Commission of the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice, to target such “vices” should be bolstered."
Norwegian authorities: Ten Norwegian women in holy war
Norwegian authorities: Ten Norwegian women in holy war - AP about Syria: this is a translated version of the story
Googoosh "Behesht"
Googoosh "Behesht" - YouTube: "
Not my usual musical style, but I posted this as it is a prominent subject in areas of social media. Also see the related article alarabiya.net, Iranian pop star releases music video defending LGBT rights
Not my usual musical style, but I posted this as it is a prominent subject in areas of social media. Also see the related article alarabiya.net, Iranian pop star releases music video defending LGBT rights
I'm a Social Media Jihadi From Syria
I'm a Social Media Jihadi From Syria, AMA | Vocativ: useful article (I am writing on this issue at present for my next book) "Abu Fulan al-Muhajir is the jihadi for millennials. In between guerilla raids in Syria, he's chatting with his tweeps on Ask.fm. YOLO"
Katy Perry ‘God’ pendant
Katy Perry music video enrages Muslims over ‘God’ pendant - Al Arabiya News I am trying to avoid listening to this ...
Friday, February 21, 2014
Is Islam a DIY Religion?
Is Islam a DIY Religion? - Living Islam - Reading Islam - OnIslam.net "When Helen came to Islam, she’d already done quite a bit of reading around on a lot of Islamic websites and watched loads of YouTubes, she’d joined a couple of chat rooms and asked a lot of questions, and she’d even met up with some Muslims locally."
Going to Mars is ‘Haram,’ new fatwa says
Going to Mars is ‘Haram,’ new fatwa says - Al Arabiya News "A fatwa issued by the General Authority of Islamic Affairs and Endowment in the UAE claimed a trip to the red planet was prohibited by Islam, local English-language daily Khaleej Times reported Wednesday." Cancel your plans ...
Syria’s Jihadist Twitter Wars
Bill Roggio, Syria’s Jihadist Twitter Wars - The Daily Beast "Jihadists on both sides of the aisle have taken to Twitter to savage the opposite faction for promoting fitna, or strife, within the ranks of the muhajideen. But beyond the rank and file, some important personalities have used Twitter to voice their displeasure."
Thursday, February 20, 2014
Too embarrassed to talk: the vice of pornography in marriage
Too embarrassed to talk: the vice of pornography in marriage | MuslimVillage.com: "Over the last decade, pornography has played a staggering role in the breakup of marriages (with most recent American statistics suggesting that it has contributed in part to 2 out of 3 divorces). The American Muslim community has not been immune to these startling trends. Muslims scholars have reported an increasing number of inquiries related to pornography use and related ailments; several even informing me that they receive more questions on this topic than any other. A simple search through some of the more popular Islamic websites providing answer services confirms this."
Jailed Prophet Mohammed cartoonist faces new trial
Jailed Prophet Mohammed cartoonist faces new trial | eNCA: "A Tunisian jailed for posting caricatures of Prophet Mohammed online is to remain in prison despite a presidential pardon, pending a separate trial for "embezzlement", his lawyer said on Thursday."
Dating sites helping lovelorn Chinese Muslims
Dating sites helping lovelorn Chinese Muslims - Today's Zaman "IYuani.com, a dating site whose name combines the Chinese words for "Islam" and "destiny," and which boasts more than 13,000 registered users, features two default cartoon avatars."
CitizenLab
U of T Internet watchdog group first Canadian winner of prestigious award | Toronto Star "An online watchdog at the University of Toronto that scrutinizes how governments censor and monitor the Internet has become the first Canadian winner of a $1-million prize for its work related to Internet privacy."
Islam for Journalists
Islam for Journalists - editors: Lawrence Pintak, Stephen Franklin (SSRC/Edward Murrow College of Communication pdf - available for free download (US oriented, but useful in other contexts). It includes a section on digital Islam. [Lawrence Pintak is one of my former PhD students]
Tuesday, February 18, 2014
‘Don’t become slaves to the Internet,’ Erdogan tells students
‘Don’t become slaves to the Internet,’ Erdogan tells students - Al Arabiya News: ""Don't become slaves to the Internet, don't become the slaves of computers," he said at a ceremony marking a government initiative to hand out 100,000 tablets to students across the country." Something of a contradiction, perhaps ...
Today's Egypt In A Song
countercurrents.org, Today's Egypt In A Song: Rima Is Back To Her Old Ways By Mamoon Alabbasi "In Egypt, there is a new catchy tune circulating in social media pages. The song, which gives a symbolic description of the current events in Egypt, is sung by an artist who is known for his strong leanings towards the 25th January 2011 revolution." And here is is:
Broken promises: New media revolution in the Arab world
Enrico De Angelis, Broken promises: New media revolution in the Arab world - Opinion - Al Jazeera English "The events of the last three years have indeed showed some limits of these forms of communication and their political implementations. In Egypt and Tunisia, social networks proved to be powerful instruments for mobilisation and for expressing dissent under Mubarak and Ben Ali, but they are much less effective in more articulated political systems where institutional processes such as elections take place. We know how to use new media to react and to exert pressure on authorities, but we don't know yet how to make them suitable for developing long-term political projects and for competing with parties and other more structured organisations."
Friday, February 14, 2014
Are Al Qaeda's new leaders are the most dangerous yet?
Are Al Qaeda's new leaders are the most dangerous yet? | Al Bawaba "The key leaders are currently in Iraq and Syria where the jihadists are seeking to establish an Islamic emirate they envision as the first step toward proclaiming a new Islamic caliphate like the one that once stretched from Spain to India."
Jihadist recruitment tops security fears in Tripoli
Daily Star, Jihadist recruitment tops security fears in Tripoli "A large number of residents refused to speak about their sons fighting in Syria, though some said they were recruited over the Internet. But in terms of actually crossing over into Syria, the families said more than one person was involved, and they were usually never heard from again."
Gulf states step up policing of online media
Gulf states step up policing of online media |AFP/Maan News Agency "Fearful of Arab Spring-inspired unrest, Gulf monarchies have stepped up efforts to monitor and control the media, particularly online, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) said Wednesday."
In Syria, Western Fundamentalists Are Tweeting From Amongst the Corpses
In Syria, Western Fundamentalists Are Tweeting From Amongst the Corpses - Newsweek: "Jihad is the best tourism," a young Dutchman who calls himself Chechclear posted on his Tumblr. He was riding a camel, grinning, his face filtered into an Instagram haze. Chechclear is one of an estimated 1,700 Europeans fighting in Syria." I have been checking out a number of these sites.
Thursday, February 13, 2014
Netherlands: Internet 'jihadist' radio station
Terrorism watchdog, Islamic radio station at odds - NL Times
UPI, Dutch officials target Internet broadcaster for 'jihadist propaganda', 13 Feb 2014 "Dutch counter-terrorism officials confirmed this week they are seeking to take an Internet radio station accused of broadcasting jihadist propaganda off the air."
albawaba.com, Move aside weed! Is jihad Amsterdam's latest fad? "While agreeing they have broadcast al-Awlaki's lectures, the station noted "these readings are not prohibited" and contended they were played to place them in a historical context and because they were in English."
UPI, Dutch officials target Internet broadcaster for 'jihadist propaganda', 13 Feb 2014 "Dutch counter-terrorism officials confirmed this week they are seeking to take an Internet radio station accused of broadcasting jihadist propaganda off the air."
albawaba.com, Move aside weed! Is jihad Amsterdam's latest fad? "While agreeing they have broadcast al-Awlaki's lectures, the station noted "these readings are not prohibited" and contended they were played to place them in a historical context and because they were in English."
Wednesday, February 12, 2014
Meet Chechclearr, the Web-savvy foreign Islamic militant in Syria
Meet Chechclearr, the Web-savvy foreign Islamic militant in Syria - Los Angeles Times: ""Media is half of jihad," Chechclearr explains in response to one of many questions on the Ask.fm social media network, where curious followers from around the globe have posted a deluge of queries. The running commentary has become a kind of "Ask a Militant" forum."
Rein In the Saudi Religious Police
Manal al-Sharif, Rein In the Saudi Religious Police - NYTimes.com, opinion piece: "Long considered one of the country’s taboo subjects (along with any criticism of King Abdullah), the commission, also known as the mutaween, is now one of Saudi Arabia’s most controversial issues. Tapped to lead the force in 2012, Mr. Sheikh today finds himself facing both scathing public attacks and worsening internal conflict."
Fatwas against suicide bombing
Mohammad Jamil, Pakistan Observer, Fatwas against suicide bombing "On 12th December 2013, Saudi Arabia’s Grand Mufti had condemned suicide bombings as grave crimes, reiterating his stance in very strong words. “Killing oneself is a grave crime and a grave sin. Those who kill themselves with explosives are criminals and are hastening their way to hell” Sheikh Abdulaziz was quoted as saying by the pan-Arab, Saudi-owned Al Hayat newspaper. Unfortunately, his fatwa was not given wide publicity; perhaps this was the reason that militants continued with suicide attacks destroying life and property of innocent people."
Monday, February 10, 2014
Lords of Lebanon co-opt the #NotAMartyr campaign
now.mmedia.me, Lords of Lebanon co-opt the #NotAMartyr campaign "Having realized that the #NotAMartyr campaign could draw attention to their poor performance of late, to say nothing of their performance over the past thirty years, the current cast of characters has struck back with its own orchestrated campaign."
'Godfather of multiculturalism' Stuart Hall dies aged 82
'Godfather of multiculturalism' Stuart Hall dies aged 82 | Education | theguardian.com:
"Academics, writers and and politicians have paid tribute to one of Britain's leading intellectuals, the sociologist and cultural theorist Stuart Hall, who has died age 82."
"Academics, writers and and politicians have paid tribute to one of Britain's leading intellectuals, the sociologist and cultural theorist Stuart Hall, who has died age 82."
Wednesday, February 05, 2014
Reading List: Electronic Iran
Niki Akhavan, Electronic Iran: The Cultural Politics of an Online Evolution, - Rutgers University Press:
"Electronic Iran introduces the concept of the Iranian Internet, a framework that captures interlinked, transnational networks of virtual and offline spaces."
"Electronic Iran introduces the concept of the Iranian Internet, a framework that captures interlinked, transnational networks of virtual and offline spaces."
Gaming vs. God
Gaming vs. God – Percolator - Blogs - The Chronicle of Higher Education "... a new study in the International Journal for the Psychology of Religion does find that playing video games reduces a sense of the numinous, i.e., the feeling that there is a force out there beyond ourselves and the physical world." Article: International Journal for the Psychology of Religion, Lost in the Myst?: Narrative Video Gaming Decreases Self-Reported Propensity for Spiritual/Religious Experience
DotShabaka (شبكة.)
BBC News - DotShabaka top-level internet domain goes live "The first websites ending in شبكة. - pronounced dot shabaka, and meaning web - went online a day ahead of schedule."
The Pakistani Taliban’s P.R. Offensive
The Pakistani Taliban’s P.R. Offensive - Huma Yusuf, NYTimes.com: "A joke has been circulating among Pakistanis on Twitter: “How to negotiate with the Taliban: Blast. Condemn. Blast. Condemn. Blast. Condemn. #Fail.” It mocks the government’s swiftness at denouncing terrorist attacks while doing too little to stop them."
“Dissent and Revolution in a Digital Age”
“Dissent and Revolution in a Digital Age” – A Conversation with David Faris I have this on my 'to-view' list
Jihadism: Seven Assumptions Shaken by the Arab Spring
Jihadism: Seven Assumptions Shaken by the Arab Spring, Thomas Hegghammer, pomeps.org: "This brief research note is an attempt to identify some of the assumptions, arguments, and hypotheses about militant Islamism that may need to be rethought in light of the events of the past three years. It is not intended as an exhaustive review, but rather as a thought‐provoking brainstorming effort."
Reading List: The Future of News Media in the Arab World
New Book: The Future of News Media in the Arab World | Digital Islam
I'd like to see some reviews of this new book: Al-Jaber, Khalid & Elareshi, Mokhtar. The Future of News Media in the Arab World. Lambert Academic Publishing, 2014. ISBN: 978-3659446641.
I'd like to see some reviews of this new book: Al-Jaber, Khalid & Elareshi, Mokhtar. The Future of News Media in the Arab World. Lambert Academic Publishing, 2014. ISBN: 978-3659446641.
Saturday, February 01, 2014
Egypt arrests 11 Islamists for Facebook activity
Egypt arrests 11 Islamists for Facebook activity, AP/Yahoo News, 30 Jan 2014 "Egyptian authorities arrested 11 Muslim Brotherhood members accused of running Facebook pages that incite violence against the police, expanding a crackdown on followers of ousted Islamist President Mohammed Morsi to include social media."
Monday, January 27, 2014
Turkey publishes Islamic Encyclopedia on the internet
World Bulletin, Turkey publishes Islamic Encyclopedia on the internet "The Turkish Religious Affairs Foundation’s Islamic Encyclopedia, arguably one of the most important collections of Islamic knowledge published in contemporary times, is now available on the internet."
Arab cyberactivism
AFP, Arab cyberactivism faces 'unprecedented attack', 24 Jan 2014 "Today there is an unprecedented attack against activists in general and cyberactivists in particular," said Hisham al-Miraat, advocacy director at the Global Voices, an international network of bloggers, translators and citizen journalists.
'The second death of Khaled Saeed'
madamasr.com, The second death of Khaled Saeed: The martyr dies again, in cyberspace and the courthouse " The page, made iconic in 2011, has over 3.6 million followers, who now plead with the page’s administrators to break their silence.
“How long are you going to keep silent?” one asked, while another angrily shouted into the cyber world, “You betrayed the revolution, you betrayed Khaled.”
“How long are you going to keep silent?” one asked, while another angrily shouted into the cyber world, “You betrayed the revolution, you betrayed Khaled.”
ماذا_نجح_التويتر_في_السعودية#
BBC News, #BBCtrending: Why Twitter is so big in Saudi Arabia "Since it started on Tuesday, there have been more than 10,000 tweets using the hashtag #Why_did_Twitter_succeed_in_Saudi_Arabia (ماذا_نجح_التويتر_في_السعودية#). Saudis are among the world's heaviest Twitter users, so it's a valid question. But the answers supplied by Saudis on Twitter have nothing to do with technical things like internet penetration rates or mobile phone access."
Wednesday, January 22, 2014
Center for Strategic Counterterrorism Communications
Times of India, US's new war in cyber world "Formally started in 2011, the Center for Strategic Counterterrorism Communications (CSCC) has used YouTube, Facebook, Twitter and the internet to counter their propaganda in languages like Arabic, Somali, Urdu and Punjabi. A pilot project in English was also started recently." More information on CSCC
Il jihad è anche online: al Qaida e Internet
repubblica.it, Il jihad è anche online: al Qaida e Internet "Il web è un'immensa risorsa in termini di propaganda, reclutamento e proselitismo. Ha accompagnato la trasformazione dell'organizzazione di bin Laden da realtà monolitica e verticale a network decentralizzato e pragmatico."
French teen 'jihad'
AP, Minister: French teens go to Syria for jihad "The minister suggested the young men were converted to the jihadi cause on the Internet, not in mosques. He said the pair is likely now in Turkey." Also see Mail Online, Schoolboys aged just 15 'have become France's youngest ever Jihadists after flying to Syria to fight for Al Qaeda'
Russia Searches for ‘Black Widow’ Suicide Bomber in Sochi
VOA, Russia Searches for ‘Black Widow’ Suicide Bomber in Sochi:
"Russian police are on the hunt for a potential female suicide bomber in the Black Sea resort city of Sochi, where the Winter Olympics are set to begin next month."
"Russian police are on the hunt for a potential female suicide bomber in the Black Sea resort city of Sochi, where the Winter Olympics are set to begin next month."
China to Help Iran Implement Its Closed National Internet
China to Help Iran Implement Its Closed National Internet : International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran "The Islamic Republic of Iran and China have reportedly reached an agreement to begin cooperating on Internet operations, aiming to implement Iran’s “National Information Network,” according to a report on the website of Iran’s Ministry of Communications and Information Technology. Nasrollah Jahangard, head of Iran’s Information Technology Organization, is quoted in the report saying that the agreements were reached in negotiations with the Deputy for Internet Information, of the Information Council."
Arab Bloggers Forum
Middle East Online, Arab bloggers to boost cyberactivism after Internet-fuelled revolts, 21 Jan 2014 "Arab bloggers on Monday discussed ways to boost cyberactivism at a meeting in the Jordanian capital, faced with new challenges three years after the start of Internet-fuelled revolts in their region." Full details of the meeting are here: Arab Bloggers Forum
Prof uses mobile media to study effect of religions
Prof uses mobile media to study effect of religions - DailyHerald.com "University of Connecticut Professor Bradley Wright has all types of questions for his research: Did you pray in the last 24 hours? To what extent are you feeling nurtured or angry with God? Do you feel a sense of purpose right now?"
Lebanese Blogger Spoofs Study on Middle Eastern Women’s Clothing
Lebanese Blogger Spoofs Study on Middle Eastern Women’s Clothing · Global Voices, 18 Jan 2014 "The question “How Should Middle Eastern Women Dress in Public” posed by the University of Michigan is attracting hilarious spoofs online. The content is so rich that an additional post to our first one was necessary."
Saudi rights group identifies father in child abuse video
Saudi rights group identifies father in child abuse video - Al Arabiya News "The nearly 3-minute-long clip shows a man, who appears to be in his 30s, violently flogging five children without any concern for their cries. A woman can be heard in the background pleading with the man to stop beating the children."
Arab tweeps ‘hijack’ online Selfie Olympics
Arab tweeps ‘hijack’ online Selfie Olympics - Al Arabiya News:
"Arabs have “hijacked” the Selfie Olympics, several tweets read this week, after the online competition to post the most risky poses continues to heat up."
"Arabs have “hijacked” the Selfie Olympics, several tweets read this week, after the online competition to post the most risky poses continues to heat up."
Friday, January 17, 2014
'Obama to curb NSA spying on phone data'
C4, Obama to curb NSA spying on phone data "President Barack Obama says he will put a stop to the US intelligence agency's mass storage of Americans' phone records, and orders an end to indiscriminate spying on friendly foreign allies."
New & noted: The Arab Uprisings of 2011
Taylor & Francis Online :: Middle East Critique - Volume 22, Issue 3: Special Issue: The Arab Uprisings of 2011 Includes free access to 'A Digital Humanities Approach: Text, the Internet, and the Egyptian Uprising' by Laila Shereen Sakr, pages 247-263
How Jihadists Use the Internet
How Jihadists Use the Internet | VICE United States: article by Joseph Cox. "Jihadists have been on the internet a long time, and they probably know how to use it better than you do. Since the early years of the world wide web, radical Islamist groups used it for a number of different jihad-y means, from recruitment and financing to propaganda and communication. But how has this changed over the past decade, and in the wake of Edward Snowden's revelations of NSA spying, what does the future hold for jihadists and the internet?"
Thursday, January 16, 2014
op-ed on social media and 'radical Islamism'
Nadim Mansouri, aawsat.net, Debate: Social media allows radical Islamism to spread, 14 Jan 2014 "New media tools have evolved into diverse online forms, contributing to a stronger feeling of unity across the Muslim world. Islamist movements have diversified into various orders, such as the Salafists, the Muslim Brotherhood, Al-Qaeda and Hizb ut-Tahrir, which all work to improve their methods of disseminating ideas, expand their programs, and acquire assets." opinion piece
'Leader Underscores Islamic Lifestyle in Urban Development'
tasnimnews.com, Leader Underscores Islamic Lifestyle in Urban Development, 13 Jan 2014 "Speaking in a gathering of Iranian cultural officials at the time, Ayatollah Khamenei urged caution in dealing with the cultural onslaught launched against Iran by the enemies, and emphasized the need for vigilance in the face of “activity of at least hundreds of audio, video, printed and Internet media in the world with the certain aim of affecting the Iranian nation’s mind and behavior.”"
Syria 'jihadi' recruitment
NYT, Flow of Westerners to Syria Prompts Security Concerns, 15 Jan 2014, "American and European intelligence officials estimate that 1,200 young people have left to join Syria’s rebel groups, some of which have ties to Al Qaeda. On Tuesday, President François Hollande of France, in a news conference, said that French intelligence had counted 700 French citizens and foreigners who had headed to Syria from his country. “We must prevent them,” he said."
Eleven-Year-Old Iranian Boy Suspected of Electronically Stealing Money from Bank Account
The Blaze, Eleven-Year-Old Iranian Boy Suspected of Electronically Stealing Money from Bank Account, 15 Jan 2014, "An 11-year-old Iranian boy has been detained by police on suspicion he obtained the password to a bank account and used it to transfer money to himself."
'Saudi penguin dance'
alarabiya.net, Will the Saudi penguin dance become the new Harlem Shake "Videos of the dance being performed have been spread extensively on various social networks including Twitter, Facebook, Snapchat and Instagram." Albanian/Saudi/Finnish/Antarctic fusion
Wednesday, January 15, 2014
New and noted: 'Muslim punk' music online
Salhi, Kamal (Ed.). Music, Culture and Identity in the Muslim World: Performance, Politics and Piety. Routledge, 2013. ISBN: 978-0-415-66562-9 contains a chapter by Dhiraj Murthy on "'Muslim punk' music online: Piety and protest in the digital age" (which happens to cite 'iMuslims'. The chapter looks interesting - I've been looking at it on Google Books. I plan to get the volume for a closer look. It would be worth building a soundtrack playlist to go with it. I may do that if I ever get any down time!
Tuesday, January 14, 2014
El Islam y los musulmanes hoy.
Casa Árabe, El Islam y los musulmanes hoy. Dimensión internacional y relaciones con España. (Cuardenos de la Escuela Diplomatica, No. 40) [PDF] This document contains a section (75-96) on Islam and the Internet by Javier Rosón Lorente. There are several references to 'iMuslims' in it too.
Thursday, January 09, 2014
Khamenei: No online chatting between sexes
Latest fatwa from Iran: No online chatting between sexes | Fox News: "Online chatting between men and women on social networks is forbidden under Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's latest fatwa, delivered ironically enough on his website in answer to a question sent by email. The top mullah's reasoning is that such contact could eventually lead to activities prohibited by Islam."
Rock Jihad: Rocking out the Islamic way
Rock Jihad: Rocking out the Islamic way - Yahoo News Malaysia: "When asked about their brand of music, Al-Farabi frontman Nazri said: "Our music is not meant to be relaxing. It is meant to be played at the highest volume to effectively burn into your soul and spirit!"" There's a photo of them preparing to play in front of Tahfiz Quran students in Shah Alam - would have liked to have seen the audience reaction...
Al Shabab Bans Internet In Somalia
Reuters/huffingtonpost.com, Al Shabab Bans Internet In Somalia, 9 Jan 2014: "Somali rebel group al Shabaab has banned the use of the Internet in the Horn of Africa country, giving telecom operators 15 days to comply with the order, the militants said."
'Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen files suit on internet commenter'
hurriyetdaily.com, Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen files suit on internet commenter "Fethullah Gülen has filed a criminal complaint against an internet commenter, who claimed the Islamic scholar was “a CIA agent.”"
Syria: Aleppo executions
More than 50 executed in Aleppo as rebels turn against each other | Mail Online "Horrifying images today emerged from Syria which allegedly show the aftermath of the summary execution of more than 50 rival rebels by an extreme faction fighting to overthrow Bashar al Assad."
Monday, January 06, 2014
New chapter: 'Studying Muslims and Cyberspace'
Gabriele Marranci (editor), Studying Islam in Practice (Paperback) - Routledge contains a chapter by myself on 'Studying Muslims and Cyberspace'. I have yet to see the book...Description (from Routledge website): "This book presents Islam as a lived religion through observation and discussion of how Muslims from a variety of countries, traditions and views practice their religion. It conveys the experiences of researchers from different disciplinary backgrounds and demonstrates the dynamic and heterogeneous world of Islam. The fascinating case studies range from Turkey, Egypt, Morocco and Lebanon to the UK, USA, Australia and Indonesia, and cover topics such as music, art, education, law, gender and sexuality. Together they will help students understand how research into religious practice is carried out, and what issues and challenges arise."
Syrian Malware Campaigns
Quantum of Surveillance: Familiar Actors and Possible False Flags in Syrian Malware Campaigns | Electronic Frontier Foundation "Citizen Lab security researchers Morgan Marquis-Boire and John Scott-Railton and EFF Global Policy Analyst Eva Galperin today published their latest technical paper, “Quantum of Surveillance: Familiar Actors and Possible False Flags in Syrian Malware Campaigns.” The report outlines how pro-government attackers have targeted the opposition, as well as NGO workers and journalists, with social engineering and “Remote Access Tools” (RAT)."
In Syria's Civil War, Facebook Has Become a Battlefield
In Syria's Civil War, Facebook Has Become a Battlefield | Threat Level | Wired.com: "For the last two years cyberwarriors loyal to Bashar al-Assad have made cyberspace a second front in the Syrian conflict. For nearly as long, Marquis-Boire and his colleagues Eva Galperin and John Scott-Railton have been tracking and analyzing the arsenal of computer malware used against the Syrian opposition, journalists and NGOs. It’s a very different kind of forensic analysis than researchers usually perform — urgent, chaotic, and with human lives on the line."
New and Noted: Magdalena Karolak, The Social Media Wars: Sunni and Shi'a Identity Conflicts in the Age of Web 2.0 and the Arab Spring
Book: The Social Media Wars: Sunni and Shi'a Identity Conflicts in the Age of Web 2.0 and the Arab Spring | Digital Islam "This monograph evaluates the role of the social media in strengthening and transforming religious identities in the aftermath of the Arab Spring. Focusing specifically on Bahrain, this study assesses how the sectarian interpretation of the protests exacerbated social divisions and reverberated around the Middle East intensifying sectarian loyalties. The social media contribute to negotiation and re-construction of the collective identities of the groups involved in the 2011 uprising, which is visible through their online manifestations."
Thursday, January 02, 2014
Skype social media platforms hacked by 'Syrian Electronic Army'
BBC News - Skype social media platforms hacked by 'Syrian Electronic Army' "The social media platforms of Skype have been hacked by a group claiming to be the Syrian Electronic Army (SEA)."
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