# Hidayah OS

> A privacy-hardened Islamic Linux distribution, built on Debian 13 "Trixie" live images.

## What is Hidayah OS?
Hidayah OS is a free, open-source Linux distribution built for Muslim users who want a private, Islamic-integrated computing environment. It is built reproducibly from the Hidayah-os-making build kit, entirely on free Kaggle compute.

## Key Facts
- Based on: Debian 13 "Trixie" (official Debian live ISOs)
- Current version: 1.0 "Nur"
- Editions: XFCE (recommended, lightweight) and KDE Plasma 6 (modern desktop)
- Installer: Calamares with Hidayah branding
- License: GPL-3.0
- Download sizes: XFCE 4.3 GB / KDE 4.6 GB
- Website: https://hidayahos.gitlab.io
- GitLab: https://gitlab.com/hidayahos/Hidayah-os-making

## Islamic Integration Features
- Hidayah Prayer Times: real astronomical calculation (praytimes.org algorithm; MWL, Karachi, ISNA, Egypt, Makkah methods), desktop notifications, gentle athan chime, preconfigured location editable via /etc/hidayah/prayer-config.json
- Hidayah Current Ayah Viewer: 20 curated ayahs (Arabic + English translation) rotating via notifications and the Conky panel, fully offline
- Hidayah Khal Wrapper: Hijri/Gregorian terminal calendar (khal) fed daily by the Hijri daemon
- Conky Desktop Widget: real-time prayer times, Hijri date, system metrics and rotating ayahs

## 6-Layer Sovereign Shield
Layer 1 — Sovereign Shield DNS: local filter on 127.0.0.1:53 (hidayah-dnsd) blocks blocklisted domains with NXDOMAIN answers; upstreams Quad9 (DNSSEC-validating)
Layer 2 — Daily Blocklist Refresh: hidayah-update-blocklist.timer refreshes the Hagezi blocklist daily; offline seed list ships on the ISO
Layer 3 — DNS Hijack Prevention: resolv.conf pinned to the filter (NetworkManager dns=none, systemd-resolved masked)
Layer 4 — Hardened Kernel Settings: hardening sysctls (99-hidayah-hardening.conf) and kernel module blacklists (hidayah-blacklist.conf)
Layer 5 — Polkit-Protected Toggle: shield on/off/focus requires administrator authentication (pkexec, auth_admin_keep)
Layer 6 — Prayer-Time Focus Mode: optional social-media blocklist during prayers, automatic off after 15 minutes

## Editions Comparison
XFCE Edition:
- Best for: daily drivers and older hardware
- Desktop: Xfce on Debian 13
- Key tools: Xfce session, LightDM, Sovereign Shield, all Islamic daemons, Calamares installer

KDE Plasma Edition:
- Best for: users wanting a modern, visually polished desktop
- Desktop: KDE Plasma 6 on Debian 13
- Key apps: KDE core apps (Dolphin, Konsole, Okular, Ark, Spectacle, KCalc), Firefox ESR, LibreOffice, HidayahEmeraldGold theming, Calamares installer

## Who is this for?
- Muslim Linux users wanting halal-by-default computing
- Privacy-conscious users who distrust mainstream OS telemetry
- Parents wanting a filtered desktop for children
- Islamic schools and institutions needing a vetted Linux environment
- Anyone searching for: Islamic Linux, Muslim Linux, halal Linux, Islamic OS, privacy Linux Islam

## Download & Verification
Available at: https://hidayahos.gitlab.io/#download
Official release: https://gitlab.com/hidayahos/Hidayah-os-making/-/releases/v1.0-nur
SHA-256 checksums published for both editions
Verification commands included for Linux, macOS, and Windows

## Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Is it free?
A: Yes, completely free and open source under GPL-3.0.

Q: Can I install it alongside Windows?
A: Yes, the Calamares installer supports dual boot.