Pishvayan-e Hedayat (Leaders of Guidance)

About Pishvayan-e Hedayat (Leaders of Guidance)

Introduction

The Ahl al-Bayt (Peace Be Upon Them) are the Ark of Salvation and the Divine Lights of Guidance, appointed — by the command of their Lord — to guide humanity after the departure of the Prophet ﷺ. Their luminous conduct maps the true path of life. Therefore, researching and examining the dimensions of their pure lives illuminates the authentic Islam and roots it deeply within the souls of humanity. Despite the grave challenges faced after the departure of the Noble Prophet ﷺ, the Ahl al-Bayt (Peace Be Upon Them) dedicated themselves to enlightening and guiding people along the path of the Prophetic Sunnah, drawing upon the pure teachings of the Islamic school to deepen understanding and insight within the Islamic Ummah.

The lives of the Infallible Imams (Peace Be Upon Them) — which are, in essence, a manifestation of the Prophet’s ﷺ conduct — were filled with jihad, patience, and enduring the harm of oppressors — to the extent that they preferred the honor of martyrdom over the humiliation of living with tyrants, and ultimately — after an unrelenting struggle — attained the meeting with the Divine.

In line with elucidating the lives and conduct of the Ahl al-Bayt (Peace Be Upon Them), the **Cultural Office of the World Assembly of Ahl al-Bayt (Peace Be Upon Them)** — between the years 1375 and 1380 AH — undertook the compilation of an encyclopedia titled: **"A’lam al-Hidayah, Guides of Guidance"**, through the efforts of a team of researchers specializing in biography and history. It presents the lives of the Fourteen Infallibles (Peace Be Upon Them) from educational, social, political, and cultural perspectives, using an innovative approach, and published across 14 independent yet harmonized volumes. This encyclopedia begins with the life of the Noble Prophet ﷺ and concludes with the conduct of the Last of the Successors, Imam Mahdi (may God hasten his reappearance), offering a detailed introduction to each member of the Ahl al-Bayt (Peace Be Upon Them), and elucidating their roles across social, cultural, and political spheres.

We pray that Almighty God — by His grace — may illuminate the universe with the light of His justice, and brighten the eyes of the awaiting with the radiant beauty of His light.

Software: "A’lam al-Hidayah"

This time, the **World Assembly of Ahl al-Bayt (Peace Be Upon Them)**, in cooperation with the **Center for Computer Research in Islamic Sciences**, takes another step toward fulfilling its mission — to present valuable Islamic works — by launching the software **"A’lam al-Hidayah: Guides of Guidance"**. We hope this software will be an effective step in elevating the scientific and religious level of users, especially those interested in studying the lives of the Fourteen Infallibles (Peace Be Upon Them). Below, we present the "Contents" and "Features" of this compact disc.

A — Program Contents:

The content of this software consists of the full text of two valuable books: **"A’lam al-Hidayah"** and **"Guides of Guidance"**, concerning the lives of the Fourteen Infallibles (Peace Be Upon Them), in both Arabic and Persian. It should be noted that researchers can — via the selective index provided in the software — conduct research across thousands of chapter titles and headings within the program’s books.

B — Program Features:

* Text Display

• Access to the full text and table of contents of all works available in the program.
• Ability to select hierarchical or selective tables of contents and link them to the text, with bidirectional synchronization between text and tables.
• Ability to select book title, volume, and page, along with the option to expand text and table views.
• Simultaneous comparison of two texts from one or two books.
• Restricting the scope of text and book tables to desired items.
• Ability to save each selected text or table independently for easy future access.

* Search

• Simple and advanced search within the program’s texts and book tables.
• Ability to save each performed search independently for easy future access.
• Restricting search scope to specific texts with advanced features.
• Dynamic and diverse indexing of words using general tags.

* Dictionary

• Full text of multiple editions of the dictionary, with access to word roots and derivatives.
• Linking program texts’ vocabulary to built-in dictionaries for easier comprehension of meanings.

* Active Research

• Linking texts and book tables with other program sections such as: Display, Search, Quran, Dictionary, or Bibliography.
• Ability to transfer selected text to clipboard or Microsoft Word environment.

* Bibliography or Book Index

• Access to useful information regarding the edition of books in the program.

* Note-Taking

• Ability to transfer desired text or table to the program’s notes section.
• Ability to save and edit transferred text within the notes page.
• Transfer text from notes section to Microsoft Word environment.

* Printing

• Print desired text or table by user, with multiple features.

* Help / Guide

• Access to useful explanations for better familiarity with the functions and features of different program sections.

* Research Features

• Indexing, annotation, highlighting, and tagging of texts for faster retrieval and recording of additional information related to program texts.
• User-manageable research tools.

* Peripheral Features

• Access to several common keyboard layouts and multiple display fonts for easier software use.
• Ability to specify save path for research with diverse features.
• Option to display or hide diacritics and headers in program texts.