Author:    Gary Bunt
Publisher: University of Wales Press
        

      Reviewed by Mohammed Ayub Ali Khan   

The Internet has turned out to be a most effective communication tool for the Muslim Ummah. For decades, we have lagged behind in other media fields (TV, radio, newspaper). However, the same is not true for the Internet. Muslims have surpassed other media channels in embracing the Internet - with religious fervor. 

The use of the Internet (the communication medium of the new millennium) by Muslims to educate and expose people about Islam (the fastest growing religion in the world) is the subject of this pioneering work by Dr. Gary Bunt, Lecturer of Islamic Studies at the University of Wales in Lampeter.

Is it possible to be digital and Islamic at the same time? The author informs us that while there are many orthodox Muslims who have adopted the use of the Internet, some have not. He gives the example of a 37-year old man in Sudan whose father threatened to beat him if he ever caught him using the web. This case is an exception, however; most Muslims of all shades recognize the Internet as a cost-effective communications medium that can help them in their duty to spread the message of Islam to the world.

Virtually Islamic discusses the widely available and diverse Islamic primary texts - the Qur'an, Hadith, and other basic teachings and their usage by Muslims as well as by non-Muslims. It also brings to light efforts by anti-Islamic groups to negatively portray Islam. 

Special attention is paid to a website called "SurahLikeIt" which posts false Surahs and tries to pass them on as part of the Holy Qur'an. First hosted on AOL, it was shut down after protests from Muslims, but has since appeared on other sites. 

This brings us to the question of censorship on the Internet. Is it possible? In light of recent cases, censorship efforts are not very successful. As well, they might work to block positive sites. In a test, one popular filter blocked a site called, "Welcome to Saudi Arabia: the Land of Islam."

The book further documents many viewpoints represented on the Internet. While there is a bulk of sites that represent mainstream Islam, there are others that, despite being a minority in the 'real' world, have been making a lot of noise in the 'virtual world'. For example, un-Islamic and pseudo-Islamic groups like "gay Muslims", "Queer Jihad", "Ahmedis", "Submitters", etc. have been claiming that they are Muslim and that their viewpoints represent true Islam; hence, confusing those who are new to Islam. 

Virtually Islamic also reviews the effectiveness of the various search engines, which produce mixed results. In one instance, Bunt' s wife was doing research and entered 'Muslim Women' on a search engine. She was linked to thousands of pornographic sites.

The Internet is also being used as a political tool by Islamic governments, political parties, and opposition to further their causes. Bunt documents several that range from Hamas, Taliban, and Hezbollah to Pro-Anwar groups.

Despite all the positive qualities of Virtually Islamic, it also has its shortcomings. For example, some sites that are now stale such as that of the Belfast Islamic Center are discussed in great length, while nothing is mentioned of one of the early popular sites of Ibrahim Shafi, now available at www.islamworld.net.

Similarly, Bunt has failed to discern between some true Islamic sites and pseudo-Islamic sites like those of the "Submitters." 

In short, however, Bunt has done a great service to Islamic Studies via the Internet and will serve as a torchbearer and a guide for further research in this area. As a small book, Virtually Islamic was not meant to be a detailed analysis of "Cyber-Islamic Environments." In light of the constantly changing dynamics of the Internet, Bunt has developed a website at www.virtuallyislamic.com where he provides regular updates to the contents of the book.