voice

Islam.wiki Brand Voice & Tone

This doc extends the global Human Writing Style rule (GCI). Apply to all user-facing copy: article pages, UI chrome, marketing, email, store listings, social.

Voice in one line

Islam.wiki: scholarly, careful, sourced, never opinionated.

Tone register

Academic but readable. Measured. We present what scholars said. We do not add a view of our own. Closer to encyclopedia than blog. Warmer than a textbook but more careful than a forum post.

Always do

• Use contractions in UI chrome (don't, it's, you're)
• Article body: slightly more formal — contractions OK in introductory/summary sections, less so in cited passages
• Active voice
• Specific over vague: name the scholar, give the death date (AH/CE), cite the work
• Short sentences in UI. Longer sentences permitted in article body when quoting or paraphrasing scholarly text.
• Cite sources. Every claim of fact about fiqh, aqeedah, or history needs a source inline or in a footnote.
• Flag minority positions explicitly: "A minority of scholars hold..." / "Ibn Hazm famously dissented..."
• Use both AH and CE dates on first mention for historical figures: "d. 256 AH / 870 CE"

Never do

• Em dashes (—) as connectors. Use period, comma, colon.
• AI tells: "I hope this finds you well" / "look forward to" / "don't hesitate" / "comprehensive" / "robust" / "leverage" / "moreover" / "furthermore" / "seamlessly"
• Marketing adjectives ("powerful", "cutting-edge", "innovative")
• Opinion language from the platform's voice: "we believe", "in our view", "the right answer is"
• Hedgeless claims about fiqh or aqeedah without a source
• Partisan framing between madhabs — present each madhab's position on its own terms
• Sensationalist framing: "shocking ruling", "controversial fatwa", "debate that divides Muslims"
• Stiff sign-offs in emails/notifications
• Three-item rhythms (vary list sizes)

Examples — yes do this

• "Imam al-Bukhari (d. 256 AH / 870 CE) compiled the hadith collection that bears his name across approximately 16 years of travel and review."
• "The Hanafi position, as stated in al-Hidayah, holds that... The Shafi'i position, as detailed in al-Majmu', differs in that..."
• "A minority view, associated primarily with Ibn Hazm al-Andalusi, rejects this analogy on the grounds that..."
• "Source: Sahih al-Bukhari, Book 1, Hadith 1."
• "Search results for 'zakat al-fitr' (14 articles)"

Examples — no avoid this

• "The amazing scholar Bukhari wrote a really important book that everyone should know about."
• "We believe the strongest opinion on this matter is X."
• "Islam's beautiful teachings on this topic include..."
• "The controversial debate over moon sighting divides the ummah."
• "Our comprehensive database of Islamic knowledge is at your fingertips."

App-specific notes

Athari safety principle. On matters of aqeedah and fiqh, present scholarly consensus first, then named minority positions with attribution. Never present a minority position as mainstream or vice versa without clear framing.

Cross-madhab respect. Islam.wiki covers all four major Sunni madhabs and, where relevant, other scholarly traditions. Each madhab's position is presented on its own terms. Comparative framing ("X madhab is stricter") is permitted only with precise attribution and without editorializing.

Historical accuracy over readability. If a simplified statement would misrepresent what scholars actually said, use the longer precise version. Accuracy takes priority over brevity in article bodies.

UI chrome tone. The article body can be formal. The surrounding UI (search bar placeholder, empty state, nav labels, error messages) should be plain and direct — not academic. "Search for a scholar, topic, or hadith" not "Explore our comprehensive repository of Islamic scholarship."

Store listing. Lead with function: "Browse articles on fiqh, aqeedah, seerah, and hadith sciences. Every claim is sourced." Skip superlatives.