Evidence Archive

Every answer has a source. Every source has a trail.

QuranTEL links every response to real verified source material — with full transparency about where it comes from and how it was checked.

How we keep answers traceable

Three steps. Every time.

This is how every answer on QuranTEL stays honest and traceable — no exceptions.

1

The source is checked.

Every source — the Qur'an text, a translation, a commentary — is reviewed and approved before it can appear in any answer. Sources that have not passed their review are not shown.

2

The answer shows where it comes from.

Every response includes the source it was drawn from. You can see the Qur'anic reference, who reviewed it, and whether it is a text, a translation, or an explanation.

3

The Qur'an, translation, and explanation stay separate.

Translation is not revelation. Commentary is not the text. Each layer is clearly labelled and cannot be silently merged. You always know what you are reading.

Source priority

Not all sources carry the same weight.

Every source has a priority level. That level is set by policy and cannot be overridden by search scores or any automated process.

Qur'an Text

The Arabic Qur'an as revealed. The highest priority source. Always shown separately from all other content, never merged with translation or commentary.

Checked for public use

Translation

Official English translations from trusted Islamic sources. Always labelled as translation — never presented as the Qur'anic text itself or as revelation.

Still being reviewed

Explanation & Commentary

Scholarly explanatory writing from approved sources. Always shown separately from the Qur'an text. Clearly labelled as commentary throughout.

Still being reviewed

Guidance Publications

Official guidance publications from approved scholarship. Ranked below primary sources in every case, with no exceptions in how they appear in responses.

Still being reviewed

Supporting References

Supporting scholarly works for context only. These cannot outrank primary sources in any response — ever, by design.

Still being reviewed

General Context

Background material used only when no higher-priority source applies. Cannot override any primary or secondary source.

Lowest priority
What source cards look like

Every answer shows a source card like these.

When you ask a question, the answer includes source cards showing where each piece of information was drawn from.

Qur'an text

Qur'an 2:286

The verse cited in this response. This is the primary source — the Qur'anic text itself, kept separate from any translation or explanation.

✓ Checked for public use

Translation

Translation shown

An approved English translation of the verse. Clearly labelled as a translation — not the revelation itself. Translation is never elevated to the status of the original text.

Still being reviewed

Explanation

Scholarly note

An explanatory note from an approved scholarly source, kept separate from the Qur'anic text and the translation. Commentary is never presented as the text itself.

Still being reviewed

For transparency

How sources are reviewed before use.

Every source passes through the same controlled steps. Nothing reaches the public until each one is complete.

Submission

A source is submitted with a title, origin description, and classification. Its integrity is confirmed at this point.

Record created

Every change to a source's status creates a record: who made it, when, what changed, and the reason. Nothing changes without a written record.

Source review

A named reviewer is assigned. They must issue an explicit approval or rejection — there is no automatic default pass.

Approved for use

Only sources that complete the full review are allowed through. Incomplete reviews do not pass — they do not bypass the gate.

Qur'an source: Checked and active Evidence search: Live AI responses: Evidence-bound, live Additional sources: Under review No fatwas: Always enforced
Technical reference: source labels and evidence structure

Authority tier — The priority rank assigned to a source. Determines how it appears relative to other sources in answers.

Source layer — The classification of a source: Qur'an text, translation, commentary, or supporting reference.

Provenance trail — The complete record of a source: origin, submission, review decision, and reviewer.

Evidence Preview — A preview card showing source metadata before a full evidence record is assembled.

Blocked result example — A source that exists in the system but has not yet passed its review. Shown openly rather than silently omitted.

All reviewed sources appear in answers with their source labels visible. Sources still being reviewed do not appear until their review is complete.

Common questions

How does the evidence system work?

What happens when a source is not yet ready?

When a source exists in the system but has not yet passed its review, QuranTEL shows this openly — the source is marked as still being reviewed rather than silently omitted.

Can the system change source priority?

No. Priority is fixed by policy and cannot be changed by any automated process. The Qur'an text always ranks first, without exception.

Who reviews the sources?

Sources are reviewed by named individuals. Each decision creates a timestamped record. Anonymous reviews are not accepted by the system.

Is commentary the same as the Qur'an?

Never. Translation is not revelation. Commentary is not the Qur'anic text. Every source is labelled with its actual layer and cannot be promoted above it.

What sources are searchable now?

Search is active across the approved primary Qur'an source. Additional source types — translations, commentary, and scholarly references — become available as each completes its own review. Every source must pass a full review before appearing in results. Ask a question now.