Review of The Alim published in Islamic Horizons

Islamic Horizons

The Alim, CD-ROM in English with Arabic Quran ISL Software…..Sugg. Ret. $149.95 (often available for $99).

If there really was a ranking of Islamic software for “usefulness” to the English speaking Muslim, The Alim probably would live up to its claim- or at least come very close. The feature-packed Version 4.5 on CD-ROM is the latest update of one of the first Quranic computer programs’ ever. It combines more Quran, Hadith, Fiqh and other Islamic texts than ever-with the fastest, most powerful search-engine of any program of its type.

With regard to Quranic knowledge, The Alim offers the entire Arabic text (which can be cut and pasted to other programs) and recitation (can be listened to by verse, or continuously). It brings English translations of Yusuf Ali and M. Pickthall, and it includes Maududi’s surah introductions and Yusuf Ali’s commentary.

In the Hadith category, The Alim is also strong. It offers-in English translation and fully searchable-Sahih Al-Bukhari hadith and Subjects, Sahih Muslim Hadith (abridged), Al-Muwatta Hadith and Subjects, Al-Trimidhi Hadith, Sunan of Abu-Dawood, Hadith Qudsi and the Prophet’s Last Khutba (pbuh).

The Alim also includes Biographies of the Companions of the Prophet (pbuh), and Islamic Terms Dictionary. But the final gem in this star-studded product is the inclusion of Fiqh-us-Sunnah, the ready-reference of every day Islamic jurisprudence.

There are other Quran and Hadith computer programs available, each with its own strenghts. But, the distinguishing characteristic of The Alim, in addition to its speed, is the fact that all of its texts-Quran, Hadith, Fiqh, etc.-can be searched for topics simultaneously. Other programs require loading separate drivers for separate texts, while some even require purchasing separate disks.

The Alim’s drawback is that all searching must be done in English. Older versions of the program included Quran searching in Arabic, but that feature has yet to be added to the CD.