Minimal
Less on screen, nothing taken away. The top toolbar is gone, and its tools sit as icons in one sidebar, named as you point at them.
NewModern UI·Core
A simpler interface for Maktabah Shamela
Search, read and organise your books in one window, with every tool in a single sidebar. Same library, fewer steps, and you can switch back to Classic anytime.
What changes in Modern
Less effort
Every task takes fewer steps. One click opens a book, one drag (or ⇧) picks many, another files them into a folder.
Kept together
Books sit inside their folders, not in a column below. Control panel and notes are one canvas each, so your eyes stay put.
Customizable
Drag sections into your own order and pin the ones you use most. Put the sidebar on any edge and pick a layout for each of your screens.
Every screen, before and after
Drag the line to compare the same screen in both.
A search box and the books you opened last, in place of a picture.
A book and its search results side by side, with one sidebar in place of the top toolbar.
The same search tools, in one calm window.
Open a book in one click, or drag to pick a whole set for your search. No footer button.
Your books and favourites on one canvas, not three boxes stacked top to bottom.
Every author, book, century and section in one encyclopedia layout.
Texts and scanned copies to download, each on its own tab.
And the rest of Shamela
Book card
A book’s details slide out beside the list.
Notes
Folders and notes in one tree, with the note open beside it.
Narrator panel
A narrator’s entry and narrations in a drawer over the book.
Quran
The mushaf with its own search, in the layout you pick.
Saved sessions
Saved work sessions and search results, one tab each.
Options
Every setting in one window. Each change saves itself.
Switching back to Classic
Modern reads the same library, so your books and notes stay put. Choose Classic from the sidebar menu or Settings, and Shamela opens as it was.
How to get started
Open Settings
In Shamela Agent’s General settings, find Maktabah Shamela interface near the top.
Choose Modern
Pick Modern, then Open Modern. Shamela redraws itself with the same books open.
Arrange it your way
In Options, pick a layout for Search, the Quran and Notes, and where the sidebar sits.
Switch back anytime
Choose Classic from the menu at the foot of the sidebar, or from Settings › General at any time.
FAQ
Will I lose anything from my current Shamela?
No. Modern opens the same library and database as Classic, so your books, notes, favourites and saved sessions all stay where they are.
Does Modern download the books again?
No. You install only Shamela Agent, not the tens of gigabytes of books, so it’s ready right away. Modern opens the books already in your Maktabah Shamela, so Shamela needs to be installed first.
Is any tool removed?
No. Every Shamela tool is still there. Only the layout and icons change.
Can I go back to Classic?
Yes, anytime, from the menu at the foot of the sidebar or Shamela Agent’s Settings. Classic stays exactly as it was.
Is there a dark mode?
Yes. In Shamela Agent’s Settings, set the Maktabah Shamela theme to Light, Dark or System, which follows Shamela Agent.
Explore more
Use Modern UI in Maktabah Shamela
It opens the Shamela library already on your computer, with every tool in place.
Maktabah Shamela 4 (free) · Apple silicon Mac or Windows 10/11 · Claude or ChatGPT account or API key for AI