Question 1

What sources does Qaf use?

Accepted Answer

Qaf answers from books in the Shamela library (Al-Maktaba Al-Shamela): more than 8,000 classical Islamic books by around 3,000 authors, about 8 million pages in total. The texts are provided by the developers behind Turath.io. The library includes: Collections of Qur’an commentaries such as Tafsir al-Tabari, Tafsir Ibn Kathir and Tafsir al-Qurtubi. Hadith collections such as Sahih al-Bukhari, Sahih Muslim, Muwatta Malik and the Sunan of Abu Dawud, al-Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah and al-Nasa’i. Collections of hadith commentaries such as Fath al-Bari by Ibn Hajar and al-Nawawi’s Sharh Sahih Muslim. Fiqh from the four Sunni schools such as Bada’i’ al-Sana’i’ (Hanafi), Mawahib al-Jalil (Maliki), al-Majmu’ (Shafi’i) and al-Mughni (Hanbali). Prophetic biography such as Ibn Hisham’s al-Sirah al-Nabawiyyah and Ibn al-Qayyim’s Zad al-Ma’ad. Browse the full list of books and authors. When you open a Qur’an verse reference, its Arabic text comes from the Quran Foundation, and so does the English translation in the English interface. We plan to add more sources over time, insha’Allah. Related Does Qaf use Sunni sources? Can I see the sources behind an answer?

Question 2

Does Qaf use Sunni sources?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Qaf draws on the Shamela library, a Sunni-oriented library with books from the four Sunni madhhabs. A madhhab is a school of Islamic jurisprudence. The catalogue has dedicated fiqh categories for each school: Hanafi, Maliki, Shafi’i, and Hanbali. Fiqh means Islamic jurisprudence, the study of Islamic legal rulings. To study a particular madhhab, ask Qaf to focus on it. With Pro or Max, you can also save this preference in Custom instructions, found in Settings under Personalization. Browse the full list of books and authors. Related What sources does Qaf use? How does Qaf represent madhhabs, disagreement, and preferred opinions? Can I see the sources behind an answer?

Question 3

Can I see the sources behind an answer?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Each part of the answer has a citation shown as a grey chip with a book’s name. Select it to read the source passage. These steps work on the website and in the Qaf app. Open and check a passage Select the grey chip with the book’s name to see the book, author and original Arabic passage. If you use Qaf in a language other than Arabic, select the translation icon for an AI translation of the passage. Select the return-arrow icon that replaces it to restore the Arabic text. Select Continue Reading to open the book at the cited page in the Turath.io reader. Read the surrounding text to check the context. If the source passage or book will not open, email us at contact@qaf.ai. See the books Qaf searched Select the line above the answer, such as Searched 12 sources, to open the list of books Qaf searched. The number counts books, not citations in the answer. Related What sources does Qaf use? How does Qaf verify hadith, quotations, and citations? Can Qaf hallucinate?

Question 4

How does Qaf verify hadith, quotations, and citations?

Accepted Answer

Qaf helps you check quotations through source passages and an AI-generated Hadith view. A hadith is a report of the words, actions, or approvals of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). Qaf is instructed to cite the passages it uses. Select a book-name citation to open the passage and check it against the answer. Select a highlighted hadith quotation to open the Hadith view. The view shows: The Arabic text and a translation. A grade: Authentic, Good, Weak, Fabricated, or Unknown. The narrators who passed on the report, when available. An explanation of the hadith under Explanation. The collections that record it under Sources. An alternative narration under Other Narration, when available. Unknown means Qaf could not establish a grade. Select a collection name that is a link to open the reference on Sunnah.com. The Hadith view is generated by AI from the sources, so check the collection reference before relying on a grade. Related Can I see the sources behind an answer? Can Qaf hallucinate? What sources does Qaf use?

Question 5

Can Qaf hallucinate?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Qaf can hallucinate: AI can produce an answer that sounds convincing but contains invented or unsupported details. Qaf is instructed to answer only from the passages it finds and to cite each one. This design makes Qaf less likely to invent an answer than a chatbot that answers from its training data. Mistakes can still happen: A citation may not fully support the sentence beside it. The AI may misread a passage. A hadith grade may be wrong. It’s recommended to open the citations and read the passages yourself. If the passage does not support the answer, ask Qaf to explain the difference. Related Can I see the sources behind an answer? How does Qaf verify hadith, quotations, and citations? How is Qaf different from ChatGPT?

Question 6

Can I use Qaf for fatwas?

Accepted Answer

Qaf gives information from published Islamic sources; it does not issue fatwas. For a ruling on your own situation, ask a qualified scholar. A fatwa is a ruling that a qualified scholar gives for one person’s situation. Before answering, the scholar asks about the details that can change the ruling, such as your exact words, your intention, a contract or your health. AI cannot do this, so a fatwa needs a scholar who understands you and your circumstances. What Qaf gives you instead What scholars wrote: Qaf searches the Shamela library and cites the passages it uses. Each view, side by side: when scholars differ, Qaf presents each view and its reasoning. No opinion of its own: Qaf does not tell you which view to follow. When you ask about your own situation When Qaf detects that the answer depends on your personal circumstances, it shows this notice above the answer: Qaf is a research tool. For fatwas, consult a scholar The notice may not appear every time. Qaf still shows what its research found, so you can read the positions scholars hold. Use Qaf to prepare Research the question in Qaf before you ask a scholar. Then bring the passages Qaf cited and describe your circumstances in full. Classical scholars drew the same line. Ibn al-Qayyim wrote that a mufti may not rule that someone broke an oath until he has asked about their state of mind and intention (I’lam al-Muwaqqi’in, volume 6, page 92). Related How does Qaf represent madhhabs, disagreement, and preferred opinions? Can I see the sources behind an answer?

Question 7

How does Qaf represent madhhabs, disagreement, and preferred opinions?

Accepted Answer

Qaf does not give an opinion. It presents the information in the books it searches and leaves the judgement to you. Most sources agree: Qaf says it is the majority opinion, then highlights the other opinions and their reasoning where relevant. Scholars are divided: Qaf presents the main views, who holds each one and their reasoning, without deciding between them. The madhhabs differ: Qaf sets out the positions of the four Sunni madhhabs when the differences matter. A madhhab is a school of Islamic jurisprudence. To focus on one school, ask a follow-up. For example, ask, “What is the Hanafi view on this question?” Related Does Qaf use Sunni sources? Can I see the sources behind an answer? Can I use Qaf for fatwas?

Question 8

What AI models do you use?

Accepted Answer

Qaf uses a mix of large language models, which write and translate text, and ranking models, which order search results. Currently: Google’s Gemini writes the answers from the books Qaf searches. OpenAI’s GPT models handle conversation titles, passage translations, and hadith details. Cohere’s reranking model orders search results by relevance before the answer model reads them. We change the mix as better models become available. Related How does Qaf work? Can Qaf hallucinate? How is Qaf different from ChatGPT?

Answers & sources

Need to get in touch? Email us through