WikiIslam:Structure: Difference between revisions

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.

The lead is an introductory summary that comes before the table of contents and is not followed by any section titles. It aims to give the most essential information about the subject within the first few lines in simple and short sentences. The lead should contain no more than five easy to read paragraphs.

The first sentence should tell the reader what or who the subject is. If possible the page title should be the subject and if the subject is definable then the first sentence should be the definition. The first sentence should have the subject’s name in bold for the first occurrence and should not be linked. The rest of the paragraph should aim to answer the questions “Who, What, Where, When, and Why” that have not already been answered in the first sentence. Remember to only use simple

Following paragraphs should include “peacock terms” or stand out summarized information about the subject from the body. For example, in an article about Aisha, her age at marriage would be a peacock term of interest. This should be mentioned in the lead in no more than one or two sentences and developed later on in the body. These paragraphs should also be kept as simply written and possible. All text should aim to be as neutral as possible.

Body

Sections

There are no compulsory sections that are expected in the article or in which particular order they should be. However there are some commonly recurring sections. Articles will cover fast amounts of subjects and each article will be different. We recommend that you use your best judgement to order the article specific sections by relevance. If illustrating a biographical account of someone’s life, try to keep these sections in chronological unless there is critical information that should come first.

Avoid one-sentence paragraphs as they inhibit the flow of the article. In the same vein, also avoid exceedingly long paragraphs that become hard to read. Conversely, short paragraphs usually do not warrant their own sections, tag it along another section where it fits, or if relevant enough add more to the new section.

Always consider the trade off between length and readability. For sections that are not as relevant to the subject of the article it may not be necessary to go into exhaustive detail (such as referencing multiple hadiths that say the same thing). If this is a topic worth such attention consider making a page of its own. Some subjects may naturally require more extensive coverage than others.

Text Quote

Text quotes are sometimes necessary to highlight a relevant piece of work within the article. However "Template:Quote" should only be used on specific resource pages and in the "Relevant Quotations" section. If it is necessary to the flow of the article to add a quote you can integrate it into the text.

When anything more than a single sentence or phrase is quoted in the main part of the article, we should use a separate paragraph and indent it left and right for readability, as is done in Wikipedia and scholarly works. Double quotes should not be used around indented quotations (and are unnecessary – see Wikipedia examples). That avoids the need to convert double quotes to single and vice versa within the quoted text itself (as standard convention would require).

Commonly Recurring Sections

Authenticity

This is a recurring section that should be included if the subject allows. This section of the body will use Qur’an, hadith, and exegeses to show the accuracy and reliability of the sources that support the claims in the lead and body. This is extremely important in relation to hadiths, since they can range from da’if (weak) to sahih (authentic). Be as objective as possible and let the scripture confront itself. Thus, any and all claims in this section must be cited, and language kept neutral.

The “Authenticity” section should come after the lead and table of contents of rulings, events, stances, and claims, or any heavily disputed articles. This section should not appear in an article about a person.

Association with X

This section is a reoccurring section that intends to highlight the harms of some claims and their consequences. Many of the harmful ideas in Islam have real world consequences, so in neutral language, a clear distinction can and should be drawn if applicable and justifiable.

Examples:

“Association with terrorism” – Article: 72 Virgins

“Association with Child Marriage” – Article: Aisha’s Age of Consummation

Relevant Quotations

Apologetic Arguments

The “Apologetic Arguments” section aims to mention and clarify common apologetic arguments as well as related scripture and counter arguments from other scholars. This section should allow readers to determine for themselves the strength of the apologetic argument.

This section should come at the end of the article. Within this section, the titles of individual arguments should be in Sub-heading 1 format. Each argument should be presented in two parts: The first part being an short and concise objective explanation of the main points of the apologetic argument which should always be cited wherever possible. The second paragraph (or subsequent paragraphs) should contain a short and concise objective counter argument(s). The counter argument should summarize other scholarly sources, preferably Islamic scriptures. Do not use quote template in this section - use citation footnotes and quotation marks as needed.

Ending

No Conclusions or Endings

The article should contain no conclusions or endings after the body. The editor should not come to conclusions about the sources and should leave the reader to draw their own conclusions from the information provided. Endings give a sense of finality and do not encourage the reader to do more research. The bottom of the page should be the least important section of the page or the Apologetic Arguments section.