WikiIslam:Policies and Guidelines: Difference between revisions

 
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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==
 
===Scope and article relevance===
{{Main|WikiIslam:Scope and Article Relevance}}This article defines the scope of WikiIslam, to assist editors and volunteers in understanding the nature and limits of WikiIslam. The article relevance section of this article and the flowchart included therein give more detailed guidance as to how one can determine whether or not an article or a body of content have a home on WikiIslam.
 
===How to Edit===
{{Main|WikiIslam:How to Edit}} This article is a quick, easy introduction to the main tools used in creating end editing WikiIslam articles.
 
===Source editing===
{{Main|WikiIslam: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.
 
==Article guidelines==
 
===Naming Conventions===
{{Main|WikiIslam:Article Naming}}
 
Names of article on WikiIslam need to allow them to be accurately and efficiently found in Google searches, while accurately describing the article and also not causing broken links on WikiIslam or elsewhere.


In general, content on WikiIslam should:
===Writing style===
{{Main|WikiIslam:Writing Style Guide}}


* be based on facts, references and Islamic sources
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.  
* 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.
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.  


==Policies==
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.


===Copyrights===
Any analysis of Islam should be based on its own mainstream rules and religious sources, meaning articles should never endorse (but may simply document or challenge) fringe theories unsupported by the majority of evidence. There should be no personal opinions or abstract deductions, and every statement of fact must be supported by reliable, published sources. Use of secondary sources to present a historical-critical perspective is also encouraged. Content of this sort should derive from content published by reliable academic journal and presses (e.g. Fred Donner's ''Muhammad and the Believers: At the Origins of Islam'', published by Harvard University Press).


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.
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.


Copyright holders may [[WikiIslam:Copyright Issues|contact WikiIslam]] to have their concerns addressed.
===Citing, linking, quoting, plagiarism===
{{Main|WikiIslam:Citing, Linking, and Quoting}}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.


===Libel===
Although WikiIslam does not host original research, and is built upon citations of established works of scholarship and primary sources, it does consist of original content. As such, WikiIslam maintains a zero-tolerance policy towards the wholesale copying and pasting of content from other websites, whether they be Wikipedia or any other source in print or on the web. As such any editor who engages in this type of plagiarism will be subject to an immediate ban.


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]].
===Article structure===
{{Main|WikiIslam:Structure}}The Structure of an article concerns the organization of sections and media. Better structure allows the reader to navigate the page easier and feels more intuitive. The structure should also seek to give maintain cohesiveness throughout the wiki. This aims to give the reader a better experience by using a predictable layout. WikiIslam employs an encyclopedic format for all articles. (e.g. [[72 Virgins]], [[The Qur'an]]). All articles can be adjusted to keep the flow and intuitive feel of the article but must be encyclopedic in nature.


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.
===Article deletion===
{{Main|WikiIslam:Articles or Categories for Deletion}} Articles which meet the following criteria are subject to speedy deletion:


It is WikiIslam [[w:policy|policy]] to delete [[w:libel|libel]]ous material when it has been identified. This policy applies to living people.
*Broken redirects to non-existent pages
*Libelous articles without any 3rd party references
*Articles copied entirely from another source such as Wikipedia, word-for-word and without substantial reworking or rewording


====Subject Guidelines====
In addition, any article which fails to meet the criteria of our {{Main|WikiIslam:Scope and Article Relevance}} document is subject to deletion.


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.
==Reliable sources==
{{Main|WikiIslam:Reliable Sources}}


===Viewpoint===
WikiIslam articles should be based on reliable, published sources. References that are cited must explicitly support any claims being made. There are three types of 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.
===Primary sources===


===Making References===
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 themselves. WikiIslam's analysis of Islam is based on its own sources (the Qur'an, hadith and Islamic scholars) as well as secondary scholarly sources (e.g. Shahab Ahmed's ''Before Orthodoxy'', published by Harvard University Press).


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).
Use of primary sources is not limited and they should 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.  


===Usernames and pages===
===Secondary sources===


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.
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.


===Discussions===
Secondary sources referenced on WikiIslam should be published by reliable academic presses and journals.
{{Main|WikiIslam:Talk Page Guidelines}}


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.
===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].


===Honorifics===
==Interactions==
{{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".
===User names/pages===
{{Main|WikiIslam:User Names and Pages}}


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.
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.  


==Guidelines==
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.


Guidelines are less restrictive than policies. They serve as official advice to gear the WikiIslam project in the right direction.
===Talk pages===
{{Main|WikiIslam:Talk Pages}}


===Sources===
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 irrelevant debates or for general attacks on the site or its editors.
{{Main|WikiIslam:Reliable Sources}}
 
Talk pages should not be blanked, and other users' messages should not be removed or altered unless a valid reason is provided (such as violating the above rules). 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===


There are three types of sources:
====Pending changes====
{{Main|WikiIslam:Pending Changes Protection}}


*'''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.  
Pending changes protection has been implemented to help maintain the quality of the sites content and to minimize vandalism. This means changes from new 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 properly referenced, properly formatted and comply with guidelines, they will receive the 'Editor' user right which means their own edits will be approved automatically.  


*'''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. 
====Corrections====


*'''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].
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.).  


===Wikipedia===
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.


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.
====Good faith====
{{Main|WikiIslam:Assume Good Faith}}


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.
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.


===Creating Content===
====Blocking policy====
{{Main|WikiIslam:Blocking_Policy}}


Please do not recreate content which already exists in Wikipedia. This means if there is something that is better defined in Wikipedia, let it stay there. 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. You should give primary importance to creating unique content which cannot exist in Wikipedia. This is what this website is for. 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 ''any'' way you want. 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:
Blocking is a tool to be used to protect the integrity of WikiIslam and the harmony of the community of its editors. Blocks are not to be used to settle score, punish lack of knowledge, or exclude certain points of view. Rather they are to be used to keep the Wiki free of bots, vandals, griefers, trolls, and other bad faith actors. The main criterion for a block is the question: can this user make a positive contribution to the site in the future? If the answer is no then a block is warranted. Different types of infractions warrant different types of blocks for different amounts of time, depending on the severity of the infraction.


;Bad ideas:
==Legal==
* Anything not directly related to criticism of Islam
{{Main|WikiIslam:General disclaimer}}
* 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:
The community working here is a voluntary association of individuals and groups who are developing an online open-content collaborative encyclopedia. The structure of this site, which is a wiki, allows anyone with an Internet connection and World Wide Web browser to alter the content found here. Therefore, please be advised that nothing found here has necessarily been reviewed by professionals with the expertise necessary to provide you with complete, accurate or reliable information.
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


==Style Guidelines==
That is not to say that you will not find valuable and accurate information in WikiIslam; much of the time you will. However, WikiIslam cannot guarantee the validity of the information found here. The content of any given article may recently have been changed, vandalized or altered by someone whose opinion does not correspond with the state of knowledge in the relevant fields.
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==
==Contact information==
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 or to request an account, click [[WikiIslam:Contact Us|here]].


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].
==See also==


[[Category:WikiIslam policies and guidelines]]
*[[WikiIslam:Frequently Asked Questions]]
*[[WikiIslam:About]]
[[Category:Policies and Guidelines]]

Latest revision as of 18:53, 7 January 2022

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

Scope and article relevance

This article defines the scope of WikiIslam, to assist editors and volunteers in understanding the nature and limits of WikiIslam. The article relevance section of this article and the flowchart included therein give more detailed guidance as to how one can determine whether or not an article or a body of content have a home on WikiIslam.

How to Edit

This article is a quick, easy introduction to the main tools used in creating end editing WikiIslam articles.

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.

Article guidelines

Naming Conventions

Names of article on WikiIslam need to allow them to be accurately and efficiently found in Google searches, while accurately describing the article and also not causing broken links on WikiIslam or elsewhere.

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 analysis of Islam should be based on its own mainstream rules and religious sources, meaning articles should never endorse (but may simply document or challenge) fringe theories unsupported by the majority of evidence. There should be no personal opinions or abstract deductions, and every statement of fact must be supported by reliable, published sources. Use of secondary sources to present a historical-critical perspective is also encouraged. Content of this sort should derive from content published by reliable academic journal and presses (e.g. Fred Donner's Muhammad and the Believers: At the Origins of Islam, published by Harvard University Press).

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.

Citing, linking, quoting, plagiarism

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.

Although WikiIslam does not host original research, and is built upon citations of established works of scholarship and primary sources, it does consist of original content. As such, WikiIslam maintains a zero-tolerance policy towards the wholesale copying and pasting of content from other websites, whether they be Wikipedia or any other source in print or on the web. As such any editor who engages in this type of plagiarism will be subject to an immediate ban.

Article structure

The Structure of an article concerns the organization of sections and media. Better structure allows the reader to navigate the page easier and feels more intuitive. The structure should also seek to give maintain cohesiveness throughout the wiki. This aims to give the reader a better experience by using a predictable layout. WikiIslam employs an encyclopedic format for all articles. (e.g. 72 Virgins, The Qur'an). All articles can be adjusted to keep the flow and intuitive feel of the article but must be encyclopedic in nature.

Article deletion

Articles which meet the following criteria are subject to speedy deletion:

  • Broken redirects to non-existent pages
  • Libelous articles without any 3rd party references
  • Articles copied entirely from another source such as Wikipedia, word-for-word and without substantial reworking or rewording

In addition, any article which fails to meet the criteria of our

document is subject to deletion.

Reliable sources

WikiIslam articles should be based on reliable, published sources. 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 themselves. WikiIslam's analysis of Islam is based on its own sources (the Qur'an, hadith and Islamic scholars) as well as secondary scholarly sources (e.g. Shahab Ahmed's Before Orthodoxy, published by Harvard University Press).

Use of primary sources is not limited and they should 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.

Secondary sources referenced on WikiIslam should be published by reliable academic presses and journals.

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.

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 irrelevant debates 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 (such as violating the above rules). 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 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 properly referenced, 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.

Blocking policy

Blocking is a tool to be used to protect the integrity of WikiIslam and the harmony of the community of its editors. Blocks are not to be used to settle score, punish lack of knowledge, or exclude certain points of view. Rather they are to be used to keep the Wiki free of bots, vandals, griefers, trolls, and other bad faith actors. The main criterion for a block is the question: can this user make a positive contribution to the site in the future? If the answer is no then a block is warranted. Different types of infractions warrant different types of blocks for different amounts of time, depending on the severity of the infraction.

Legal

The community working here is a voluntary association of individuals and groups who are developing an online open-content collaborative encyclopedia. The structure of this site, which is a wiki, allows anyone with an Internet connection and World Wide Web browser to alter the content found here. Therefore, please be advised that nothing found here has necessarily been reviewed by professionals with the expertise necessary to provide you with complete, accurate or reliable information.

That is not to say that you will not find valuable and accurate information in WikiIslam; much of the time you will. However, WikiIslam cannot guarantee the validity of the information found here. The content of any given article may recently have been changed, vandalized or altered by someone whose opinion does not correspond with the state of knowledge in the relevant fields.

Contact information

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 or to request an account, click here.

See also