About

IlmGate is an Internet-based resource site seeking to provide both a scholarly and lay readership with authoritative, traditional writings on various Islamic disciplines. It comprises articles written about the faith by those who practice, and are thus best suited to accurately represent the faith. Included are both originally written pieces and edited excerpts, by writers both past and present, aimed at both the Muslim and the non-Muslim, both the advanced and the uninitiated, reader.

Philosophy

The editors of IlmGate feel that all people, especially Muslims, should use the Internet purposively, employing it primarily as a resource for useful information and only sparingly as a means for the free and direct exchange of thought. This latter is indeed essential to the progress of humanity, but best achieved through other means. In keeping with this view, IlmGate focuses on the content of its articles. It is therefore not a forum, nor a social networking site, and therefore does not allow public comments on its pieces. The editors do, however, welcome private constructive feedback on anything pertaining to the content and presentation of the site. Please send all such comments via the Contact Us page.

Contribution

Those interested in contributing may first send either a proposal or completed article to the editors for review. Upon approval, the final submission will be edited by the editorial staff before appearing on the Web site. The editorial staff will do everything it can to preserve the author’s voice and opinion but reserves the right to make any such changes as are required to improve the language and style and meet space restrictions.

Style Guide

IlmGate is primarily using the IJMES (International Journal of Middle Eastern Studies) transliteration and style guide for Arabic and Persian/Urdu. However, IlmGate does employ the “h” in place of the “tā marbūṭah” when editing or authoring new articles. Articles that are left unedited and published as-is may not employ the IJMES transliteration system.

A = Arabic, P = Persian/Urdu

	A	P		A	P		A	P
ء	ʾ	ʾ	ز	z	z	ك	k	k or g
ب	b	b	ژ	—	zh
پ	—	p	س	s	s
ت	t	t	ش	sh	sh	گ	—	g
ث	th	s	ص	ṣ	ṣ	ل	l	l
ج	j	j	ض	ḍ	ż	م	m	m
چ	—	ch	ط	ṭ	ṭ	ن	n	n
ح	ḥ	ḥ	ظ	ẓ	ẓ	ه	h	h
خ	kh	kh	ع	ʿ	ʿ	و	w	v or u
د	d	d	غ	gh	gh	ي	y	y
ذ	dh	z	ف	f	f	ة	a2
ر	r	r	ق	q	q	لا	3

Vowels

Arabic and Persian/Urdu

Long  ا    or	ای	ā
	و	ū
	ي	ī
Doubled	ّي-ِ	iyy (final form ī)
	ّ و-ُ	uww (final form ū)
Diphthongs	وَ	au or aw
	یَ	ai or ay
Short	-َ	a
	-ُ	u
	-ِ	i