What's New
Track the latest additions, content expansions, and improvements to the Islamic Heritage Encyclopaedia.
Recent Updates
New Article: Ashura — The Tenth of Muharram
A comprehensive article covering one of Islam's most significant dates — from its pre-Islamic origins and the Prophet's fast commemorating Musa's deliverance, through the martyrdom of Imam Husayn at Karbala in 680 CE, to Sunni and Shia observances across the modern world.
New Articles: Six Mothers of the Believers
Six new articles completing the full set of eleven Mothers of the Believers — the wives of Prophet Muhammad. Covering Sawda bint Zam'a, Zaynab bint Khuzayma (Mother of the Poor), Zaynab bint Jahsh (married by divine command), Juwayriyya bint al-Harith, Umm Habiba (daughter of Abu Sufyan), and Maymuna bint al-Harith (the last wife).
New Feature: Collections
A new Collections section grouping articles by theme, family, achievement, or shared identity — complementing Eras (time-based) and Learning Paths (sequential). Launched with 8 curated collections including the Ten Promised Paradise, Mothers of the Believers, the Four Imams, and more.
- 8 initial collections: Ashara Mubashara, Ahl al-Bayt, Mothers of the Believers, Six Hadith Masters, Four Imams of Fiqh, Decisive Battles, Women in Islamic History, Great Mosques
- Browse page with type filters and collection cards
- Individual collection pages with article grids
- Collection badges on article pages showing membership
- Collections integrated into site search
New Articles: Completing the Ten Promised Paradise
Two new articles completing the full set of Ashara Mubashara — the ten companions promised Paradise. Abd al-Rahman ibn Awf (the great merchant and arbiter of the shura) and Sa'id ibn Zayd (son of the hanif Zayd ibn Amr, catalyst of Umar's conversion).
New Articles: Ertuğrul Ghazi and A.P.J. Abdul Kalam
Two new biographical articles covering figures from vastly different eras and geographies — Ertuğrul Ghazi, the thirteenth-century Turkmen tribal leader and patriarch of the Ottoman dynasty, and A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, India's eleventh president, missile scientist, and advocate for youth education.
New Articles: Five Rulers of South Asian and Central Asian Islam
Five major new biographical articles covering rulers who shaped Islamic history in South and Central Asia — from Mahmud of Ghazni's campaigns into India, through the Delhi Sultanate's founding figures, to the Mughal Empire's most controversial emperor.
Dark Mode, Accent Colors, and Font Switcher
Three new personalization features: dark/light mode toggle, accent color picker (5 presets), and typography switcher (4 font families). All preferences persist across sessions.
- Dark mode with moon/sun toggle in header
- 5 accent color presets: blue, green, purple, amber, teal
- 4 font options: System, Inter, Merriweather, Noto Serif
- Preferences saved in localStorage with anti-FOUC protection
New Page: Bibliography
A dedicated Bibliography page listing approximately 75 curated academic and primary sources used across the encyclopaedia, organized into six categories from Quranic studies to modern scholarship.
- 75+ sources in 6 categories
- Primary Islamic Sources, Classical Historiography, Biographical Dictionaries
- Modern Academic Sources, Reference Works, Specialized Studies
- Accessible from the footer navigation
New Learning Path: Women in Islam
A curated learning path featuring 16 articles on women who shaped Islamic history — from Khadijah bint Khuwaylid and Aisha bint Abu Bakr through medieval queens and scholars to Nana Asma'u of the Sokoto Caliphate.
- 16 articles spanning the Prophetic Era to the 19th century
- Covers scholars, warriors, queens, and mystics
- Includes Khadijah, Aisha, Fatimah, Nusaybah, Arwa al-Sulayhi, and more
Articles Page UI/UX Overhaul and Filter Enhancements
Major improvements to the Articles page: unified filter bar design with custom dropdowns for Type, Era, Tag (searchable autocomplete), and Sort By. Article cards now display era badges, date ranges with calendar icons, and capitalized type badges. Advanced Search inner border issue resolved.
Expanded Eras (14) and Article Categories (12)
The encyclopaedia now features 14 historical eras and 12 article types for more granular browsing. New eras include Medieval Islamic World, African Islamic Empires, and South Asian Islam. New types include science, theology, practice, movement, and text.
Glossary Expanded to 85 Terms
The glossary has grown from 22 to 85 entries covering Islamic theology, jurisprudence, architecture, worship practices, political terminology, and scholarly concepts — each with Arabic script, transliteration, and cross-references.
Complete References Standardization Across All 251 Articles
Every article now carries a fully standardized References and Further Reading section with four mandatory subsections: Primary Islamic Sources, Classical Islamic Sources, Academic and Scholarly Sources, and Further Reading.
New Article: Abd Allah ibn al-Zubayr — The Counter-Caliph of Mecca
A comprehensive new article on Abd Allah ibn al-Zubayr (624–692 CE), the first child born to the Muhajirun in Medina, grandson of Abu Bakr, and the counter-caliph who ruled from Mecca in opposition to the Umayyads for nearly a decade.
Islamic New Year: Muharram 1448 AH
The Islamic month display has been updated to reflect the beginning of Muharram 1448 AH, the first month of the new Islamic year and one of the four sacred months.
Benchmark Articles Expanded and Deepened
The five benchmark articles at the heart of the encyclopaedia — Prophet Muhammad, Abu Bakr, Aisha, Ali ibn Abi Talib, and Fatimah bint Muhammad — have been substantially expanded to encyclopaedic depth, alongside major expansions of the core Islamic texts, the Rashidun and Abbasid caliphates, and foundational events of early Islam.
Modern India Series: Five Muslim Statesmen and Scholars
New batch of articles covering significant Muslim figures in Indian history — scholars, politicians, and military leaders who shaped the subcontinent in the twentieth century, presented with strict historical neutrality and encyclopaedic depth.
33 New Articles: Scholars, Saints, Cities, and Civilisational Themes
A large batch spanning Islamic theology, jurisprudence, geography, biography, and civilisational history — from the great Imams of Islamic law to the cities of Bukhara and Samarkand, the Crusades, the fall of Granada, and key figures of the medieval and early modern Islamic world.
Prophetic Era Battles and al-Khwarizmi
Four pivotal battles of the Prophetic and early Islamic era have been added in depth — Uhud, Khandaq, and the Ridda Wars — alongside a full encyclopaedic article on al-Khwarizmi, the father of algebra, and the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah.
The Constitution of Medina
A detailed encyclopaedic article on the Constitution of Medina — one of the earliest written constitutional documents in history, establishing the framework of the first Muslim polity.
Hadith Sciences and the Four Schools of Law
A comprehensive batch covering the Six Canonical Hadith Collections and the founding Imams of the four major schools of Islamic jurisprudence — Hanafi, Maliki, Shafi'i, and Hanbali — alongside Islamic medicine, astronomy, and algebra.
Abbasid Scholarly Hub Expanded: Scholars and the Golden Age
A second Abbasid batch adding biographies of the era's foremost scholars — al-Ghazali, Ibn Sina, al-Kindi, al-Razi, Muhammad al-Bukhari, Jabir ibn Hayyan, Harun al-Rashid — alongside the founding of Baghdad, the Mutazilite school, the Battle of Karbala, and the city of Cordoba.
Empires, Dynasties, and Geography: 30+ New Articles
A sweeping batch covering the Ottoman, Timurid, Safavid, Ghaznavid, Samanid, Delhi Sultanate, Ayyubid, Mamluk, Mali, Songhai, and Seljuk empires; key rulers including Saladin, Suleiman the Magnificent, Tipu Sultan, Razia Sultana, and Shajarat al-Durr; major cities and mosques; and civilisational themes such as Islamic trade routes, Islamic architecture, and Islam in Africa.
Prophets, Women of Islam, and Core Theology: 40+ New Articles
Major expansion covering the Prophets of Islam, notable women in Islamic history, Islamic theological concepts, battles and conquests, and key figures of the early Islamic period.
Homepage Enhanced with Learning Paths and Discovery Features
Major homepage redesign featuring Islamic Month Highlight, Featured Discoveries, Learning Paths preview, and enhanced visual design.
- Islamic Month Highlight section
- Featured Discoveries with premium cards
- Learning Paths preview
- Enhanced hero section
- Glossary preview section
Abbasid Scholarly Hub: 15 New Articles
Comprehensive expansion of Abbasid Era content focusing on scholars, institutions, and intellectual achievements of the Islamic Golden Age.
Rashidun Era: 12 New Articles
Major expansion covering the four Rightly Guided Caliphs and key events of the early Islamic period.
Recently Added Articles
The most recent additions and updates to our encyclopaedia, sorted by last updated date.
Ashura: The Tenth of Muharram
Ashura is the tenth day of Muharram, the first month of the Islamic calendar. Sacred for its connection to Prophet Musa's deliverance and transformed by the martyrdom of Imam Husayn at Karbala in 680 CE, it is observed across all Islamic traditions.
Juwayriyya bint al-Harith: The Blessed Marriage
Juwayriyya bint al-Harith (c. 608-670 CE) was a wife of Prophet Muhammad whose marriage led to the liberation of her entire tribe, the Banu Mustaliq. Known for her beauty and profound devotion to dhikr, she is remembered as a great blessing to her people.
Maymuna bint al-Harith: The Last Wife of the Prophet
Maymuna bint al-Harith (c. 594-681 CE) was the last wife whom Prophet Muhammad married. Wed during the Umrah al-Qada in 629 CE, she was known for her piety, generosity, and family connections to the Hashemites. She lived the longest of the Prophet's wives.
Umm Habiba: The Daughter Who Chose Faith Over Family
Umm Habiba / Ramla bint Abi Sufyan (c. 594-666 CE) was a wife of Prophet Muhammad and daughter of the Quraysh leader Abu Sufyan. She chose Islam over her powerful family, emigrated to Abyssinia, and married the Prophet by proxy through the Negus.
Zaynab bint Jahsh: The One Married by Divine Command
Zaynab bint Jahsh (c. 590-641 CE) was a wife of Prophet Muhammad and his cousin, the only wife whose marriage was contracted by direct Quranic revelation. Her union abolished the pre-Islamic prohibition on marrying the ex-wife of an adopted son.
Zaynab bint Khuzayma: Mother of the Poor
Zaynab bint Khuzayma (d. 625 CE) was a wife of Prophet Muhammad known as 'Mother of the Poor' for her extraordinary generosity. She was married to the Prophet for only a few months before her death, making her the shortest-tenured Mother of the Believers.
Sawda bint Zam'a: The Compassionate Mother of the Believers
Sawda bint Zam'a (c. 590-674 CE) was the second wife of Prophet Muhammad, married after the death of Khadijah. An early convert who migrated to Abyssinia, she managed the Prophet's household in Medina and was known for her generosity, humor, and devotion.
Zakir Husain Khan: Educationist, Philosopher, and President of India
Dr. Zakir Husain Khan (1897–1969) was an educationist, philosopher, and statesman of independent India. A founder and Vice-Chancellor of Jamia Millia Islamia, Vice-Chancellor of Aligarh Muslim University, and the third President of India, he united Islamic humanism with modern democracy.
Umayyads of Cordoba
The Umayyads of Cordoba ruled Al-Andalus from 756 to 1031 CE, turning a distant province into one of medieval Europe's most sophisticated states. Founded by Abd al-Rahman I, survivor of the Abbasid massacre of his family, the dynasty produced the Caliphate of Cordoba before civil war.
Treaty of Hudaybiyyah
The Treaty of Hudaybiyyah (628 CE / 6 AH) was a ten-year truce between the Muslims of Medina and the Quraysh of Mecca. Though its terms seemed to favor the Quraysh and many companions opposed it, within two years it fueled the community's rapid growth and the near-bloodless entry into Mecca.
Standardization of the Quran under Uthman ibn Affan
The standardization of the Quran under Caliph Uthman (644–656 CE) was a defining act of early Islam. Undertaken around 650 CE to address regional differences in recitation, it produced the Uthmanic codex that became the basis for all later manuscripts used by Muslims worldwide.
Samarkand
Samarkand, one of Central Asia's oldest cities, was a major Silk Road hub, a center of early Islamic learning, and the capital of Timur's empire. Under the Timurid ruler Ulugh Beg it became a scientific capital, home to an observatory that produced the era's finest star catalog.
Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqas
Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqas (c. 595–674 CE) was one of the earliest converts to Islam and the commander who led the Muslims to victory at al-Qadisiyyah in 636 CE, breaking the Sassanian Empire and opening Iraq and Persia. He founded Kufa and stayed neutral in the First Fitna.
Rumi
Jalal al-Din Muhammad Rumi (1207–1273 CE) was a Persian poet, Islamic scholar, and Sufi teacher in Konya under Seljuk patronage. His Masnavi — six books and some 25,000 verses — is a landmark of Persian literature, and his Divan-e Shams remains among the most widely read verse anywhere.
Ridda Wars
The Ridda Wars (632–633 CE / 11–12 AH) were campaigns led by the first caliph Abu Bakr to suppress rebellions across Arabia after the Prophet's death, ranging from refusal of zakat to apostasy. Fought under commanders such as Khalid ibn al-Walid, they reunified Arabia under Medinan authority.
Prophet Joseph (Yusuf ibn Yaqub)
Known as Yusuf in Arabic, Joseph is one of the most beloved prophets in Islam, his story narrated fully in Surah Yusuf. His life exemplifies patience, forgiveness, and trust in Allah through trials of jealousy, slavery, false accusation, imprisonment, and ultimate triumph in Egypt.
Prophet Dhul-Kifl (Ezekiel)
Dhul-Kifl is a prophet mentioned in the Quran, traditionally identified with the biblical Ezekiel. Known for his patience, righteousness, and devotion to worship, he is praised in the Quran alongside other righteous prophets for his steadfastness in faith.
Predestination (Qadar) in Islam
Predestination (Qadar) is the sixth article of Islamic faith, encompassing divine foreknowledge, the divine decree, and the relationship between God's sovereignty and human responsibility. It drove major early theological debates, producing the Ash'ari and Maturidi Sunni schools.