WikiIslam: Difference between revisions

'''WikiIslam''' is a community edited website which focuses on the critique of [[Islam]], whilst also allowing [[:Category:Pro-Islamic Content|pro-Islamic responses]] in separate articles. It is run on the same software that Wikipedia and other similar sites use.

WikiIslam's goal is to become the most comprehensive and accurate source of information on Islam. This information is based primarily on its own sources, the [[Qur'an]], [[hadith]] and Islamic scholars. It takes a rational approach in its handling of Islam and is notable for dealing extensively with [[Islam and Propaganda|false propaganda]] and [[Islam and Science|Islamic pseudoscience]].

The site aims to remain neutral towards other religions, world views, and issues of a political nature, such as immigration, multiculturalism, and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and also to stay away from extremist, sensationalist or emotional commentary by simply letting the facts speak for themselves.

 

It is an international site with editors and contributors from all over the world, and the policies and content reflect this. For example, editors are advised that no region should be given priority over another, and developments concerning Islam in Asia or [[Africa]] are as important as developments in Europe or the Americas.

In August 2008, the site was moved to a new server and since then it has been operating independently, remaining unaffiliated with or owned by any organization. Contrary to persistent claims propagated by apologists,<ref>For example, Sheila Musaji of [http://www.webcitation.org/query?url=http%3A%2F%2Ftheamericanmuslim.org%2Ftam.php%2Ffeatures%2Farticles%2Fali_sina%2F&date=2014-01-26 TheAmericanMuslim], who has been contacted but refuses to correct the error, claims WikiIslam is "run" by "Ali Sina and Faith Freedom" and "only prints material which is negative towards Islam." Both claims are wrong. WikiIslam hosts many [[:Category:Pro-Islamic Content|pro-Islamic articles]] written by Muslim editors.</ref> WikiIslam is not owned by [[Ali Sina]], FFI, Robert Spencer, Jihad Watch or any other organization.<ref>Note that neither of these individuals or their websites are considered reliable sources at WikiIslam. According to [[WikiIslam:Reliable_Sources#Other_Sources_2|WikiIslam:Reliable Sources]], ''"Statements of fact concerning Islam from polemic sources such as books, articles or commentaries by individuals such as Robert Spencer, Pamela Gellar, Ayaan Hirsi Ali, Mark A. Gabriel, Wafa Sultan, Ali Sina, Walid Shoebat, Brigitte Gabriel etc. are not to be used under any circumstances as references on WikiIslam. If you come across any such statements, remove them immediately."''</ref>

In December 2015, the ownership of the website was transferred to [https://exmuslims.org/ Ex-Muslims of North America]. <ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.exmna.org/ex-muslims-north-america-takes-ownership-operation-wikiislam/|title= Ex-Muslims of North America takes ownership and operation of WikiIslam|publisher= |author= |date= Dec 3, 2015|archiveurl= |deadurl=no}}</ref>

===Non-Muslims===

In December 2006, Göran Larsson presented a paper on WikiIslam at a conference in Sweden. At that point in time, the site was barely out of its infancy, only having been open to the public for three months, and Larsson was very critical. Today, with its new policies, new guidelines, thousands of more pages and the inclusion of pro-Islamic content aimed at presenting a positive image of Islam, WikiIslam remains the same only in name. But even back then in its primitive form, Larsson admitted that he could not label all the site "Islamophobic" in nature.<ref>Göran Larsson, [http://www.springerlink.com/content/p02g0g86387j4t62/ "Cyber-Islamophobia? The case of WikiIslam"], Contemporary Islam: Volume 1, Number 1, 53-67, DOI: 10.1007/s11562-007-0002-2</ref>

Contrary to what is sometimes claimed,<ref name="Criticism"></ref> WikiIslam has not received any attention from news agencies such as the Associated Press (AP); however, its non-partisan approach to criticism has led to the site being linked to or referenced by various notable sites such as ''RichardDawkins.net''<ref>[{{Reference archive|1=http://richarddawkins.net/links?page=5|2=2012-02-07}} "About/ Links"], RichardDawkins.net, accessed February 7, 2012.</ref> and ''GreenProphet.com''.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.greenprophet.com/2011/12/rain-prayers-sunny-friday/|title= Muslim President Calls for Rain Prayers on Sunny Friday|publisher= Green Prophet|author= Tafline Laylin|date= December 28, 2011|archiveurl= http://www.webcitation.org/query?url=http://www.greenprophet.com/2011/12/rain-prayers-sunny-friday/&date=2012-02-07|deadurl=no}}</ref> It has also been cited by Prof. Dr. G. Hussein Rassool in his book, ''Cultural Competence in Caring for Muslim Patients'',<ref>{{cite web|url= http://books.google.com/books?id=r5nJAwAAQBAJ&pg=PT141&lpg=PT141&dq=Cultural+Competence+in+Caring+for+Muslim+Patients+wikiislam&source=bl&ots=oFOauH3oPg&sig=5Vtne1TY1qwgdldumOa-T9K6atU&hl=en&sa=X&ei=UHENVIfmLY_lauWagZAO&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=Cultural%20Competence%20in%20Caring%20for%20Muslim%20Patients%20wikiislam&f=false|title= Cultural Competence in Caring for Muslim Patients|publisher= Palgrave Macmillan|author= G. Hussein Rassool (Ed.)|date= April 25, 2014|isbn= 9781137358424|archiveurl= https://archive.today/AR6Nr|deadurl=no}}</ref> Dr. Heather Deegan in her book, ''Africa Today: Culture, Economics, Religion, Security'',<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.amazon.com/Africa-Today-Economics-Religion-Security/dp/0415418844/|title= Africa Today: Culture, Economics, Religion, Security|publisher= Routledge|author= Heather Deegan|date=December 26, 2008 |page= 100|isbn= 978-0415418843|archiveurl= http://www.webcitation.org/query?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FAfrica-Today-Economics-Religion-Security%2Fdp%2F0415418844%2F&date=2013-07-20|deadurl=no}}</ref> Prof. Carlos Brebbia in his book, ''Disaster Management and Human Health Risk III: Reducing Risk, Improving Outcomes'',<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.amazon.com/Disaster-Management-Human-Health-Risk/dp/1845647386|title= Disaster Management and Human Health Risk III: Reducing Risk, Improving Outcomes|publisher= Wit Pr/Computational Mechanics|author= C. A. Brebbia|date= July 9, 2013|page= 366|isbn= 978-1845647384|archiveurl= http://www.webcitation.org/query?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FDisaster-Management-Human-Health-Risk%2Fdp%2F1845647386&date=2013-07-25|deadurl=no}}</ref> and Dr. Stefan Kirchner in his paper published in the ''Baltic Journal of Law & Politics''.<ref>[{{Reference archive|1=http://www.degruyter.com/view/j/bjlp.2011.4.issue-1/v10076-011-0003-6/v10076-011-0003-6.xml|2=2013-07-20}} "Faith, Ethics and Religious Norms in a Globalized Environment: Freedom of Religion as a Challenge to the Regulation of Islamic Finance in Europe"]. Baltic Journal of Law & Politics. Volume 4, Issue 1, Pages 52–82, ISSN (Online) 2029-0454, ISSN (Print) , DOI: 10.2478/v10076-011-0003-6, August 2011.</ref>

===Muslims===

Due to the focus of the site, the most noticeable reactions from Muslims has been negative.<ref name="Criticism">For responses to various criticisms of WikiIslam, visit the ''[http://islamo-criticism.blogspot.com/p/criticism-of-wikiislam.html Criticism of WikiIslam]'' section of the ''[http://islamo-criticism.blogspot.com/ IslamoCriticism]'' blog.</ref> Some have called for the site to be taken offline through illegal means such as hacking,<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.ummah.com/forum/showthread.php?398571|title= Muslims should DDOS anti muslim websites|publisher= Ummah Forum|author= |date= April 19, 2014|archiveurl= http://www.webcitation.org/query?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ummah.com%2Fforum%2Fshowthread.php%3F398571&date=2014-04-24|deadurl=no}}</ref><ref>''"Someone needs to shut it down. any hackers out here?"'' - [{{Reference archive|1=http://www.ummah.com/forum/showthread.php?365182-Solving-the-Wiki-islam-problem|2=2013-05-24}} Solving the Wiki-islam problem], DamirK, Ummah Forum, May 24, 2013.</ref><ref>''"Its sad, Saudi have hackers who can hack and take down a lot of crap stuff on the internet but they never seem to notice what should be taken care of."'' - [http://lostinriyadh.blogspot.com/2012/03/for-my-readers-in-saudi-infact-for.html For my readers in Saudi, infact for anyone], LostInRiyadh.blogspot.com (comment by Dentographer, March 4, 2012)</ref> and it had previously been banned in [[Saudi Arabia]] on the country's pornography blacklist, even though the site contains nothing of a pornographic nature.<ref>A screenshot can be viewed [[:File:Wikiislam com-aug-2011-ksa.png|here]]</ref>  

Constant vandalism, death-threats, and non-compliance with guidelines by Muslim editors has lead to WikiIslam, like the German Wikipedia, implementing “pending-changes protection”, meaning that editing still remains open to all, including IP users, but changes have to be approved before becoming visible to readers.

However, due to WikiIslam's extensive use of authoritative primary and secondary pro-Islamic sources, the site has also received praise from Muslims, e.g. for its [[Sex Segregation in Islam]]<ref>"''I usually wouldn't endorse a site like this, but in this case all of the sources were referenced in great detail.''" - [http://www.facebook.com/notes/abdul-malik-merchant/women-traveling-and-free-mixing-in-islam-/216934245018326 Women: Traveling and free-mixing in Islam …], Abdul-Malik Merchant, Student at Umm al-Qura University, Mecca, Saudi Arabia, July 13, 2011.</ref> and [[List of Killings Ordered or Supported by Muhammad]]<ref>"''In fact mockery is the main cause of executions ordered by our prophet (Sm)...i already told it to @RiasatKhan .. here is the link though its an anti islam site... but the historical facts / causes of execution mentioned there are reliable..look 4 Yellow colors, they were executed for mockery. Is this Musa Ibrahim scholar of Islam?? List of Killings Ordered or Supported by Muhammad - WikiIslam. Sorry for the anti islam site... i couldnt find any other site written in such short and organized way.''" - [{{Reference archive|1=http://www.defence.pk/forums/bangladesh-defence/233660-shahbagh-square-new-rise-65.html|2=2013-02-17}} SHAHBAGH SQUARE-A NEW RISE], Kobiraaz (an established Muslim member who joined in Oct 2010, and has been thanked 7867 times for 7,237 post), Pakistan Defence forum, February 17, 2013</ref> articles, and pages such as [[List of Fabricated Hadith]]<ref>[{{Reference archive|1=http://shehbaazmind.blogspot.com/2011/08/some-links-where-you-can-find-some-weak.html|2=2012-09-10}} "Some Links Where You Can Find Some Weak And Fabricated Hadeeths Exposed"], ShehbaazMind, August 17, 2011.</ref><ref>[{{Reference archive|1=http://beliefinunseen.blogspot.com/2012/09/weak-and-fabricated-hadith.html|2=2012-09-10}} "Weak and fabricated hadith"], Belief In The Unseen, September 7, 2012.</ref> and [[Chronological Order of the Qur'an]]<ref>Dawud Israel, [{{Reference archive|1=http://www.sunniforum.com/forum/showthread.php?107518-NOTES-from-Tafsir-Maariful-Qur-an-of-Mufti-Taqi-Shafi-Usmani|2=2013-06-01}} "NOTES from Tafsir Maariful Qur'an of Mufti Taqi/Shafi Usmani"], Sunni Forum, June 1, 2013.</ref> have been used by Muslims as a resource.