Question about quoting five short Qur'an passages from Quran.com in a free app
Mohanad Gouda
Assalamu alaikum,
My name is Mohanad Gouda. I am an independent developer in Germany, and I have built Ketabuk, a free app that helps Muslims reflect on their days: the good habits they keep, the mistakes they want to leave behind, and their return to Allah after them. It has no ads, no purchases and no account, and everything a user writes stays on their own phone. It is in testing on Google Play, and I am preparing the iPhone version. Website: https://ketabuk.app
The app shows a few short Qur'an passages, in Arabic and in English, each with its reference, copied exactly as they appear on Quran.com. The English is the Saheeh International translation, and the app's About screen credits it: "Qur'an verses are quoted in the Saheeh International translation, as published on Quran.com." The passages are:
- Al-Baqarah 2:222 (part of the verse)
- An-Nisa 4:27-28
- Ar-Ra'd 13:28 (part of the verse)
- Az-Zumar 39:54 (part of the verse)
- Al-'Alaq 96:1
Nothing in the wording is changed; where only part of a verse is shown, this is marked with "...".
I have two questions:
- May I use these passages, the Arabic text and the Saheeh International English as shown on Quran.com, in the app with that credit? If you would like the credit worded differently, placed next to each passage, or with a link to Quran.com, I will gladly do so.
- If permission for the English translation has to come from its publisher rather than from Quran.com, could you tell me whom I should contact?
I am asking because Apple asks developers to confirm that they have the rights to any third-party content before an app is published, and I want that answer to be true. Thank you for the work you do on Quran.com; it made checking every verse against its source possible.
Jazakum Allahu khayran,
Mohanad Gouda
Ketabuk
Quran.com Feedback Team
Assalamu alaikum,
Jazakum Allahu khayran for reaching out and for your efforts to help Muslims connect with the Quran.
Regarding your request, the Saheeh International translation may be subject to separate copyright and licensing requirements. We recommend obtaining permission directly from the translation's rights holder before using it in your app.
We will also share your inquiry with our team for further clarification regarding the use of Quranic text and attribution requirements.
May Allah bless your efforts and grant you success with Ketabuk.
Quran.com Feedback Team