Knowledge Retrieval and Semantic Systems

Ontology of Weak Narrators; An Exploration of the Reasons for Their Weakening

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

Farahnaz Afzali Ghadi 1
Fariborz Khosravi 2

1 Assistant Professor, Research Group of Islamic and Iranian Studies Resources and Manuscripts, National Library and Archives of I.R. of Iran, Tehran, Iran

2 Retired Associate Professor, Department of Knowledge and Information Science, National Library and Archives of I.R. of Iran, Tehran, Iran

https://doi.org/10.22054/jks.2024.79493.1645
Abstract
Introduction

Ontologies offer a structured framework for information sharing across various systems and fields. This framework facilitates data integration from diverse sources, enabling accurate searches based on semantic relationships between concepts. Additionally, ontologies allow for analysis and logical inference from datasets, improving information retrieval speed and accuracy in various scientific disciplines, including the humanities and Islamic studies. This research explores the creation of an ontology for weak narrators in the field of Hadith studies, specifically focusing on the book "Ma'refah al-Hadith" by Mohammad Bagher Behboodi, which examines the conditions of 150 weak narrators. By structuring and analyzing the information on these narrators, the ontology aims to facilitate faster and more efficient analysis of the "Causes of narrators' weakness."

Literature Review

Several research efforts have explored the design and application of ontologies in various disciplines. These studies include:

The necessity of creating an ontology of jurisprudence to manage jurisprudential information in the digital space (Hasanzadeh, 2018)

2.       Basmaleh Ontology, a Window for Creating an Ontology of Qur'anic Studies (Hasanzadeh, 2021)

A network approach in the interpretation of the Qur'an as an infrastructure to achieve the ontology of the Qur'an (Vaseti, 2023)
Semantic Hadith: An ontology-driven knowledge graph for the hadith corpus(Binte Kamran. 2023)
Creation of Arabic Ontology for Hadith Science(Abdelkader, 2021)
Quran Intelligent Ontology Construction Approach Using Association Rules Mining(Harrag, 2013)
Arabic Ontology for Hadith texts - A survey(Muhammed. 2024)
Building Hadith Ontology to Support the Authenticity of Isnad (Baraka.2014)

These studies demonstrate the benefits of ontologies in facilitating faster and more intelligent information retrieval across various fields.

Methodology

The research method is content analysis using Protege software version 5.5.0. The steps of forming OWL ontologies according to the features of the Protégé software are as follows:

Identify concepts, extract them, and document them to create terms.
Place these terms in the form of main and sub-classes as well as examples or members in the respective views in the software.
Create relationships (attributes) between classes and examples and between these terms and values.
Evaluate the quality and effectiveness of the ontology and its ability to support knowledge representation.

Results

The initial data collection involved identifying two main classes in the Protégé software: "Hadith Narrators" and "Invalidation words". Under the "Hadith Narrators" class, the names of the 150 weak narrators were included. The "Invalidation words" class encompasses terms used by Hadith scholars and various expressions indicating the weakness of narrators. Sample sentences from Hadith scholars were placed as examples under each subclass. Object properties were then employed to establish connections between these classes and the specific narrators exhibiting the identified weaknesses. These object properties linked the sayings of renowned Hadith scholars such as Sheikh Tusi, Ayyashi, Allameh Majlesi, and others, to the relevant narrators.

Discussion

Analysis of the collected data revealed diverse reasons for the weakening of Hadith narrators. Some terms point to the "weakness of the narrator and their character," including instances of deviant beliefs, affiliation with questionable sects, or the presence of negative personality traits that could potentially compromise the reliability of their narrations. Additionally, other terms may signify the "weakness of the hadith itself" narrated by a particular individual. The ontology construction process identified 107 terms representing concepts related to the weaknesses of narrators. Subsequently, 645 examples were incorporated into the Protégé software, all derived from the text of the book and the statements of Hadith scholars.

Conclusion

Ontologies provide a valuable platform within the semantic web, enabling machines to understand and process information in a more intelligent and nuanced manner. Their role in facilitating data sharing and information retrieval across diverse systems is crucial. By creating a structured framework for integrating data from various sources, ontologies empower researchers to conduct more precise searches based on semantic relationships. Furthermore, they enable analysis and logical inference from datasets, ultimately enhancing knowledge sharing within a specific domain. This research contributes to the field of Hadith studies by proposing an ontology for weak narrators. The ontology explores the words of established scholars and analyzes their statements regarding the weaknesses of 150 narrators in "Ma'rifa al-Hadith" by Mohammad Bagher Behboodi. Through this analysis, as many as 107 words or concepts indicating the weakening of the narrators and the number of 645 samples were obtained and by creating an ontology through the two classes "Hadith Narrators" and "Invalidation words" in the Protégé software, a meaningful connection was established between them. This engineered knowledge base facilitates efficient access to information regarding narrator weaknesses and will lead to the collection of extensive information in the field of hadith and the investigation of the causes of the weakening of the narrators, which will provide the basis for wider and deeper research.

Keywords

Ontology
Science of Hadith
Semantic Web
Weak Narrator
Weakening
Subjects
References
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