Our Standards · Our Sources

Methodology & Sources

المنهجية والمصادر

Every number, every hadith, every dua, every verse translation on Dhikr has an explicit source. Nothing by feel. Nothing by reputation. Nothing unverifiable. Here's exactly where every piece of the app comes from and how we vet it.

1. Prayer-Time Calculation

All prayer times on Dhikr are computed using the AlAdhan API, a free and open-source astronomical prayer-time service that implements the standard angle-based calculation methods used worldwide.

For UAE users, Dhikr defaults to method 16 (IACAD) — the official calculation method published by the UAE's Islamic Affairs and Charitable Activities Department. This is the same method used by every official UAE mosque, so the times displayed match what you hear from the minarets in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, and every emirate.

For non-UAE users, Dhikr supports the full set of calculation methods available through AlAdhan: Muslim World League, Umm al-Qura (Saudi Arabia), Egyptian Authority, Karachi, ISNA (North America), Kuwait, Qatar, Singapore, Turkey, Tehran, Jafari (Shia), Gulf Region, and Moonsighting Committee.

2. Hadith Sourcing: Sahih & Hasan Only

Dhikr applies a strict hadith-authenticity filter: every displayed hadith is graded Sahih or Hasan. See the complete bibliography for the full list of 12 hadith collections and 4 editorial authorities Dhikr relies on. — never Da'if (weak), never Mawdu' (fabricated), never anonymous. Every hadith entry displays:

For the two Sahihs (Bukhari and Muslim), we follow their own authentication. For the four Sunan (Abu Dawud, Tirmidhi, Nasa'i, Ibn Majah) and other collections, we follow the gradings of Imam al-Albani in his Sahih and Da'if compilations, along with the critical work of Shu'ayb al-Arna'ut. Where gradings differ between classical critics, we follow the stricter grading; when in doubt, the hadith is excluded rather than included with an uncertain label.

3. Quran Text & Translation

The Arabic text is in the Uthmani script — the calligraphic mushaf standard codified during the caliphate of 'Uthman ibn 'Affan (may Allah be pleased with him) and preserved by Hafs 'an 'Asim, the Qira'at most widely used today.

The default English rendering aligns with Tafsir al-Muyassar, a public-domain commentary published by the King Fahd Complex in Medina. For verses with multi-scholar commentary (flagship verses), we consult:

4. Duas & Adhkar

Every dua on Dhikr has a source. Quranic duas are linked to their verse. Prophetic duas are linked to the hadith collection, number, and grade. We do not display "popular" duas whose sources cannot be traced. Primary references for the adhkar collections:

5. Hijri Calendar & Moon Sighting

For the UAE specifically: Ramadan, Eid al-Fitr, and Eid al-Adha dates follow the official UAE Moon Sighting Committee announcements, published by the government as they are sighted. For other Hijri dates across the year, Dhikr uses the Kuwaiti algorithm — a well-tested computational fallback that estimates the Islamic date based on the known lunar cycle. The Kuwaiti algorithm typically differs from astronomical sighting by at most one day.

6. Zakat Calculation

The Zakat calculator on Dhikr follows the classical fiqh positions on Nisab and the 2.5% rate. Live gold and silver prices come from public commodity APIs. The app does not claim to be a fatwa source — for specific zakat questions involving business inventory, retirement accounts, or non-standard asset classes, consult a qualified scholar. The calculator is a tool for the clear majority of cases; edge cases need human judgment.

7. Privacy & Data

Dhikr does not track users. Every feature that uses location (prayer times, Qibla) stores coordinates only in your browser's localStorage — they never leave your device. There is no account required for core features. There is no ad network, no analytics SDK that tracks individual users across sites, no data sales. See the full privacy policy for details.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is every hadith on Dhikr verified?
Yes. Every hadith on Dhikr carries a grade badge — Sahih or Hasan — and a full source citation (collection name, Kitab, hadith number). Dhikr does not display Da'if (weak) or Mawdu' (fabricated) narrations, even when popularly circulated. If a narration cannot be verified to at least Hasan grade by classical chains, it does not appear in the app.
How do you verify a hadith as Sahih or Hasan?
We rely on the gradings published in the canonical hadith books themselves (Sahih al-Bukhari, Sahih Muslim), and for the four Sunan (Abu Dawud, Tirmidhi, Nasa'i, Ibn Majah) we follow the gradings of Imam al-Albani and other major critics. Where gradings differ between scholars, we follow the stricter grading. When Sahih and Hasan gradings are unanimous, the badge displays accordingly.
Which tafsir (Quran commentary) does Dhikr use?
For Arabic commentary, Dhikr uses Tafsir al-Muyassar (King Fahd Complex edition). For English, we use al-Muyassar's paraphrase augmented by Tafsir al-Jalalayn in the public-domain editions. Flagship verses receive multi-scholar commentary from al-Tabari (d. 310 AH), al-Razi (d. 606 AH), al-Qurtubi (d. 671 AH), Ibn Kathir (d. 774 AH), Ibn al-Qayyim (d. 751 AH), and Ibn 'Ashur (d. 1393 AH) — the classical pillars.
Which translation of the Quran is used?
Dhikr displays Arabic in the Uthmani script (the calligraphic mushaf standard) and pairs each verse with English. The default English translation is the one aligned with Tafsir al-Muyassar. Readers can switch translations via the reader settings.
How are duas verified?
Every dua on Dhikr has an explicit source citation: the hadith collection, number, and grade. We only include duas that are found in Sahih or Hasan narrations. For duas from the Quran itself (like the duas of the Prophets in Surah al-A'raf, Yunus, al-Anbiya), the verse reference is shown directly.
Who are you? Who runs Bayt al-Hikmah?
Bayt al-Hikmah is an independent Islamic media and technology project based in Dubai, UAE. It is not affiliated with any government, school, or political organization. All content is built as sadaqah jariyah — ongoing charity — with no commercial motive. The person building it prefers to remain anonymous so the work can be judged on its quality, not on who made it.
How often is the content updated?
Prayer-time calculations update in real time from the AlAdhan API. Quran insights are published in batches as hand-curated research completes (see the internal coverage dashboard). Hadith linkages expand as the LK-Hadith-Corpus bilingual mapping progresses. Moon sighting for Ramadan and Eid follows the UAE Moon Sighting Committee's announcements as they're published.
Can I report an error or a missing source?
Yes — please do. Use the contact form and specify the page URL, the verse or hadith, and the issue. Every report is reviewed. If a claim cannot be backed to Sahih or Hasan level, it's removed — not rationalized.
Related
Complete Bibliography — 32+ sources cited About Bayt al-Hikmah Privacy Policy Report an Error Prayer Time Directory Quran Reader Hadith Reader