An ontology based framework for Shariah sustenance in the west

Abstract

The efficient linking of endless bits of information has not led to truly mature communication, which connects the right to the right semantic place. This deficiency is further complicated by the continuous adaptability of information to each user's changing context, such as environment and objective. This phenomenon has caused greater complication within Islam, because Islamic discourses are often thousands of years old, and so have produced abundant unconnected information that lacks ontological connection. Each day the strain to link the scriptural text with everyday life is getting more difficult. Moreover, the pluralistic feature of Shariah makes it more convoluted to the lay people in the West. The framework proposed in this paper provides an automated hierarchical compilation of laws and commandments, both historical and contemporary, to develop an integral knowledge base for efficient representation and easy reasoning. Such representation and reasoning will remove the controversial shroud of Shariah by bringing transparency into the existing Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR). The novelty and efficiency of this knowledge base lies in a series of back end processing namely semantic text mining. This approach sort concepts, enriches the existing texts and creates greater relevancy of texts. The paper attempts to abridge three different areas. First it offers a brief overview of the Shariah life cycle. This foundation set the stage for the second area of identifying the macro scope of the integrated IT framework for Shariah. Finally, it dives deep into the logical architecture of the framework.