| see below for contact form
I provide expert editing and review services for books requiring mastery of both Arabic and English, with specialized expertise in Islamic studies. As the author of published works on Modern Standard Arabic and Classical/Quranic Arabic, I bring rigorous linguistic precision to every project. My extensive background in academic Islamic studies—combined with deep engagement with Western theological scholarship—enables me to serve authors writing for both Muslim and non-Muslim audiences, from general readers to academic specialists.
Credentials at a Glance
- Quranic Expertise:Read the Quran over 120 times in Arabic (documented)
- Published Author:Multiple books on Arabic language learning and Islamic spirituality. Author of one of the highest-rated Arabic-learning books on Amazon.com.
- Hadith Scholarship:Developed novel information-theoretic hadith verification methodology
- Content Creation:1,000+ question-and-answer articles on Islamic law and practice.
- Technical Skills:12 years software engineering experience; 18 years with Adobe Creative Suite
- Academic Background:Eight years studying graduate-level Islamic studies and Western philosophical theology
- Community Impact:
- Founded and managed Islamic Art and Quotes (100,000+ readers, 2012-2020)
- Creator and manager of The Arabic Lexicon and The Hadith Transmitters Encyclopedia, two of the main resources used by Arabic and Islamic studies researchers.
Services Offered
Arabic-English Translation Review and Editing
I verify and refine translations requiring expert command of both languages. Growing up in Iraq with Arabic schooling and continuous exposure to Arabic media, supplemented by years of Islamic studies conducted in both Arabic and English in the United States, I handle everything from vocabulary verification to complex grammatical analysis.
My command of English—demonstrated throughout this website’s essays—comes from seventeen years as an avid reader of English literature, including extensive study of Victorian novels, poetry, and contemporary academic prose. I have particular familiarity with academic writing conventions, having spent eight years reading graduate-level monographs, paper collections, and published research in Islamic studies, Western philosophical theology, and metaphysics.
Islamic Content Review and Editing
I edit books dealing with Islam in any format: English-only, bilingual Arabic-English, works for Muslim audiences, works for Western non-Muslim readers, general-interest publications, or academic monographs.
My Editing Process
Ensuring Natural, Appropriate English
Drawing on my familiarity with both academic and literary works, I ensure the English flows naturally, with vocabulary and style matched to the work’s nature and intended audience.
Verifying Arabic-to-English Accuracy
I carefully compare Arabic text with English translation to verify accuracy at every level—words, phrases, and complete verses. For complex or controversial terms, I consult the best classical Arabic linguistic and tafsir works, considering the opinions of multiple respected scholars (sometimes five or more) to determine which meanings have the strongest support, providing references for these opinions.
Maintaining Interpretive Balance
I keep valid alternative meanings and interpretations by respected linguistic and tafsir scholars in mind to ensure moderate, sophisticated, and balanced treatment while respecting the translator’s own understanding and approach.
Achieving True Semantic Mapping
While dictionary-based translation of Quranic words may be technically “correct,” true translation transmits the meaning created in an Arabic speaker’s mind to an English speaker’s mind. This demands competent use of English to choose among myriad grammatical constructions and synonyms, selecting those that “map” most accurately to the Arabic meaning and impact.
Reviewing Commentary
Commentary comprises two elements: presenting facts and evidence, and the writer’s own analysis, opinions, and efforts to apply teachings to the translation’s focus area—whether linguistic accuracy, moderate Islam, or modern real-world applications.
For the analytical element, since it reflects the translator’s understanding and wisdom, I focus on improving clarity and literary style to ensure consistency and high standards appropriate to the intended audience (beginners to Islam, general readers, or fellow researchers and scholars).
For facts and evidence, I follow strict standards ensuring accuracy and appropriate linguistic style to reflect each statement’s level of certitude. Sometimes commentary language implies greater or lesser strength than a Western reader should understand; I correct such cases. I work to remove vagueness and enhance precision so readers know exactly what a statement or opinion means.
Additionally, I consider the legal (fiqhi) and theological implications of translation and commentary, noting where these may diverge from widely accepted opinions or where language might unintentionally imply positions outside mainstream acceptance.
Areas of Specialized Expertise
The Quran
Having read the Quran over 120 times in Arabic, I maintain intimate familiarity with its recitation and interpretation. I can identify and correct recitation errors immediately and bring exceptionally sharp critical judgment to any translation or interpretation. Much of the strength, power, and emotion of the Quranic text is lost in English translation—even by skilled translators—often due to insufficient command of English language and literature needed to arrange the best English approximations and add appropriate poetic power to the verses.
Hadith
My intensive hadith research culminated in developing a completely new information-theoretic hadith verification method that converts classical source knowledge into useful numeric probabilities. My academic training enables me to verify isnāds (chains of transmitters)—a highly difficult task—and rank hadiths from more to less trustworthy, even comparing authentic hadiths and ranking them by strength. I have read the major hadith collections and understand their meaning along with their legal and theological implications.
Fiqh / Islamic Law and Practice
I possess comprehensive familiarity with current and historical issues in Islamic law (fiqh), covering everything from prayer basics to laws of marriage and contracts. I have written 1,000 question-and-answer articles on this website, most addressing legal questions and questions of practice, always citing authoritative classical and modern sources and scholars, while also answering personal questions on the spiritual and practical challenges of practicing Islam in a Western context in a humane, moderate, empathetic way.
Kalām / Theology
My focus lies primarily in Quranic theology and Western academic theology rather than traditional kalām, but this comparative perspective enables me to evaluate theological claims against both classical sources and contemporary scholarship. Thanks to my knowledge of the Quran and hadith combined with Western academic theology, I can critique opinions on Islamic theological issues—for example, immediately determining whether a particular theological claim has Quranic support or whether a classical opinion has been refuted by others or by modern proofs.
Islamic Spirituality
Since 2012, I have studied some of the finest Islamic spiritual scholars and sages, including Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah. I have published books making their best insights available to Western readers: The Sayings of Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah, The Sayings of Ibn al-Jawzi, The Way of the Spiritual Muslim, and 365 Islamic Quotes.
I created and managed the Islamic Art and Quotes page on Tumblr (over 100,000 readers), providing inspiring Islamic spiritual content and artistic works to English-speaking Muslims from 2013 to 2020.
Works on Interfaith Dialog and Study
Living and working across the Middle East (Iran, Iraq, and the United Arab Emirates) and the United States, I possess deep familiarity with the cultures and ways of life in both regions.
Years of continuous contact with Western readers of my articles, essays, and books, along with engagement with Western social media users (especially on Reddit), have given me extensive experience with the challenges of Muslim-Western dialog. This has deepened my exposure to modern Western views and attitudes while teaching me the most effective ways to articulate Islamic beliefs and Muslim worldviews to non-Muslim audiences without compromising theological precision.
Technical Capabilities
As a senior software engineer with twelve years of experience, I have access to all commonly used editing and publishing software. Additionally, I implement unique programmatic and scripting solutions that dramatically reduce time and cost for certain projects. These solutions—implemented at no additional cost where beneficial—are typically available only to the largest publishers, as they require dedicated programmers and system administrators.
Software Expertise:
- Adobe Creative Suite (InDesign, InCopy, Photoshop, Illustrator) – 18 years professional experience
- Programmatic modification of InDesign files using scripting to implement time-saving solutions for large-scale projects
- Microsoft Word and advanced Track Changes implementation
- Node.js V8 JavaScript engine for automation (example: generated over 1,000 print-grade Arabic calligraphic images in hours, eliminating over a month of manual work)
- Linux-based PHP with native DOMDocument parser and bash-sed-awk processing
- Custom virtual machines to modify documents using original software, ensuring optimal compatibility
Policies & Ethical Standards
Editorial Transparency
All modifications are carried out through Microsoft Word’s Track Changes feature (or equivalent agreed-upon software), making every change explicitly identifiable. No modifications to manuscript form or content occur without explicit disclosure to the author.
Disclosure of Project Context
Authors must disclose in writing prior to service commencement if the work is: (1) commissioned or sponsored by a third party, corporation, government entity, or organization; (2) intended primarily for internal organizational distribution rather than general publication; or (3) part of a broader commercial campaign or institutional requirement differing from standard authorship.
Ethical Standards & Content Policy
I reserve the right to decline or terminate projects violating these standards:
- Islamic Ethical Standards:Works must not conflict with fundamental Islamic values or contain polemical attacks against specific groups
- No Sectarian Proselytization:Works intended solely to convert readers to a specific sect are not accepted; scholarly works describing diverse groups are permitted
- Originality:I do not provide ghostwriting services. I act as a developmental partner, but the author must originate the content
- Quality Control:Commercial ventures based on scraped internet content or plagiarism are strictly prohibited
Affirmation of Author’s Rights of Expression
For works assuming the validity of non-Islamic views and practices (such as Christianity), apart from requiring factual accuracy and fair treatment of Islam, I place no obligation to treat Islam as equal to such systems and spiritual paths. The author’s freedom of thought and conscience are affirmed, with no requirement to express support for any Islamic beliefs or views.
Intellectual Property and Confidentiality
Copyright: All copyright and ownership remain with the author. I claim no ownership over the manuscript.
Confidentiality: I agree not to disclose, share, or distribute the manuscript or any project-related communications to third parties without the author’s written consent.
For inquiries about services, rates, and availability, please email me at contact@hawramani.com, or use the form below.