These apps will guide us through Ramadan

Dubai - Muslim Pro'. And Doa & Zikr - Hisnul Muslim' are popular apps designed to help Muslims properly practice their religion

Ask any smartphone user today, and they will tell you that there is an app for everything.
From apps that track the progress of your overseas deliveries, to those which tell you about the best places to grab a quick snack during an afternoon break, the observation seems to ring true. It should also come as no surprise that there are a number of apps specifically designed to help Muslims around the world properly practice their religion.
Many of the apps have been around for quite some time, and their popularity with users, especially the Muslim youth, has only increased over the years, particularly during auspicious occasions such as Ramadan and Haj. When users were asked about the apps that they mostly use on an almost daily basis, a few favourites quickly emerged.
Farah Mahmood, a Dubai resident, was quick to point to 'Muslim Pro'. "It has everything from duas, to azaan, to Quran, English/Arabic transliterations, recitations, Qibla direction, tasbeeh, zakat calculations, and the Islamic calendar. All of this, and it works without wifi," she said.
Recognised by more than 25 million Muslims around the world as the most accurate prayer time and azaan application, Muslim Pro also features a map of halal restaurants and mosques. Another popular app that readers often used several times in a day is 'Doa & Zikr - Hisnul Muslim'. An easy-to-use app, based on the popular Hisnul Muslim book by Sheikh Sa'id Ibn Wahf Al-Qahtaani, it contains authentic duas and zikr for day-to-day activities and occasions. Some of the topics in the app include duas to be recited when waking up, when wearing clothes and undressing, entering and leaving a toilet, performing ablution and prayer, going to the mosque, and when seeking guidance in making a decision.
"It's a great app," Abha Hameed, an engineer who regularly uses the app, noted. "I've been using it for a while now; can't remember when I started exactly, but it's definitely been more than five years. I use it for the morning/evening adhkar, isthikarah dua, and pretty much all the supplications like before going to sleep, before going out, during thunderstorms, and before entering the washroom. Honestly, I even have the adhkar memorised thanks to the app."
Another app that has emerged as a favourite amongst users is 'ShareTheMeal'. "It's an app by the United Nations World Food Programme that allows you to contribute towards someone's meal," explains Dubai resident, Dana Ahmad. Since Ramadan is the time for charitable activities, she feels that the app is perfect for the occasion.
The app allows you to help children wherever you are and whenever you wish, whether you're enjoying dinner with your friends or during your lunch break at work. It costs $0.50 to feed one hungry child for a day, and users can track the progress of their donation, as well as see the impact of where their meals are distributed.
rohma@khaleejtimees.com

• UAE
• Ramadan 2021