Privacy Policy

Al-Qalam Library (“Al-Qalam”, “we”, “us”) is a non-profit digital library of classical Islamic texts. This policy explains what information we handle when you use our website at alqalamlib.com, our Android app, and our Windows app, why we handle it, and the choices you have.

The library is operated by Al-Qalam Library, based in Canada. You can reach us at contact@alqalamlib.com.

1. Information stored only on your device

The apps and the website keep the following on your device. It is not sent to us:

• books you save for offline reading;
• your reading position, open books and reader preferences;
• your language, theme and display settings;
• a copy of the public book catalogue, so you can search it with no connection.

Uninstalling an app, or clearing its storage, removes this information. On Windows, the uninstaller may offer to keep it.

2. Information we receive

2.1 When you use the library without an account

• Anonymous installation identifier. When the app or website is first opened, it creates a random identifier and sends it with requests to our servers. It is not derived from your device, it is not an advertising identifier, and it does not contain your name, email or any other information about you. It exists so that features such as reading progress can be tied to one installation.
• Error reports. If something breaks, the app sends us a report containing the error message, the technical trace of where it happened, the page’s path (never your search terms), the platform (website, Android or Windows), the app version, and a general browser and operating-system name (for example “Chrome on Android”). Reports are not linked to an account and do not include your IP address.
• Book view counts. Opening a book adds one to that book’s public view count. We keep only the total, not who viewed it.

2.2 When you contact us

The contact form, which includes copyright takedown requests, asks for your name, email address, the type of request, an optional book reference, and your message. We store the message so we can respond, and we forward a copy to our inbox through our email delivery provider (see section 4). We use your email address only to reply to you.

2.3 When you sign in (website and Windows app only)

Signing in is optional and is available on the website and in the Windows app. It is not available in the Android app. If you sign in with Google, we receive from Google your email address, your name, your Google account identifier, and whether your email address is verified. With an account we also store:

• a profile description, if you write one;
• your reading lists;
• a copy of your reading session (for example which books are open and where you are in them), so you can continue on another device;
• articles you write, and articles you like;
• sign-in tokens that keep you signed in. We store these in hashed form.

For security, our server logs record that a sign-in happened, identified by an internal account number only. Logs do not contain your name or email address.

2.4 Information processed automatically

• IP address. Like any website, our servers and our network provider receive your IP address when you connect. We use it briefly to protect the service from abuse (rate limiting) and to avoid counting repeated views of the same book. These counters expire after minutes and are not linked to your identity.
• Website analytics. The website uses Cloudflare Web Analytics to count page visits in aggregate. It does not use cookies or build a profile of you. The Android and Windows apps do not use it.

3. How we use information

• to provide the library, including search, reading, offline saving and, if you have an account, syncing between your devices;
• to respond to your messages, including copyright and takedown requests;
• to find and fix errors;
• to keep the service secure and protect it from abuse;
• to understand overall use of the website in aggregate.

We do not use your information for advertising, and we do not make automated decisions about you.

Where the law requires a legal basis: we process account information to provide the service you signed up for; error reports, security measures and aggregate analytics are based on our legitimate interest in running a reliable, secure library; and messages you send are processed to respond to your request.

4. Who we share information with

We do not sell or rent your information. We share it only with the service providers that run the library for us, and only as far as each needs:

We may also disclose information if required by law, or if necessary to protect the rights or safety of our users or others.

5. Cookies and local storage

The website sets cookies only when you sign in, to keep you signed in. We do not use advertising or tracking cookies. The apps and the website use your device’s local storage for the information described in section 1.

6. How long we keep information

• Account information is kept until you delete your account.
• Contact messages are kept for 2 years from when you send them, then deleted.
• Error reports are deleted 90 days after the error was last seen.
• Server logs are kept for 30 days.
• Rate-limiting counters expire after a few minutes.

7. Your choices and rights

• Delete your account from your account settings on the website. This permanently deletes your account, reading lists, synced reading session, likes, sign-in tokens and unpublished articles. If you have published articles, you can choose to delete them too or leave them published. Articles you leave published keep your display name as their author, or the author name already on the article if you never set one. Your email address is never shown.
• Remove information from your device by deleting saved books in the app, clearing the app’s storage, or uninstalling it.
• Ask us to access, correct or delete information we hold about you, including contact messages, by emailing contact@alqalamlib.com. We will respond within 30 days.

Depending on where you live, you may have further rights under your local law, such as the right to object to or restrict certain processing, and to data portability. If you are not satisfied with our response, you can complain to the privacy or data protection authority where you live — in Canada, the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada.

8. Children

The library is not directed at children under 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from them. If you believe a child has given us personal information, contact us and we will delete it.

9. Security

All connections to our servers are encrypted with HTTPS. Sign-in tokens are stored in hashed form, and access to our servers and database is restricted to the library’s administrators. No method of transmission or storage is completely secure, but we work to protect your information.

10. International transfers

Al-Qalam Library is based in Canada, and our servers are located in Germany. Some of our service providers, such as Cloudflare, Google and Resend, may process information in other countries, including the United States. Information held in another country may be accessible to that country’s courts and authorities under its laws. We use contracts and the providers’ own safeguards to protect it wherever it is processed.

11. Changes to this policy

If we change this policy, we will update the effective date above. If a change significantly affects how we handle your information, we will make that clear on the website and in the apps.

12. Contact

Questions about this policy or your information: contact@alqalamlib.com.