Preamble
This document governs compensation for all book-length projects commissioned by Aqliyyat Research Institute. It supplements the Institute's Article Compensation Policy and follows the same foundational principles: a base rate of $20–$25 per hour for a seminary-trained scholar with Arabic competency, fair and transparent payment structures, and clear accountability measures.
Four project types fall under this policy: the sharḥ, the matn, the critical translation, and the monograph. Each type carries its own production model, difficulty framework, payment structure, and milestone schedule, as detailed below.
All projects are governed by a formal agreement signed before work begins. Compensation figures represent good-faith estimates for a nascent institution and are subject to revision in future policy cycles. Scholars are engaged as independent contractors unless otherwise specified.
Overview of Project Types
A sustained commentary on an existing classical or modern text.
- ◈Model — researcher-writer only
- ◈Difficulty — Moderate (fixed)
- ◈Length — 300–500 pages
- ◈Payment — hybrid: stipend + bonus
An original pedagogical text in Arabic for seminary curricula.
- ◈Model — researcher-writer only
- ◈Difficulty — classified by mission
- ◈Length — under 100 pages
- ◈Payment — flat fee, 4 milestones
A classical Arabic text rendered into English with introduction and apparatus.
- ◈Model — researcher-writer only
- ◈Difficulty — flat (no tiering)
- ◈Length — tiered by Arabic source
- ◈Payment — flat fee or hybrid by tier
An original book-length scholarly argument, starting where articles end.
- ◈Model — researcher-writer or writing-only
- ◈Difficulty — Moderate or Advanced
- ◈Length — 50+ pages, no upper bound
- ◈Payment — hybrid: stipend + bonus
General Principles
Two production models govern book-length projects. In the researcher-writer model, one person conducts all research and produces the manuscript. In the writing-only model, the Institute provides a research dossier and the scholar's primary labor is compositional. Most book-length project types use the researcher-writer model exclusively; the monograph may use either.
Difficulty levels—where applicable—follow the same Simple, Moderate, and Advanced designations established in the Article Compensation Policy, with adjustments noted for each project type below. Not all book types use this framework; some substitute their own classification logic.
All payment models are hybrid where projects exceed a certain length or duration: a monthly stipend provides financial continuity while milestone checkpoints ensure accountability. For shorter or fixed-scope projects, flat fees with phased milestone payments are used instead.
Ongoing Obligations and Project Continuity
All book-length projects require weekly meetings with the Director throughout the duration of the project. These meetings are not optional. The Director may require ongoing deliverables to be submitted in connection with these meetings, the specific nature of which will be governed by internal operational guidelines established separately from this policy.
Milestones, as described for each project type below, are formal accountability markers tied to the payment record. They are not the sole means of oversight. The combination of weekly meetings, ongoing deliverables, and formal milestones constitutes the Institute's oversight structure for book-length projects.
Sharḥ (Commentary)
A sharḥ is a sustained commentary on an existing classical or modern text. It is always produced by a single researcher-writer. All sharḥ projects are classified at Moderate difficulty. A completed sharḥ typically runs between 300 and 500 pages and requires one to two years to produce.
Payment follows a hybrid model: a continuous monthly stipend throughout the project, with five milestone checkpoints serving as accountability markers. Milestones do not trigger payment releases; the stipend runs uninterrupted provided the scholar remains in good standing under Section Three above.
4.1 Milestones
- Outline and introduction submitted and approved
- First third of the commentary delivered
- Second third of the commentary delivered
- Complete draft delivered
- Final accepted manuscript submitted
4.2 Compensation
| Language | Monthly Stipend | Completion Bonus |
|---|---|---|
| English Sharḥ | $1,000 / month | At Director's discretion |
| Arabic Sharḥ | $1,200 / month | At Director's discretion |
A completion bonus may be awarded upon formal acceptance of the final manuscript, at the Director's discretion. The Director's assessment of quality, timeliness, and scholarly contribution informs the decision.
Matn (Pedagogical Text)
A matn is an original pedagogical text in Arabic, under 100 pages, designed for use in seminary curricula. It is always produced by a single researcher-writer and is always composed in Arabic. The difficulty framework used for other project types does not apply here; instead, matns are classified by their pedagogical mission.
A contextualizing matn reframes existing classical material for a modern or post-modern student. A gap-filling matn addresses an absence in the curriculum where no adequate existing text serves the need. The latter demands more original constructive work and is compensated accordingly.
Payment follows a flat project fee disbursed across four milestone payments of 25% each.
5.1 Milestones
- Outline and pedagogical framework submitted and approved 25%
- First half of the draft delivered 25%
- Complete draft delivered 25%
- Final accepted manuscript submitted 25%
5.2 Compensation
| Type | Flat Project Fee |
|---|---|
| Contextualizing Matn | $500–$2,000 |
| Gap-Filling Matn | $750–$3,000 |
Critical Translation
A critical translation renders a classical Arabic text into English and includes a scholarly introduction, footnotes or endnotes, and a critical apparatus where relevant. It is always produced by a single researcher-writer. There is no difficulty tiering for this project type; all critical translations are treated as equivalent in scholarly demand. Tiers are instead determined by the length of the Arabic source text.
Translation labor is estimated at two to three hours per page of Arabic source text, in addition to the time required for the introduction, annotation, and critical apparatus.
Short and medium translations use a flat project fee with four milestone payments of 25% each. Long translations use a hybrid stipend-and-bonus model with five checkpoints.
6.1 Milestones — Short and Medium
- Introduction and outline submitted and approved 25%
- First half of the translation delivered 25%
- Complete draft delivered 25%
- Final accepted manuscript submitted 25%
6.2 Milestones — Long
- Outline and introduction submitted and approved
- First third of the translation delivered
- Second third of the translation delivered
- Complete draft delivered
- Final accepted manuscript submitted
6.3 Compensation
| Tier | Arabic Source Length | Rate | Payment Model |
|---|---|---|---|
| Short | 20–50 pages | $500–$1,500 | Flat fee, 4 milestones |
| Medium | 50–150 pages | $1,500–$3,000 | Flat fee, 4 milestones |
| Long | 150+ pages | $1,000–$1,200/mo + bonus at Director's discretion | Hybrid, 5 checkpoints |
Monograph
A monograph is an original book-length scholarly argument. It begins where article-length work ends—approximately 50 pages—and has no upper bound; length is determined by what the argument requires. Both the researcher-writer and the writing-only production models may apply. In the researcher-writer model, the scholar conducts all research and produces the manuscript; compensation sits at the upper end of each range. In the writing-only model, the Institute provides a research dossier; compensation sits at the lower end.
Monographs do not admit a Simple difficulty classification. The demands of book-length original argumentation preclude it. Two levels apply:
- —Moderate — projects that synthesize existing scholarship with a clear argumentative thesis. The territory is charted; the contribution lies in the argument, not the excavation.
- —Advanced — projects that break new ground, engage primary sources extensively across multiple languages, or intervene in live academic debates. The contribution cannot be derived from synthesizing what others have said.
All monographs use a hybrid payment model: a continuous monthly stipend with five milestone checkpoints and a completion bonus upon acceptance of the final manuscript.
7.1 Milestones
- Outline, thesis statement, and chapter plan submitted and approved
- First third of the draft delivered
- Second third of the draft delivered
- Complete draft delivered
- Final accepted manuscript submitted
7.2 Compensation
| Difficulty | Short (50–150 pp) | Long (150+ pp) |
|---|---|---|
| Moderate | $800–$1,000/mo Bonus based on quality, at Director's discretion |
$1,000–$1,200/mo Bonus based on quality, at Director's discretion |
| Advanced | $1,000–$1,200/mo Bonus based on quality, at Director's discretion |
$1,200–$1,500/mo Bonus based on quality, at Director's discretion |
A completion bonus may be awarded upon formal acceptance of the final manuscript, at the Director's discretion based on quality of work. In the writing-only model, the applicable stipend figure is toward the lower end of the stated range. In the researcher-writer model, the full intellectual and labor investment is reflected at the upper end.
7.3 Difficulty Classification
The Director determines the difficulty level and length tier when issuing the brief. Where a project sits at the boundary between tiers or difficulty levels, the Director will state the classification and the reasoning in the brief. Contributors may raise questions about classification before accepting the assignment; they may not contest it after the fact.
Amendments
This policy may be amended by the Director at any time. Amendments take effect for new project agreements upon adoption and do not alter the terms of agreements already in force. Scholars will be notified of any changes that affect project types relevant to their active engagements.
These rates reflect the Institute's capacity in its founding phase. As the Institute grows and its financial position develops, compensation ranges will be reviewed and adjusted upward accordingly. Contributors will be notified of any rate changes before new projects are commissioned at revised rates. Rate changes do not apply retroactively to projects already under agreement.