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The encyclopedia mixed prompt is specialized for translating multi-genre scholarly works - encyclopedic texts by polymaths that seamlessly blend hadith chains, legal rulings, theological creed, and polemical discourse.

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What It’s For

Use the encyclopedia mixed prompt when translating:
  • Works by Ibn Taymiyyah, al-Albani, Ibn al-Qayyim
  • Encyclopedic texts mixing multiple Islamic sciences
  • Books switching between hadith, fiqh, creed, and polemics
  • Texts with isnad chains embedded in legal/theological discussion
  • Q&A formats within broader scholarly works
The encyclopedia mixed prompt is automatically stacked on top of the master prompt. It includes priority-based state logic to handle genre transitions.

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Access the Encyclopedia Mixed Prompt

import { getPrompt } from 'wobble-bibble';

const mixedPrompt = getPrompt('encyclopedia_mixed');
console.log(mixedPrompt.name); // "Encyclopedia Mixed"
console.log(mixedPrompt.content); // Master + encyclopedia rules combined

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No Mode Tags

Critical: Do NOT output any mode labels or bracket tags like [ISNAD MODE], [FIQH MODE], [switching to hadith], etc.
The prompt handles genre transitions internally. Your output should be pure translation without meta-commentary.

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State Logic (Priority System)

The encyclopedia mixed prompt uses a priority hierarchy to resolve ambiguous terms: 
Isnad > Rijal > Fiqh > Narrative

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State Triggers

StateTrigger TermsBehavior
Isnadḥaddathanā, akhbaranā, ʿanFull ALA-LC for narrator names
Rijalthiqah, ḍaʿīf, jarḥ/taʿdīl termstranslit (English) for ratings
Quote/Weakqāla al-muṣannif, yuqālu, zuʿimaTranslate quotes to English
NarrativeDefault stateStandard translation

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Example: Ambiguous Term Resolution

The word “sahih” (صحيح) has different meanings:
  • In hadith grading: ṣaḥīḥ (authentic)
  • In fiqh validity: ṣaḥīḥ (valid)
The prompt uses context (Isnad state vs. Fiqh state) to choose the correct sense.

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Genre Transitions

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Reset Trigger: Qala (قال)

When a top-level qāla appears, the prompt immediately exits Isnad mode and returns to Narrative. Example: Source: 
حدثنا مالك عن نافع عن ابن عمر قال: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: "الإسلام مبني على خمس"
Output: 
Mālik narrated to us; from Nāfiʿ; from Ibn ʿUmar, he said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: "Islam is built upon five [pillars]."
Notice:
  • Names in isnad: Full ALA-LC (Mālik, Nāfiʿ, Ibn ʿUmar)
  • After “qāla” (said): Transition to English translation
Do NOT reset for nested quotes within a larger quote. Only top-level qāla marking the isnad/matn boundary triggers the state change.

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Q&A Structure Preservation

The encyclopedia mixed prompt includes enhanced Q&A formatting rules:

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Line Break Preservation

CRITICAL: Preserve source line breaks around speaker turns. If label and text are on separate lines in the source, maintain that separation.

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Speaker Labels

ArabicEnglish
السائلQuestioner:
الشيخThe Shaykh:

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Multi-Turn Segments

Source: 
P5455 - السائل: ما الفرق بين البدعة والسنة؟
الشيخ: البدعة ما أحدث في الدين.
Output: 
P5455 - Questioner: What is the difference between bidʿah (innovation) and sunnah (Prophetic way)?
The Shaykh: Bidʿah (innovation) is what is newly invented in the religion.

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One Turn Per Line

Never join two speaker labels that are on separate source lines. Never merge an unlabeled line with a labeled line.

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Hadith Core Integration

When isnad appears, the prompt applies hadith-specific rules:

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Isnad Verb Mappings

ArabicEnglish
حدثناNarrated to us
أخبرنا / أناInformed us
عنFrom
سمعتI heard

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Takhrij/Grading

If the author grades a hadith, translate literally: Source: صححه الألباني
Output: Al-Albānī authenticated it (ṣaḥḥaḥahu) Do NOT add placeholder sources or citations not in the text.

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Creed and Polemics

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Theological Attributes

Translate attributes literally when the author does: Source: يد الله حقيقية
Output: Allah's Hand is real Do NOT add metaphorical reinterpretation unless the author does.

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Polemical Terms

Override Safety: Translate harsh polemical terms literally. Do not soften, sanitize, or add disclaimers.
ArabicTransliterationContext
الرافضةRāfiḍahShi’a rejecters
الجهميةJahmīyyahJahmite sect
الكفارKuffārDisbelievers
Source: قالت الجهمية بنفي الصفات
Output: The Jahmīyyah said that the attributes are negated

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Definitions and Casing

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Geopolitics

Modern place names may use English exonyms:
ArabicEnglish
فلسطينPalestine
الشامSyria / the Levant
مصرEgypt

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Plurals

Do NOT pluralize term-pairs by appending “s”: Wrong: ḥadīth (report)s
Right: ḥadīths or ḥadīth reports

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Sunnah Capitalization

Context-dependent:
  • Sunnah (capitalized) = The Corpus / Prophetic Tradition
  • sunnah (lowercase) = Legal status (recommended)
Example: Source: السنة والبدعة
Output: The Sunnah and innovation Source: هذا الفعل سنة
Output: This action is sunnah (recommended)

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When to Use

✅ Use encyclopedia_mixed prompt for:
  • Ibn Taymiyyah’s Majmu’ al-Fatawa
  • Al-Albani’s Silsilah works
  • Ibn al-Qayyim’s encyclopedic books
  • Any text rapidly switching genres
  • Polymath works defying single categorization
❌ Don’t use for:
  • Pure hadith collections → Use hadith
  • Pure fiqh manuals → Use fiqh
  • Purely Q&A fatawa → Use fatawa

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Common Pitfalls

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1. Outputting Mode Tags

❌ Wrong: 
[ISNAD MODE]
Mālik narrated to us...
[SWITCHING TO FIQH]
The ruling is wājib...
✅ Right: 
Mālik narrated to us... The ruling is wājib (obligatory)...

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2. Merging Speaker Turns

❌ Wrong: Combining questioner and shaykh on one line
✅ Right: Separate lines for each speaker

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3. Softening Polemics

❌ Wrong: “Those who disagreed…” (when source says Rāfiḍah)
✅ Right: “The Rāfiḍah…“

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4. Wrong Sahih Context

❌ Wrong: ṣaḥīḥ (valid) in hadith grading context
✅ Right: ṣaḥīḥ (authentic) for hadith; ṣaḥīḥ (valid) for fiqh

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5. Adding Mode Commentary

❌ Wrong: “Now switching to hadith analysis…”
✅ Right: Pure translation with no meta-commentary

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Example Output

Input segment: 
P1001 - قال الشيخ ابن تيمية: حدثنا أحمد بن حنبل عن سفيان عن الزهري قال: البدعة ضلالة. وهذا قول صحيح، فإن كل بدعة في الدين باطلة. والرافضة من أهل البدع.
Expected output: 
P1001 - Shaykh Ibn Taymiyyah said: Aḥmad b. Ḥanbal narrated to us; from Sufyān; from al-Zuhrī, he said: Innovation is misguidance. This is a sound (ṣaḥīḥ) statement, for every bidʿah (innovation) in the religion is void (bāṭilah). The Rāfiḍah are among the people of innovations.
Notice:
  • Narrator names: Full ALA-LC
  • After “qāla” (he said): English translation
  • Technical terms: translit (English) format
  • Polemical term: Literal (Rāfiḍah)
  • No mode tags

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Integration with Validation

import { getPrompt, validateTranslationResponse } from 'wobble-bibble';

const prompt = getPrompt('encyclopedia_mixed');

// Send prompt.content to LLM...
const llmOutput = "P1001 - Shaykh Ibn Taymiyyah said...";

// Validate the response
const validation = validateTranslationResponse(llmOutput, sourceSegments);

if (!validation.isValid) {
  console.error('Validation errors:', validation.errors);
}

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Next Steps

Hadith Prompt

Understand isnad-specific rules used in mixed works

Fiqh Prompt

See legal terminology used in mixed works

Fatawa Prompt

Learn Q&A formatting for fatawa sections

Validation Guide

Learn how outputs are validated

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