Our team strives to ensure that articles published by Thinkbites abide by our values as an organization. We are happy to publish views from a variety of perspectives if they are:

• Accessible: We prefer minimal jargon, and we ask that advanced terms or concepts be defined or briefly explained. Authors may provide links to external resources that can help readers get a better understanding.
• Actionable: Articles should highlight at least one specific actionable element that can be implemented by the reader. This could include practical advice or a new way to think about a subject. The role of the individual as it relates to multi-faceted systemic issues should be identified without diminishing the significance of other factors.
• Accommodating: Authors should be considerate of people with varying degrees of Islamic knowledge and practice. We request that all topics be handled with compassion, and that topics related to mental health specifically are approached with consideration for the readers’ potential vulnerabilities.
• Authenticated: Generalizations about what people do or should do must be substantiated with evidence from the relevant authorities. External sources are not necessary for all articles but are highly recommended.

Articles that aim to encourage readers toward action could benefit from referencing our three-level model for encouraging action:

1. What: Expressing what should be done.
2. Why: Explaining why it should be done.
3. Why Not: Exploring why some struggle to do it.

The first level is stating what the reader should do (e.g. Pray). The second level is providing justification for the action (e.g. To enter Paradise). The third level is exploring some of the reasons why the action may be difficult to do for some people, and how those challenges can be overcome. Our goal of challenging the mental, emotional, and spirituals barriers to growth entails that we try to reach the third level when we are encouraging action.