How we choose and cite sources

Principles

• Primary texts first. Claims about what Islam teaches are tied to the Qur’an and to hadith, with links so you can read each passage in context.
• Name the translation. Every quotation says which translation it comes from.
• Keep the qualifications. We do not shorten a verse to make it sound stronger than it is. When we leave words out, we mark the gap with an ellipsis (…) and link to the full passage.
• Separate scripture from commentary. Quotations are set apart and labelled. Summaries, theme names and practical notes are our own words.
• Show where people disagree. Muslims do not all read texts the same way, and neither do Christians. Where interpretations differ significantly, we say so.
• Never invent. If a claim cannot be verified, it is removed or narrowed to what the evidence supports.

Translations we quote

The Qur’an

Qur’an quotations come from Muhammad Marmaduke Pickthall’s The Meaning of the Glorious Koran (1930). It is a respected translation by a Muslim convert, and it is in the public domain, so it can be quoted freely. Its English is old-fashioned (“thee”, “hath”, “Lo!”), and a few things are worth knowing:

• Words in parentheses within a quotation were added by Pickthall to clarify the meaning.
• Pickthall keeps the Arabic word Allah, which simply means God. Arabic-speaking Christians use the same word.
• He often translates salah, the ritual prayer, as “worship”, and ‘abd, servant of God, as “slave”.
• Every Qur’an citation links to Quran.com, where you can read the Arabic and compare modern translations.

The Bible

Bible quotations come from the World English Bible, a modern English translation in the public domain. Each citation links to the passage on BibleGateway, where other translations can be compared.

Hadith

Hadith are reports of the Prophet Muhammad’s words and actions. We summarize them in our own words rather than quoting a translation, and link each one to Sunnah.com, which shows the Arabic text, an English translation and the reference numbers. We mostly cite Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim, the two collections Sunni Muslims regard as most reliable. Where a hadith comes from another collection, we give the grade shown on Sunnah.com. Shi‘i Muslims also draw on their own hadith collections, which this first version does not yet cite.

Other sources

For historical facts and descriptions of Christian belief and practice, we rely on identifiable reference works and scholarship: Encyclopaedia Britannica, academic books from university presses, peer-reviewed research, and survey data from the Pew Research Center. When describing a Christian practice, we also use sources from within that tradition where helpful. Each topic page lists its sources in full at the end.

Faith, interpretation and history

Some statements on this site are matters of faith, such as the belief that the Qur’an is the word of God. We present these as Muslim convictions and explain the reasons Muslims give. Historical study cannot prove or disprove revelation, and we do not pretend that it can. We do not use disputed claims, such as “scientific miracles” or numerical codes, as evidence.

When we compare Islam and Christianity, we try to describe each tradition as its own followers would, name the Christian tradition when a view is not shared by all Christians, and avoid suggesting that similar practices mean identical beliefs.

Corrections

We want to know about mistakes. Our approach to corrections is simple:

• Errors of fact, misquotations and broken links should be fixed promptly once confirmed.
• Significant corrections, meaning changes to what a page claims, should be noted on the page with the date of the change.
• Disagreements about interpretation are not treated as errors, but a well-sourced alternative view may be added where it helps readers.

This first version does not yet have a contact form or published contact address. Until it does, there is no way to submit a correction through the site.

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