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Welcome to WikiIslam, the online resource on Islam. Note that we are not a hate or extremist site. We allow Muslims to express their point of view in their own articles, and any articles or statements of a hateful nature will be deleted.
This page contains a summary of the general policies and guidelines that everyone is expected to adhere to at [[WikiIslam]] and is required reading for all editors.
 
__TOC__
__TOC__
==Guide to Acceptable Contributions==
==Content==
 
===Core Principles===
{{Main|WikiIslam:Core Principles}}
 
Content on WikiIslam should:
 
#be related to the critique or understanding of Islam, not its promotion or issues of a political nature.
#be based on fully referenced facts and mainstream Islamic sources, not fringe theories, personal opinions or deductions.
#be written in a professional and scholarly manner, refraining from sarcastic, offensive, sensationalist or extremist language.
#be tailored to accommodate a universal audience, not only certain countries or demographics.
#remain neutral towards other religions, world-views and political positions, neither promoting nor criticizing them.
 
===Writing Style===
{{Main|WikiIslam: Writing Style Guide}}
 
WikiIslam is an international site with administrators, editors and contributors from all over the world. Readership is vast and not saturated by any demographic of visitors, so the content should reflect this. Material should be tailored to accommodate, as best as possible, a universal audience.
 
WikiIslam is not a political site. The site does not have a left or right-wing political agenda, nor is it a counter-jihad site. Articles concerning immigration, culture wars, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and other related issues are strictly prohibited. Articles should always remain neutral towards all religions and world views, neither promoting nor criticizing them.
 
Editors are expected to take a scholarly and rational approach in their conduct and criticisms. Editors should stay away from extremist, sensationalist, sarcastic or emotional commentary by letting the facts speak for themselves. Articles should also be free from vulgar, offensive, or slang language. In short, articles should include no personal opinions or deductions, only referenced facts.


In general, content on WikiIslam should:
Any critique of Islam should be based on Islam's own sources, meaning content on WikiIslam should never endorse (but may simply document or challenge) fringe theories unsupported by the majority of evidence found within Islamic sources.<!-- For example, the claim that Islam does not prohibit alcohol or denying the historicity of Muhammad. an issue where the Islamic sources are of one opinion but there is no consensus among historians, meaning an article on the issue should simply document the available facts and remain neutral concerning any conclusions. -->


* be based on facts, references and Islamic sources
Copying and pasting articles from other sites is not allowed. Nor is, for various reasons, copying and pasting articles from Wikipedia. However, there are some exceptions to this rule e.g. where a suitable Wikipedia article is going to be deleted or has been deleted. If something specific is being quoted from another site, it should be made clear that it is a quotation.
* not support any kind of fringe theories unsupported by the majority of evidence found in recognized translations of the Qur'an, hadith and quotations from Islamic scholars.  
* related to criticism of Islam. We don't accept articles of a political nature.
* free from vulgar, offensive, or slang language. The only exceptions being the necessary translation of an Islamic word/phrase or possibly an article in the [[:Category:Humor|Humor]] category
* not be copied from other websites, unless something specific is being quoted and in that case it should be made clear that it's a quotation.
* be written in a professional scholarly manner and ''where possible'', should refrain from using sensationalist and extremist expressions and labels for maximum impact on the reader. This is extremely important. If any critique of Islam is expected to be taken seriously, it must follow these principles. Although it is very tempting to use dramatic and sensationalist language, it is best to let the evidence speak for itself. The same principle applies to humor and jokes. If you would like to contribute such articles to the wiki, please keep them confined to the Humor category


In order to be a regular editor you must understand what the site is all about and the approach that is taken for criticism of Islam. Existing editors on the site will make every effort to initially guide you, but they do not have time to continually make corrections to your edits so if you are not able to take instructions and contribute to the site in an independent self-monitored way, it is best for you to not edit. However if you have suggestions of any kind or comments on an article, let us know on the [[WikiIslam:Forum|Forum]] page.
===Source Editing===
{{Main|WikiIslam:Source Editing}}


==Policies==
Formatting a [[WikiIslam]] article differs from when writing on a standard word processor. Wikis use text codes to create particular elements of the page (e.g., headings). This markup language is known as wikitext (or wiki-markup) and is designed for ease of editing.


===Copyrights===
The Source Editing page will teach editors how to edit from the articles source. It also teaches how to use types of quoting, linking, and important templates for all editors. Learning the WikiIslam source language will make editing much easier and intuitive.


When using text or images from another website, make sure that the material is not copyrighted. If it is, please ask permission from the original content owner(s) before using it.
Editors who are wondering how to create specific parts of an article should go here.  


Copyright holders may [[WikiIslam:Copyright Issues|contact WikiIslam]] to have their concerns addressed.
==Sources==


===Libel===
===Citing Sources===
{{Main|WikiIslam:Citing Sources}}


The goal of WikiIslam is to create an [[w:encyclopedia|encyclopedic]] information source critical of Islam with all information being [[w:reference|reference]]d through the [[w:citation|citation]] of reliable [[w:published|published]] [[w:source text|sources]], so as to maintain a standard of [[w:verifiability|verifiability]].
All statements of facts, especially those that are likely to be challenged, must be referenced using inline citations. Naked URLs are not sufficient. What is being referenced should be easily identifiable without having to leave the page through an external link. Minimal information (if available) should include the URL, page title, author, publisher and the date of publication. Each link must also be archived to avoid link rot. When quoting from these sources, bold or italic emphasis may be added, but underlining and all-capitals should be avoided.


For this reason, all contributors should recognize that it is ''their responsibility'' to ensure that material posted on WikiIslam is not [[w:Slander and libel|defamatory]]. Libel or defamation is defined as the communication of a statement that makes a false claim, expressly stated or implied to be factual, that may harm the reputation of an individual, business, product, group, government or nation.
===Reliable Sources===
{{Main|WikiIslam:Reliable Sources}}


It is WikiIslam [[w:policy|policy]] to delete [[w:libel|libel]]ous material when it has been identified. This policy applies to living people.
WikiIslam articles should be based on reliable, published sources. More importance is placed on pro-Islamic, religious Muslim sources over neutral secular sources. However, multiple references from both types of sources are preferred. Furthermore, references that are cited must explicitly support any claims being made. There are three types of sources:


====Subject Guidelines====
====Primary Sources====


If you believe that you are the subject of a libelous statement on WikiIslam, please [[WikiIslam:Contact Us|contact us]] with details of the article and error.
Primary sources are original materials, an artifact, a document, a recording, or other source of information that was created at the time under study. In an article about a book it would be the book itself. In the case of a person, it would be the subject itself. WikiIslam's criticism of Islam is based on its own sources, the Qur'an, hadith and Islamic scholars. So primary sources are not limited and may be freely used in articles. However, only published and recognized translations of primary sources are to be used, and they must be quoted exactly as they appear in the cited reference.  


===Viewpoint===
====Secondary Sources====


At WikiIslam, one is not required to stick to a neutral viewpoint. However, we exhort you to use non-polemic and scholarly sources, and attribute statements wherever possible. Questionable or controversial statements without a source, or with a [[polemic source]], may be removed in order to make our articles more reliable and worthwhile.
Secondary sources are documents or recordings that relate or discuss information originally presented elsewhere. For example, a statement by a scholar about a certain battle in the history of Islam would be a secondary source. News articles that report on a development or an incident are also secondary sources. Statements of fact concerning Islam from polemic sources such as books, articles or commentaries by individuals such as Robert Spencer, Pamela Gellar, Mark A. Gabriel etc. are not to be used under any circumstances as references on WikiIslam.  If editors come across any such statements, they must remove them immediately.


Potential contributors should also note that, unlike many other sites critical of Islam, WikiIslam is an international site with administrators, editors and contributors from all over the world. Our readership is also vast and not saturated by European or "Western" viewers, so our content should reflect this. Information on Islam in Asia or Africa is as important to us as information on Islam in Europe or the Americas.
====Tertiary Sources====
Tertiary sources are sources that rely upon primary and secondary sources. Unlike secondary sources, they attempt to provide a broad introductory overview of a topic. ''The New Encyclopedia of Islam'' would be an example. They may be used as well. There are a [http://www.ipl.org/div/subject/browse/ref32.00.00/ variety of encyclopedias].


===Making References===
==Interactions==


See [[Help:Making References]] for a guide on how to cite general references, and see [[WikiIslam:Standardization]] for a guide on how to reference Islamic texts (Qur'an and hadith).
===User Names/Pages===
{{Main|WikiIslam:User Names and Pages}}


===Usernames and pages===
Usernames should be chosen appropriately and should not be promotional, misleading, disruptive or offensive towards a race, religion or social group in any way. Usernames that fall under any of these categories will be renamed by an administrator.


Usernames should be chosen appropriately and should not be offensive or inflammatory in any way. Active users with over 50 constructive edits are welcome to post links on their user-pages as long as they are not linking to hateful/racist/pornographic or otherwise illegal content.
Userpages should not be used as placeholders or homes for articles and essays. Personal email addresses should also not be displayed. Active editors with over 50 constructive edits are permitted to post links. However, these should also be chosen appropriately and they should try to keep the number of links within 10.


===Discussions===
===Discussions===
{{Main|WikiIslam:Talk Page Guidelines}}
{{Main|WikiIslam:Talk Pages}}
 
The purpose of a talk page is to provide space for editors to discuss changes directly relating to its associated article or project page. Acceptable topics for discussion include concerns directly relating to the page, such as inaccuracies, formatting, renaming, merging and suggestions for further improvement. They are not there for debating the subject of the article or for general attacks on the site or its editors.
 
Talk pages should not be blanked, and other users' messages should not be removed or altered unless a valid reason is provided. All new discussion topics should be given a relevant heading and created at the bottom of the page, below all previous discussions, and all messages should be signed and follow the rules concerning indentation. Users should avoid excessive emphasis and be concise; capital letters are considered shouting, and long, rambling messages or SMS language may be difficult to understand and will be ignored. For continuity of discussion, comments should be kept on the same talk page where they were initiated.
 
====Indentation====
{{Main|WikiIslam:Indentation}}
 
Good indentation makes prolonged discussions on talk pages easier to read and understand. Replies should always be indented and placed beneath the last comment. Indents are achieved by typing one or more leading colon ":" characters at the very left margin, just before the new text about to be added. With every new comment added, the number of colons must be increased by one.
 
A long discussion will cause indentation to become too deep, which can make it difficult to read in narrower browser windows. When this occurs, editors should consider resetting the level of indentation by outdenting their next comment. Outdenting must be performed by using the "Outdent" template.
 
====Signatures====
{{Main|WikiIslam:Signatures}}
 
Signing comments on talk pages, both for the article and non-article namespaces, facilitates discussion by helping identify the author of a particular comment. Occasional forgetfulness is understandable but if certain editors continually ignore requests to sign their comments, any new comments by them should be reverted and a discussion should be initiated on their user talk page.
 
Customized signatures, like usernames, should be chosen appropriately and not be promotional, misleading, disruptive or offensive. They must include at least one direct internal link to the editor's user page, user talk page, or contributions page, allowing other editors easy access to their talk page and contributions log. Images or templates should not be used in signatures as this may cause unnecessary server load.
 
===Contributions===
 
====Pending Changes====
{{Main|WikiIslam:Pending Changes Protection}}


The ''discussion'' pages for each article are there for discussing concerns directly relating to the article, such as inaccuracies, formatting and suggestions for further improvement. They are not there for debating the content of the article or for attacks on the site or users of the site. If your comment on an article's talk page does not directly relate to improving the article, it may be deleted without a response.
Pending changes protection has been implemented to help maintain the quality of the sites content and to minimize vandalism. This means changes from new and anonymous IP editors are reviewed by other editors (usually within 24 hours) before they appear on the website. Once a new user demonstrates that their edits are factually correct, properly formatted and comply with guidelines, they will receive the 'Editor' user right which means their own edits will be approved automatically.  


===Honorifics===
====Corrections====
{{Main|WikiIslam:Honorifics}}


When discussing Muhammad, the first mention in an article and its conclusion should begin the qualifier, Prophet, i.e. "The Prophet Muhammad". The same applies to Jesus or Ganesha, i.e. "Jesus Christ" or "Lord Ganesha".  
It is the responsibility of each individual editor to make sure that their own edits are of a high standard. Edits should not be made with the expectation that someone else will fix the problems those edits may have caused (e.g. spelling, punctuation, formatting, broken links/redirects etc.).  


Addition honorifics such as "Muhammad (saw)" or "Allah (swt)" are not allowed in articles. The same applies to using an uppercase "H" in words such as "he", "him" or "her" in reference to a deity or Jesus. An exception to this rule would be the talk pages or pro-Islamic articles.
When a user makes contributions that need corrections or cleanup by another editor, these issues should be explained to them on their talk page. If their contributions continue to suffer from the same issues after being corrected two or three times and having the matter explained to them, editors should then revert their future edits, ask them to see their talk page (in the edit summary) and consult with other editors and administrators.


==Guidelines==
====Good Faith====
{{Main|WikiIslam:Assume Good Faith}}


Guidelines are less restrictive than policies. They serve as official advice to gear the WikiIslam project in the right direction.
Assuming good faith is the assumption that a user's edits and comments are made in good faith.  This guideline does not prohibit discussion and criticism. Rather, editors should not attribute the actions being criticized to malice unless there is specific evidence of malice or obvious vandalism. If an editor wishes to express doubts about the conduct of another user, they should substantiate those doubts with specific diffs and other relevant evidence, so that people can understand the basis for their concerns. WikiIslam administrators and other experienced editors involved in dispute resolution will usually be glad to help, and are very capable of identifying policy-breaching conduct if their attention is drawn to clear and specific evidence.


===Sources===
==Pending Changes Protection==
{{Main|WikiIslam:Reliable Sources}}
Pending changes protection has been implemented on [[WikiIslam]] to help maintain the quality of its content and to minimize site [[WikiIslam:Vandalism|vandalism]]. This does not contradict the site's claim of being "the online resource on Islam that anyone can edit." All it means is that changes from new and anonymous IP editors are reviewed by other editors (usually within 24 hours) before they appear on the website.


There are three types of sources:
This is not unusual for an open wiki. A common criticism of wikis is that "anyone can edit them, so that mean anyone can insert false information". Pending-changes protection alleviates this issue while also maintaining the Wiki's open collaborative nature.


*'''Primary sources''' Primary sources are original materials, an artifact, a document, a recording, or other source of information that was created at the time under study. In an article about a book it would be the book itself.  In the case of a person, it would be the subject itself. For the [[Qur'an]] and [[hadith]] we generally use the University of Southern California Muslim Students Association's [[Compendium of Muslim Texts]]. WikiIslam's criticism of Islam is based on its own sources, the Qur'an, hadith and Islamic scholars. So primary sources are not limited and may be freely used in articles.
Edits need to reviewed for two reasons:


*'''Secondary sources''' are documents or recordings that relate or discuss information originally presented elsewhere. For example, a statement by a scholar about a certain battle in the history of Islam would be a secondary source. News articles that report on a development or an incident are also secondary sources. Statements of fact concerning Islam from polemic sources such as books, articles or commentaries by individuals such as Robert Spencer, Pamela Gellar, Mark A. Gabriel etc. are not to be used under any circumstances as references on WikiIslam. If you come across any such statements, remove them immediately. 
*To make sure new content is factually correct, properly formatted and comply with site guidelines.
*To prevent vandalism/removal of content by new and IP address users


*'''Tertiary sources''' are sources that rely upon primary and secondary sources. Unlike secondary sources, they attempt to provide a broad introductory overview of a topic. ''The New Encyclopedia of Islam'' would be an example. They may be used as well. There are a [http://www.ipl.org/div/subject/browse/ref32.00.00/ variety of encyclopedias].
After it is ascertained that you [[WikiIslam:Message to New Users|understand how to make appropriate contributions]] to the site, you will receive the '[[WikiIslam:Editor|editor]]' user right which means your own edits will be approved automatically. You can also request the 'editor' right by leaving a message on the [[WikiIslam talk:Pending Changes Protection|talk page]].


===Wikipedia===
Editors with the 'review' right are able to review other editors' changes. Access to the review right can be requested by leaving a message on the [[WikiIslam talk:Pending Changes Protection|talk page]]. After you have the reviewer right, you can view unreviewed changes to the site on the following two pages:


Copies of articles from Wikipedia are not allowed for various reasons. Instead, you can link directly to Wikipedia by using the <nowiki>[[w:Target article|Text]]</nowiki> feature or <nowiki>{{</nowiki>wp|article name}}. Some exceptions to this rule are allowed; please contact an administrator if you wish to create a copy of a Wikipedia article. One exception where a copy paste is allowed is where a Wikipedia article is going to be deleted or has been deleted.
==Legal==


Images can usually be safely copied from Wikipedia if available. Before copying them please check there are no issues with their license tags. Also copy the license tag, or include in the summary that its a free image from Wikipedia. Templates can be copied if needed.
===Copyrights===


===Creating Content===
When using text or images from another website, editors should make sure that the material is not copyrighted. If it is, they must ask permission from the original content owner(s) before using it. Copyright holders may contact WikiIslam to have their concerns addressed.


Please do not recreate content which already exists in Wikipedia. On the other hand, if you want to create a short summary of a topic that is already on Wikipedia or would like to approach the same topic from a different angle, please do so. Also, WikiIslam is not restricted to just being an encyclopedia of Islam. It is there for you to make use of in contributing and arranging information about Islam in many ways. For examples of what kind of articles you can write, look at the links on the [[Main Page]]. Here are some ideas for good and bad articles:
===Libel===


;Bad ideas:
The goal of WikiIslam is to create an encyclopedic information source with all information being referenced through the citation of reliable published sources, so as to maintain a standard of verifiability.
* Anything not directly related to criticism of Islam
* Anything that is political rather than religious, such as immigration, multiculturalism, or the Israeli-Palestinian conflict 
* An exact copy of a Wikipedia article


;Good ideas:
For this reason, all contributors should recognize that it is ''their responsibility'' to ensure that material posted on WikiIslam is not defamatory. Libel or defamation is defined as the communication of a statement that makes a false claim, expressly stated or implied to be factual, that may harm the reputation of an individual, business, product, group, government or nation.
Practically anything that does not qualify for the ''bad ideas'' list. Just a few examples:
* Analysis of Islamic texts (Qur'an, hadiths and scholars)
* An essay or op-ed
* Expanding and wikifying a good forum post


===Images===
It is WikiIslam policy to delete libelous material when it has been identified. This policy applies to living people.


Minimal use of images in pages are preferred. A single image can be useful. Two is sometimes necessary. Any more than that (unless it is scientific diagrams) is frowned upon and may lead to images being removed. Images should also be directly related to the article, i.e. they should not have a tenuous link to page content.
====Subject Guidelines====


==Style Guidelines==
Individuals who believe they are the subject of a libelous statement on WikiIslam should contact the site with details of the article and error.
An article should begin with a short introduction that summarizes the most important content of the article. It should also end with a conclusion that does the same. The conclusion can also repeat in short the most important references in the article.


==Pro-Islamic Content==
==Pro-Islamic Content==


Due to constant vandalism, disruptive editing, non-compliance with guidelines and a lack of time, we are currently not accepting pro-Islamic submissions. This change is only ''temporary'', and our present list of pro-Islamic articles can still be viewed [[:Category:Pro-Islamic Content|here]]. For debates and general discussions about Islam, please visit the [http://forum09.faithfreedom.org/ FFI forum].
Due to constant vandalism, disruptive editing, non-compliance with guidelines and a lack of time, pro-Islamic submissions are currently not being accepted. This change is only temporary, and the present list of pro-Islamic articles can still be viewed [[:Category:Pro-Islamic Content|here]]. For debates and general discussions about Islam, users can visit a forum (e.g. the [http://forum09.faithfreedom.org/ FFI forum]).
 
==Assuming Good Faith==
Assuming good faith is a fundamental principle on WikiIslam. It is the assumption that a user's edits and comments are made in good faith. Most people try to help the project, not hurt it. This guideline does not require that editors continue to assume good faith in the presence of obvious evidence to the contrary (vandalism). Assuming good faith does not prohibit discussion and criticism. Rather, editors should not attribute the actions being criticized to malice unless there is specific evidence of malice.
 
When disagreement occurs, try to the best of your ability to explain and resolve the problem, not cause more conflict, and so give others the opportunity to reply in kind. Consider whether a dispute stems from different perspectives, and look for ways to reach consensus.
 
When doubt is cast on good faith, continue to assume good faith yourself where you can. Be civil rather than attacking editors or edit-warring with them. If you wish to express doubts about the conduct of fellow editors, please substantiate those doubts with specific diffs and other relevant evidence, so that people can understand the basis for your concerns. Although bad conduct may seem to be due to bad faith, it is usually best to address the conduct without mentioning motives, which might exacerbate resentments all around.
===Dealing with Bad Faith===
Even if bad faith is evident, do not act uncivilly yourself in return, attack others, or lose your temper over it. It is ultimately much easier for others to resolve a dispute and see who is breaching policies, if one side is clearly acting appropriately throughout.
 
WikiIslam administrators and other experienced editors involved in dispute resolution will usually be glad to help, and are very capable of identifying policy-breaching conduct if their attention is drawn to clear and specific evidence.
==See Also==
 
*[[WikiIslam:Frequently Asked Questions]]
 
==Contact Information==
{{Fb link}}
To contact WikiIslam concerning general help or inquiries, a message can be left on the relevant [[WikiIslam:Discussions|Discussions]] page. For copyright issues, click [[WikiIslam:Copyright Issues|here]]. And for other important issues, click [[WikiIslam:Contact Us|here]].


[[Category:WikiIslam policies and guidelines]]
[[Category:Policies and Guidelines]]

Revision as of 17:02, 18 March 2019

Shortcut:
WIPG

This page contains a summary of the general policies and guidelines that everyone is expected to adhere to at WikiIslam and is required reading for all editors.

Content

Core Principles

Content on WikiIslam should:

  1. be related to the critique or understanding of Islam, not its promotion or issues of a political nature.
  2. be based on fully referenced facts and mainstream Islamic sources, not fringe theories, personal opinions or deductions.
  3. be written in a professional and scholarly manner, refraining from sarcastic, offensive, sensationalist or extremist language.
  4. be tailored to accommodate a universal audience, not only certain countries or demographics.
  5. remain neutral towards other religions, world-views and political positions, neither promoting nor criticizing them.

Writing Style

WikiIslam is an international site with administrators, editors and contributors from all over the world. Readership is vast and not saturated by any demographic of visitors, so the content should reflect this. Material should be tailored to accommodate, as best as possible, a universal audience.

WikiIslam is not a political site. The site does not have a left or right-wing political agenda, nor is it a counter-jihad site. Articles concerning immigration, culture wars, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and other related issues are strictly prohibited. Articles should always remain neutral towards all religions and world views, neither promoting nor criticizing them.

Editors are expected to take a scholarly and rational approach in their conduct and criticisms. Editors should stay away from extremist, sensationalist, sarcastic or emotional commentary by letting the facts speak for themselves. Articles should also be free from vulgar, offensive, or slang language. In short, articles should include no personal opinions or deductions, only referenced facts.

Any critique of Islam should be based on Islam's own sources, meaning content on WikiIslam should never endorse (but may simply document or challenge) fringe theories unsupported by the majority of evidence found within Islamic sources.

Copying and pasting articles from other sites is not allowed. Nor is, for various reasons, copying and pasting articles from Wikipedia. However, there are some exceptions to this rule e.g. where a suitable Wikipedia article is going to be deleted or has been deleted. If something specific is being quoted from another site, it should be made clear that it is a quotation.

Source Editing

Formatting a WikiIslam article differs from when writing on a standard word processor. Wikis use text codes to create particular elements of the page (e.g., headings). This markup language is known as wikitext (or wiki-markup) and is designed for ease of editing.

The Source Editing page will teach editors how to edit from the articles source. It also teaches how to use types of quoting, linking, and important templates for all editors. Learning the WikiIslam source language will make editing much easier and intuitive.

Editors who are wondering how to create specific parts of an article should go here.

Sources

Citing Sources

All statements of facts, especially those that are likely to be challenged, must be referenced using inline citations. Naked URLs are not sufficient. What is being referenced should be easily identifiable without having to leave the page through an external link. Minimal information (if available) should include the URL, page title, author, publisher and the date of publication. Each link must also be archived to avoid link rot. When quoting from these sources, bold or italic emphasis may be added, but underlining and all-capitals should be avoided.

Reliable Sources

WikiIslam articles should be based on reliable, published sources. More importance is placed on pro-Islamic, religious Muslim sources over neutral secular sources. However, multiple references from both types of sources are preferred. Furthermore, references that are cited must explicitly support any claims being made. There are three types of sources:

Primary Sources

Primary sources are original materials, an artifact, a document, a recording, or other source of information that was created at the time under study. In an article about a book it would be the book itself. In the case of a person, it would be the subject itself. WikiIslam's criticism of Islam is based on its own sources, the Qur'an, hadith and Islamic scholars. So primary sources are not limited and may be freely used in articles. However, only published and recognized translations of primary sources are to be used, and they must be quoted exactly as they appear in the cited reference.

Secondary Sources

Secondary sources are documents or recordings that relate or discuss information originally presented elsewhere. For example, a statement by a scholar about a certain battle in the history of Islam would be a secondary source. News articles that report on a development or an incident are also secondary sources. Statements of fact concerning Islam from polemic sources such as books, articles or commentaries by individuals such as Robert Spencer, Pamela Gellar, Mark A. Gabriel etc. are not to be used under any circumstances as references on WikiIslam. If editors come across any such statements, they must remove them immediately.

Tertiary Sources

Tertiary sources are sources that rely upon primary and secondary sources. Unlike secondary sources, they attempt to provide a broad introductory overview of a topic. The New Encyclopedia of Islam would be an example. They may be used as well. There are a variety of encyclopedias.

Interactions

User Names/Pages

Usernames should be chosen appropriately and should not be promotional, misleading, disruptive or offensive towards a race, religion or social group in any way. Usernames that fall under any of these categories will be renamed by an administrator.

Userpages should not be used as placeholders or homes for articles and essays. Personal email addresses should also not be displayed. Active editors with over 50 constructive edits are permitted to post links. However, these should also be chosen appropriately and they should try to keep the number of links within 10.

Discussions

The purpose of a talk page is to provide space for editors to discuss changes directly relating to its associated article or project page. Acceptable topics for discussion include concerns directly relating to the page, such as inaccuracies, formatting, renaming, merging and suggestions for further improvement. They are not there for debating the subject of the article or for general attacks on the site or its editors.

Talk pages should not be blanked, and other users' messages should not be removed or altered unless a valid reason is provided. All new discussion topics should be given a relevant heading and created at the bottom of the page, below all previous discussions, and all messages should be signed and follow the rules concerning indentation. Users should avoid excessive emphasis and be concise; capital letters are considered shouting, and long, rambling messages or SMS language may be difficult to understand and will be ignored. For continuity of discussion, comments should be kept on the same talk page where they were initiated.

Indentation

Good indentation makes prolonged discussions on talk pages easier to read and understand. Replies should always be indented and placed beneath the last comment. Indents are achieved by typing one or more leading colon ":" characters at the very left margin, just before the new text about to be added. With every new comment added, the number of colons must be increased by one.

A long discussion will cause indentation to become too deep, which can make it difficult to read in narrower browser windows. When this occurs, editors should consider resetting the level of indentation by outdenting their next comment. Outdenting must be performed by using the "Outdent" template.

Signatures

Signing comments on talk pages, both for the article and non-article namespaces, facilitates discussion by helping identify the author of a particular comment. Occasional forgetfulness is understandable but if certain editors continually ignore requests to sign their comments, any new comments by them should be reverted and a discussion should be initiated on their user talk page.

Customized signatures, like usernames, should be chosen appropriately and not be promotional, misleading, disruptive or offensive. They must include at least one direct internal link to the editor's user page, user talk page, or contributions page, allowing other editors easy access to their talk page and contributions log. Images or templates should not be used in signatures as this may cause unnecessary server load.

Contributions

Pending Changes

Pending changes protection has been implemented to help maintain the quality of the sites content and to minimize vandalism. This means changes from new and anonymous IP editors are reviewed by other editors (usually within 24 hours) before they appear on the website. Once a new user demonstrates that their edits are factually correct, properly formatted and comply with guidelines, they will receive the 'Editor' user right which means their own edits will be approved automatically.

Corrections

It is the responsibility of each individual editor to make sure that their own edits are of a high standard. Edits should not be made with the expectation that someone else will fix the problems those edits may have caused (e.g. spelling, punctuation, formatting, broken links/redirects etc.).

When a user makes contributions that need corrections or cleanup by another editor, these issues should be explained to them on their talk page. If their contributions continue to suffer from the same issues after being corrected two or three times and having the matter explained to them, editors should then revert their future edits, ask them to see their talk page (in the edit summary) and consult with other editors and administrators.

Good Faith

Assuming good faith is the assumption that a user's edits and comments are made in good faith. This guideline does not prohibit discussion and criticism. Rather, editors should not attribute the actions being criticized to malice unless there is specific evidence of malice or obvious vandalism. If an editor wishes to express doubts about the conduct of another user, they should substantiate those doubts with specific diffs and other relevant evidence, so that people can understand the basis for their concerns. WikiIslam administrators and other experienced editors involved in dispute resolution will usually be glad to help, and are very capable of identifying policy-breaching conduct if their attention is drawn to clear and specific evidence.

Pending Changes Protection

Pending changes protection has been implemented on WikiIslam to help maintain the quality of its content and to minimize site vandalism. This does not contradict the site's claim of being "the online resource on Islam that anyone can edit." All it means is that changes from new and anonymous IP editors are reviewed by other editors (usually within 24 hours) before they appear on the website.

This is not unusual for an open wiki. A common criticism of wikis is that "anyone can edit them, so that mean anyone can insert false information". Pending-changes protection alleviates this issue while also maintaining the Wiki's open collaborative nature.

Edits need to reviewed for two reasons:

  • To make sure new content is factually correct, properly formatted and comply with site guidelines.
  • To prevent vandalism/removal of content by new and IP address users

After it is ascertained that you understand how to make appropriate contributions to the site, you will receive the 'editor' user right which means your own edits will be approved automatically. You can also request the 'editor' right by leaving a message on the talk page.

Editors with the 'review' right are able to review other editors' changes. Access to the review right can be requested by leaving a message on the talk page. After you have the reviewer right, you can view unreviewed changes to the site on the following two pages:

Legal

Copyrights

When using text or images from another website, editors should make sure that the material is not copyrighted. If it is, they must ask permission from the original content owner(s) before using it. Copyright holders may contact WikiIslam to have their concerns addressed.

Libel

The goal of WikiIslam is to create an encyclopedic information source with all information being referenced through the citation of reliable published sources, so as to maintain a standard of verifiability.

For this reason, all contributors should recognize that it is their responsibility to ensure that material posted on WikiIslam is not defamatory. Libel or defamation is defined as the communication of a statement that makes a false claim, expressly stated or implied to be factual, that may harm the reputation of an individual, business, product, group, government or nation.

It is WikiIslam policy to delete libelous material when it has been identified. This policy applies to living people.

Subject Guidelines

Individuals who believe they are the subject of a libelous statement on WikiIslam should contact the site with details of the article and error.

Pro-Islamic Content

Due to constant vandalism, disruptive editing, non-compliance with guidelines and a lack of time, pro-Islamic submissions are currently not being accepted. This change is only temporary, and the present list of pro-Islamic articles can still be viewed here. For debates and general discussions about Islam, users can visit a forum (e.g. the FFI forum).

Assuming Good Faith

Assuming good faith is a fundamental principle on WikiIslam. It is the assumption that a user's edits and comments are made in good faith. Most people try to help the project, not hurt it. This guideline does not require that editors continue to assume good faith in the presence of obvious evidence to the contrary (vandalism). Assuming good faith does not prohibit discussion and criticism. Rather, editors should not attribute the actions being criticized to malice unless there is specific evidence of malice.

When disagreement occurs, try to the best of your ability to explain and resolve the problem, not cause more conflict, and so give others the opportunity to reply in kind. Consider whether a dispute stems from different perspectives, and look for ways to reach consensus.

When doubt is cast on good faith, continue to assume good faith yourself where you can. Be civil rather than attacking editors or edit-warring with them. If you wish to express doubts about the conduct of fellow editors, please substantiate those doubts with specific diffs and other relevant evidence, so that people can understand the basis for your concerns. Although bad conduct may seem to be due to bad faith, it is usually best to address the conduct without mentioning motives, which might exacerbate resentments all around.

Dealing with Bad Faith

Even if bad faith is evident, do not act uncivilly yourself in return, attack others, or lose your temper over it. It is ultimately much easier for others to resolve a dispute and see who is breaching policies, if one side is clearly acting appropriately throughout.

WikiIslam administrators and other experienced editors involved in dispute resolution will usually be glad to help, and are very capable of identifying policy-breaching conduct if their attention is drawn to clear and specific evidence.

See Also

Contact Information

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To contact WikiIslam concerning general help or inquiries, a message can be left on the relevant Discussions page. For copyright issues, click here. And for other important issues, click here.