Current page
Book, volume, page and text accompany your question. Turn the page; context follows.
NewSide agent·Core
Read and research with AI beside your book
A conversation beside the book, already connected to the page you’re reading. Ask questions, check sources and continue your research in Shamela.
Ask about the page you’re reading
Selected text
Highlight a passage. It appears above the composer, ready for your next question.
Search terms
In a search tab, your search terms accompany the current page and your question.
Separate chats
Each tab keeps its own chat. Switch books or searches, then come back to your question.
Read sources and browse the web inside Shamela
Open the books an answer cites, and check websites in a browser tab, without leaving the page you’re reading.
Book references
Open cited pages in Shamela. A reference to the book you are reading opens in the same reader.
Built-in browser
Open web tabs, search or type an address, and revisit earlier pages as you read on.
Web grounding
Find supporting material with Web, then open each link to check the source yourself.
Trusted sites
Open Dar al-Ifta and other trusted sites from the start page, or browse the full list of sites.
Choose which books the agent searches
The page you’re reading stays as context. You choose where the agent looks for evidence.
This book
Search within the book you’re reading.
Whole library
Search across your installed Maktabah Shamela.
Custom scope
Choose specific books, authors, categories or an era.
Find past conversations by book
Each conversation is saved with its book. Search by title or book name, and reopen a chat to continue.
This book
See conversations associated with the book currently open.
All books
Browse your Side agent conversations across the library.
Adjust the Side agent to suit your reading
Position and width
Resize it beside your book, or move it to the other side for every open book.
AI and attachments
Choose the AI model and effort level, and attach files or images to give more context.
Intelligent UI
Choose Off, Light or Balanced visual detail for answers, set apart from the main chat.
Selected-text quoting
Keep highlighted text for the next question, remove a single quote, or turn quoting off.
FAQ
What context does the Side agent receive?
It receives the current book, volume, page and available page text. Selected text accompanies your next question, and a search tab also supplies your search terms. This does not automatically include the entire book or every search result.
Can I search beyond the book I’m reading?
Yes. Choose This book, Whole library or a custom scope of books, authors, categories and an era. The current page remains part of your question’s context when you change the search scope.
Can I check sources without leaving Shamela?
Yes. Book references open in Shamela, and web links can open in the Side agent’s built-in browser. You can keep several web tabs open and return to the chat.
Can I use a project and continue in the main chat?
Yes. You can assign the conversation to a project, then choose “Continue in Shamela Agent” to move it to the main chat. Its history, scope and project are retained, and the Side agent starts fresh.
How do I find an earlier conversation?
Open History and choose This book for conversations associated with the current book, or All books for Side agent conversations across the library. Search by conversation title or book name, then open the chat to continue.