WikiShia
| WikiShia | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Web address | www |
| Slogan | An online encyclopedia of the school of Ahl al-Bayt (a) |
| Commercial? | No |
Type of site | Wiki |
| Registration | Limited |
| Available in | English, Farsi, Arabic, Spanish, French, Bahasa Indonesia, Turkish, Urdu, German, Russian |
| Users | over 350 |
| Written in | PHP |
| Owner | Ahl al-Bayt (a) World Assembly |
| Launched | June 22, 2014 |
| Current status | Running |
WikiShia is a virtual encyclopedia whose mission is to explain concepts that play a role in understanding Shi'a Islam and other schools that follow the Ahl al-Bayt (a). These concepts include beliefs, notable figures, Islamic sciences (such as theology, jurisprudence, and the principles of jurisprudence), books, places, events, ceremonies and rituals, sects adhering to the Ahl al-Bayt (a), the history of Shi'ism, and any other topic in some way related to the Ahl al-Bayt (a) and their followers. Terms and names necessary to fulfil this mission are also explained in this encyclopedia.
WikiShia avoids presenting personal analyses or opinions, as well as unproven new theories, leaving the judgment on scholarly and historical disagreements to the readers. In view of religious differences, its contributors seek to rely on first-hand sources accepted by the two major Islamic schools, Shi'a and Sunni.
This wiki is available in 22 active languages, including English, Farsi, Arabic, Spanish, French, Bahasa Indonesia, Turkish, Urdu, German, Russian, as well as Hindi, Swahili, Chinese, Bengali, Tajik, Pashto, Azerbaijani, Burmese, Portuguese, Italian, Hausa, and Thai.
WikiShia, which is affiliated with Ahl al-Bayt (a) World Assembly, was officially launched on June 22, 2014, in the International Congress of Sibt al-Nabi (a) in Tehran, by Hassan Rouhani, the former president of the Islamic Republic of Iran.
Motivation and Objectives
While encyclopedias provide extensive information about Islam and Shi'ism, their authors often either lack a proper understanding of Islamic teachings or may not believe in Islam or Shi'a, which results in errors in articles related to Islamic and Shi'a concepts. Given the problems found on online platforms regarding Shi'a beliefs, and the need of Shi'as worldwide—as well as other researchers—for easy access to authentic Shi'a and Islamic beliefs, the Cultural Deputy of the Ahl al-Bayt (a) World Assembly launched WikiShia, intending to introduce and defend the school of the Ahl al-Bayt (a).
WikiShia is currently operating with limited access; however, in its future vision, it plans to open participation so that all interested and capable Shi'as can contribute to its development and help promote the teachings of the Ahl al-Bayt (a). Currently, access to contribute is granted upon approval by the administrators. This allows users to collaborate in writing articles and enhance their scholarly value.
Establishment and Launch
On May 22, 2013, the first coordination meeting of WikiShia authors was held[1], and after several sessions, the first entry was published on June 18 of the same year. By July 2013, the website became accessible to the public. Later, on June 22, 2014, during the International Congress of Sibt al-Nabi (a) in Tehran, WikiShia was officially inaugurated by Hassan Rouhani, then president of the Islamic Republic of Iran.
Features
Some of the main features of WikiShia are as follows:
Scope of Content and Thematic Diversity
The content of WikiShia includes:
- Beliefs, notable figures, Islamic sciences (such as theology, jurisprudence, and principles of jurisprudence), books, places, events, ceremonies and rituals, sects adhering to the Ahl al‑Bayt (a), the history of Shiʿism, and any other topics related to the Ahl al‑Bayt (a) and their followers.
- General Islamic concepts accepted by all Muslims or related to Islamic history.
- Concepts related to other Islamic sects, provided they are in some way connected to the school of the Ahl al‑Bayt (a) or are frequently referenced in WikiShia articles.
Criteria and Standards for Prioritization
WikiShia articles are written and edited according to a prioritization system. The priority for writing or revising an entry is determined by the extent to which its subject contributes to understanding the school of the Ahl al‑Bayt (a). The greater the subject’s impact on introducing Shiʿism, the higher its priority for development.
Content Production Policies
WikiShia articles are composed to promote understanding and rapprochement among Islamic schools of thought.
- Neutrality is observed in intellectual discussions within the Shiʿa tradition and among followers of the Ahl al‑Bayt (a); however, WikiShia is explicitly a promoter of the school of the Ahl al‑Bayt (a), and its articles are intended to explain and defend these teachings.
- WikiShia entries are not research papers; they do not present unpublished, first‑hand investigations or attempt to solve scholarly problems. The encyclopedia is based on compiling information from existing sources, and authors are not permitted to publish their personal opinions.
- Judgment on scholarly and historical disagreements is left to the reader, and * WikiShia remains neutral in such cases. In view of religious differences, authors strive, as far as possible, to use first‑hand sources accepted by both major Islamic traditions (Shiʿa and Sunni).
- In writing articles, language implying value judgments—whether conveying respect or expressing disparagement—is avoided.
Reflection of the Shiʿa Perspective in Content
WikiShia’s principal editorial policy is to present topics in terms of their connection to the school of the Ahl al‑Bayt (a). Accordingly, when covering subjects with multiple dimensions, emphasis is placed on their Shiʿa aspects. For example, in articles on countries—which may encompass economic, geographic, and political facets—the focus is on matters related to the Ahl al‑Bayt (a), such as the history of the arrival of Shiʿism, Shiʿa sites and figures, and the customs and traditions of Shiʿa communities. Likewise, in entries on contemporary jurisprudential issues or on non‑Shiʿa figures, attention is given to aspects relevant to Shiʿism and the Ahl al‑Bayt (a).
Organizational Position
From an organizational standpoint, WikiShia operates under the auspices of the Ahl al‑Bayt (a) World Assembly and functions as a subdivision of its Scientific and Cultural Affairs Department. A council composed of language managers, academic directors, and WikiShia experts is responsible for policymaking and planning across the various sections of WikiShia.
Other Features
- Constant editing.
- Updating and adding information to entries.
- History tab on top of every page, where any change in the entry is recorded and readers can see the changes and the authors.
- The page "Recent changes" shows all changes made to the entries of WikiShia to the readers.
- The option for retrieving previous information and changes.
- Cross-links between entries, without much effort you can read about anything mentioned in the entries without searching and the reader can instantly hit the cross-link and go to the entries explaining the concepts in the links. This feature helps the reader to have access to all the concepts in every entry and receive complete information regarding the topic he is studying.
- Linking every entry in one language to the same entry in other languages.
- Using categories at the end of entries, categories are general topics and topic indices of WikiShia.
- Navigation templates, which make the links related to every entry in the horizontal box below the entries and sometimes are placed vertically at the sides of the entries. The links between the concepts in these boxes are parallel so that all these concepts are categorized under one general topic.
- Infoboxes, which are usually placed above entries and play the role of presenting information in brief. By referring to Infobox, one can get a picture of the major issues mentioned in the entry without reading all of it.
- Every page and entry in Wikishia has a discussion tab as well. The discussion page allows the readers to alarm the authors and editors of the entries about their opinions. The discussion page is in fact a place for discussion of experts and enthusiasts on one topic and helps the content richness of the entries.
Launch history of WikiShia Languages
- Currently, Wikishiya is available in 22 languages:
| Line | Language | Launch date | First article | Explanations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Persian | June 18, 2013 | Unveiled on July 1, 2014, during the Sabbat al-Nabi (a) Congress. | |
| 2 | Arabic | November 25, 2013 | Unveiled on July 1, 2014, during the Sabbat al-Nabi (a) Congress. | |
| 3 | English | November 30, 2013 | Unveiled on July 1, 2014, during the Sabbat al-Nabi (a) Congress. | |
| 4 | Urdu | March 18, 2014 | Unveiled on July 1, 2014, during the Sabbat al-Nabi (a) Congress. | |
| 5 | Türkçe | April 10, 2014 | |
Unveiled on July 1, 2014, during the Sabbat al-Nabi (a) Congress. |
| 6 | Español | May 22, 2014 | Unveiled on July 1, 2014, during the Sabbat al-Nabi (a) Congress. | |
| 7 | Indonesia | August 25, 2014 | ||
| 8 | Français | August 26, 2014 | ||
| 9 | Deutsch | September 20, 2016 | ||
| 10 | Русский | February 28, 2018 | ||
| 11 | 中文 | July 15, 2022 | Unveiled at the 7th session of the General Assembly of the Ahl al-Bayt World Assembly | |
| 12 | Kiswahil | July 18, 2022 | Unveiled at the 7th session of the General Assembly of the Ahl al-Bayt World Assembly | |
| 13 | हिन्दी | July 29, 2022 | Unveiled at the 7th session of the General Assembly of the Ahl al-Bayt World Assembly | |
| 14 | বাংলা | August 22, 2022 | Unveiled at the 7th session of the General Assembly of the Ahl al-Bayt World Assembly | |
| 15 | Тоҷикӣ | August 22, 2022 | Unveiled at the 7th session of the General Assembly of the Ahl al-Bayt World Assembly | |
| 16 | Pashto | January 16, 2023 | Unveiled on the 44th anniversary of the victory of the Islamic Revolution of Iran | |
| 17 | Azəricə | January 17, 2023 | Unveiled on the 44th anniversary of the victory of the Islamic Revolution of Iran | |
| 18 | Burmese | January 26, 2023 | Unveiled on the 44th anniversary of the victory of the Islamic Revolution of Iran | |
| 19 | Português | February 1, 2023 | Unveiled on the 44th anniversary of the victory of the Islamic Revolution of Iran | |
| 20 | Italiano | February 8, 2023 | Unveiled on the 44th anniversary of the victory of the Islamic Revolution of Iran | |
| 21 | Hausa | February 9, 2023 | Unveiled on the 44th anniversary of the victory of the Islamic Revolution of Iran | |
| 22 | Thai | February 12, 2023 | Unveiled on the 44th anniversary of the victory of the Islamic Revolution of Iran |
Notes
References
- The material of this article is mainly taken from ویکیشیعه in Farsi WikiShia.