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Citation standards
Every reference in an AI answer has been validated against a canonical corpus before you see it. Here is what that means, what format citations take, and what happens when one fails.
Why citation standards matter
Most Islamic AI tools generate citations from memory. The model learned from internet text that contains errors, misattributions, and invented hadith. When it produces a reference like “Sahih Bukhari 1234”, it has no mechanism to verify whether that number exists or whether the text it is citing matches what is actually recorded there.
We designed our citation system around a different constraint: the AI is not allowed to cite anything that is not in our corpus, and every citation it produces is checked against that corpus using exact lookups before the answer is shown to you. For a full explanation of how this fits into the broader pipeline, see how our AI works.
If a citation does not resolve to a real entry in our corpus, it is stripped from the answer. If no citations survive, the answer is withheld entirely and replaced with an abstention. There is no path to the user for an unverified claim.
Citation formats
All citations follow a consistent format across the app: the Quran reader, AI answers, dua pages, and the Hifz system all use the same reference format so you can always trace what you are reading.
Quran verses
Format: Quran X:Y where X is the surah number and Y is the ayah number.
Example
Quran 2:255
Ayat al-Kursi, Surah Al-Baqarah
What is validated
Surah number (1-114), ayah number within the surah, and that the verse text in the answer matches the stored text for that reference.
Hadith
Format: Collection Name XXXX where the number is the collection-specific hadith number.
Example
Sahih al-Bukhari 8
The hadith on the five pillars of Islam
What is validated
Collection name matches a stored collection, hadith number exists within that collection, and the grading is shown alongside the citation.
Grading shown in UI
Weak (daif) hadith are retrievable but labeled. Fabricated hadith are excluded from the corpus entirely.
Duas and supplications
Format: the source book and chapter reference. All duas in our corpus come from Hisnul Muslim (Fortress of the Muslim) or directly from Quranic text.
Example
Hisnul Muslim 246
The dua number refers to the supplication's entry in the scholar-reviewed edition we use.
Collections in our corpus
The following hadith collections are included. Each is stored with its full text, grading, narrator chain, and collection number.
- Sahih al-Bukhari
- The most widely accepted hadith collection. Approximately 7,563 hadith.
- Sahih Muslim
- Second most authoritative collection. Approximately 5,362 hadith.
- Sunan Abu Dawud
- Approximately 4,800 hadith, with particular depth in fiqh topics.
- Jami at-Tirmidhi
- Approximately 3,891 hadith. Includes Tirmidhi's own gradings alongside each narration.
- Sunan an-Nasa'i
- Approximately 5,662 hadith. Strict chain-of-transmission standards.
- Sunan Ibn Majah
- Approximately 4,341 hadith.
- Muwatta Malik
- The earliest written hadith collection, approximately 1,594 narrations.
- Al-Nawawi's 40 Hadith
- The foundational collection of core Islamic principles.
- 40 Hadith Qudsi
- Divine hadith narrated in the Prophet's words.
What happens when a citation fails
The citation validator runs after generation is complete and before anything is shown to you. For each reference in the answer it runs an exact lookup against the stored corpus. There are three outcomes:
Citation resolves
The reference exists in the corpus and the text matches. The citation appears in the answer with a tap-to-view source panel.
Partial validation (some citations fail)
Citations that fail are stripped from the answer. Any inline reference text that cited an unresolved source is also removed from the prose. The remaining answer is shown with only the validated citations. A notice indicates that some references were removed.
All citations fail
The answer is withheld entirely. You receive an abstention: “I don't have a reliable source for this - please consult a qualified scholar.” The generated text is discarded and never shown.
Reporting a citation error
If you believe a citation is incorrect - the reference exists but the text does not match the source, or the grading is wrong - please report it. We treat citation errors as high-priority bugs.
In the app, tap the citation badge on any answer and use the “Report citation” option. Online, email citations@quranislampro.com. You can also find common questions about citations answered on the FAQ page.
- citations@quranislampro.com
- Response time
- Within 5 business days. Confirmed citation errors are corrected in the next release.