A user study on the experience of information seeking for Islamic and Quranic information on the Web

This research studies why and how users search for Islamic and Quranic information on the Web. It is to understand the information needs and search behaviour of online users seeking for this particular type of information. Thirty one interviews were given to various groups of online users regarding their reasons for searching on the Web and their search processes when acquiring Islamic, particularly those of Quranic-related, information on the Web. Interview data were transcribed and then analysed inductively to identify emergent themes using inductive content analysis. The data analysis focused on extracting common themes, patterns and concepts from the transcripts that were coded by categories that emerged as the process continued. The participants interviewed believe that the Web offers quick, free and easy access to their Islamic and Quranic information needs, as additional resource and/or alternative to printed resources, access to latest updates and publications, and to correct information on the Web. The main use of the information found on the Web was mainly for personal use, study/work use, and for sharing with others. The main search medium used was using favourite links, Google and other search engines, and also forums. The languages used to search are combinations of English, Arabic and other languages although English results were more common than other languages. There were easy and hard to find topics with Hadith as one of the common topics to search when it comes to Quranic search. The findings provide important insights on user's search experiences when seeking for Islamic and Quranic information. It can serve to give Web designers and content providers on what the users are actually searching for to better adjust their services according to the needs of end users.