O webu WikiIslam: Difference between revisions

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>

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>''"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 [[Websites Censored by Islamic Governments|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>  

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.

==Audience==

Unlike many other sites critical of Islam, WikiIslam's audience is not "Eurocentric". The majority of its readers are from Eastern or Muslim-majority nations such as [[Pakistan]], [[Bangladesh]], [[India]], [[Malaysia]], [[Egypt]], [[United Arab Emirates]], and [[Singapore]].<ref>[{{Reference archive|1=http://www.alexa.com/siteinfo/www.wikiislam.net|2=2011-11-28}} Wikiislam.net/ Audience] - Alexa.com, accessed  November 28, 2011</ref> Likewise, many of the site's administrators and editors are from a Muslim background or are skeptics from Muslim majority nations.

==Wikipedia==

Wikipedia discourages the use of primary and what they term as "non-notable/reliable" sources. WikiIslam, on the other hand, encourages the use of authentic primary religious text and the rulings of authoritative Muslim scholars who may not be notable to people outside of the Muslim world but who are giants from within.