ماخذ اور طریقۂ کار

This page explains where our texts come from, how translations are labelled, and how prayer times and Hijri dates are calculated.

The Quran

At the moment only Surah al-Fatiha is shown, as a sample. Before the full Quran is published, the Arabic text will be taken from a verified source such as Tanzil.net and shown exactly as published, without changes, with attribution. Each translation will name its translator and follow the translation's licence.

Surah names and verse counts follow the standard Kufan count of 6,236 verses.

Duas, adhkar and ziyarat

Every reading shows its source. Before a text is published it should be checked against a printed edition, such as Mafatih al-Jinan for supplications and ziyarat. Entries marked Sample are demonstration content: their translations were written by the site editors and have not been reviewed.

Translations and transliteration

Translations into English, Urdu and Roman Urdu are labelled with their translator or marked as editorial. Where a translation is missing in your language, the English translation is shown and the page says so. Transliteration shows the Arabic pronunciation in Latin letters; it is an aid, not a replacement for learning to read the Arabic.

Prayer times

Prayer times are calculated in your browser using the Ja'fari method (Shia Ithna-Ashari, Leva Institute, Qum): Fajr at 16° below the horizon, Maghrib at 4°, Isha at 14°, and Asr when an object's shadow equals its length plus its noon shadow. At high latitudes a proportion of the night is used when the sun does not reach these angles. Times are rounded to the nearest minute.

We checked our calculation against an independent calculator (Aladhan, “Shia Ithna-Ashari, Leva Institute, Qum” method) for cities in Asia, the Middle East, Europe, North America, Africa and Australia, in summer and winter. The results agreed to within one minute.

Jurists differ on how Islamic midnight is calculated. By default it is halfway between sunset and Fajr; you can choose halfway between sunset and sunrise in Settings. Calculated times are estimates: please confirm with your local mosque and follow your marja.

Hijri dates and occasions

Hijri dates use the Umm al-Qura calendar built into your browser. Islamic months begin with the sighting of the new moon, so the date where you live can differ by one or two days; you can adjust it in Settings. The list of occasions shows commonly observed dates. Where narrations differ, as for the martyrdom of Lady Fatima al-Zahra (s.a.), the page says so.

Corrections

If you find a mistake in a text, translation or date, please use the contact form.