Which one is the best? That was the question we asked ourselves while scrolling the endless list of Quran apps on the App Store.
We had in mind a relatively detailed description of the Quran app we wanted. Nothing fancy nor complicated, certainly not a unicorn. Just an app with some basic features: Read, Recite, Study and eventually Memorize verses of the Quran.
Little did we know that instead of just searching the App Store for a Quran app that would meet our (simple) needs, we were, in fact, on a quest. The apps we tested offered many features, too much we would say, but never those we were interested in or cared about. Even the highest-rated apps did not succeed in meeting our expectations.
As we couldn’t find, in all that plethora and spectrum, the right Quran app for us, we decided to make our own. We called it Alkoran, and you can find it here.
The beginning
Starting wasn’t complicated. Since we intended the app, which we were about to make, for ourselves, the use cases were straightforward:
- Open the Quran at a random verse (just like we would with an actual paper book).
- Have immediate access (if needed) to the explanation(s) of the verse at hand.
- Read/recite (possibly) all of a Quran chapter on one page (no page turn involved, not to disrupt the reading flow).
- Have immediate access to a verse (without going to the chapter containing this verse first, then scroll to where the verse is).
- Be notified if ever we stay away from the Quran for too long.
- Learn how to recite the Quran and articulate its words.
- Memorize verses of the Quran.
- Search the Quran from a word or a sentence.
- Bookmark a verse.
After developing a prototype, we started showing it around and noticed how interested people were. Even people who didn’t read Arabic expressed interest in having an app like this. So we added some use cases for non-Arabic speakers and decided to take the prototype to the next level. The rest is history.
About design and aesthetics
In the beginning, we didn’t have a clear picture of what the app will resemble. But from the start, we made a bold statement. We wanted a design based on Islamic Arts, yet with a modern fit and finish. A design inspired by the sumptuous Quran manuscripts of The Islamic Golden Age, yet aligned with modern design principles. In short, a design that combines tradition and modernity to form a cohesive and harmonious whole.
If we wanted it to be successful, we had to apply this design strategy across the entire app, from the launch screen to screens that users seldom consult, from Quranic texts to standard UI elements.
It was a hell of a task, especially knowing that no one before us managed to develop such a design. Many have tried, but no one has succeeded. We were in uncharted territory.
We started from scratch, studying both past master artisans and present artists and designers, trying to take inspiration from their work. It was a long and challenging endeavor, but it paid off. The resulted design was sleek and beautiful, and at the same time, familiar and straightforward. It took its roots from the glorious arts of the past and at the same time checked every single case of modern design best practices. It exceeded all our expectations.
From the launch screen, designed by two renowned artists at the top of their craft…
…to screens displaying the Quranic text…
…the design was elegant and sophisticated yet surprisingly unobtrusive. There were no visual interruptions nor distractions. Every tiny detail was serving one purpose and one purpose only: elevating ALLAH’s words. We put all our energy and focus into that purpose.
For instance, we refined the typography to make it possible to differentiate the letters from their diacritics. Going to such extreme lengths allowed us to apply colors to letters and their diacritics separately.
Such technological breakthroughs and also many tiny details, like the fonts and colors we chose or the spacing and framing we applied, not only improved the readability of the sacred text tremendously but was also profoundly pleasing to the eye.
About user experience
User experience (UX) has been a critical focus throughout the app development. We put our best thinking and years of experience in software engineering at the user’s service by eliminating the complexity and noise that may affect his experience.
The result is an application that feels so natural, so intuitive, that it will instantly appear familiar to the people who will use it. They will know how to use it without thought. Its use will seem obvious to them because this is how they have always expected a Quran app would work.
At first launch, the app asks if the user is an Arabic speaker or not. The answer to this question enables the app to create an experience tailored to the user’s needs and context.
For instance, the app can display a Quran chapter in two different ways. Vertically on a single page …
…or horizontally verse by verse.
Both ways serve different purposes. Presenting a Quran chapter on a single page is suitable for recitation. On the other hand, displaying a chapter verse by verse gives access (without breaking the reading flow) to many features related to the focused verse and is therefore ideal for study.
Displaying a Quran chapter on a single page has no utility to a non-Arabic speaker. Thus he will not encounter this feature at any moment in his experience within the app. But if he wants to pronounce the words of ALLAH, he can still do it by reading the transcription available on the verse by verse view.
Reducing options and choices to the essential makes the app easy to understand and builds a better user experience.
All of this becomes relevant when the user holds the app in hand.
About the features
Here are some of the features derived from the use cases described earlier.
Open the Quran on a random verse
If you want to talk to ALLAH, then pray, and if you wish ALLAH to speak to you, then read the Quran. So opening the book on a random page is our way to search for ALLAH guidance. Thus that feature was essential for us. But we did not find a Quran app that implemented it. So we did it in our app.
Having access to a verse’s explanation (Tafsir)
This feature was available in some Quran apps, but its use was inconvenient. We had to interrupt the reading flow whenever we wanted to understand/study the verse in question. In our app, we did it differently. The Tafseer is always available whenever we need it, without disrupting the reading flow in any way.
Display all a Quran chapter on a single page
Some of our acquaintances asked for this feature, so we implemented it. However, we made it so that if the user wanted to access a particular verse of the chapter at hand, he could.
Having immediate access to a verse
The traditional way to access a verse whose location we know beforehand is to open the chapter containing it and then browse it until we reach the desired verse. In our app, we’ve made it more straightforward than that.
Enhancing our pronunciation of ALLAH’s words
In our app, we have chosen as reciter Jazza Al Swaileh whose slow and clear style is perfect for learning to pronounce ALLAH words. His recitation is so clear even non-Arabic speakers, using the transliteration mode, can learn to pronounce the Quran.
Memorizing the Quran
To help us memorize the Quran, we implemented a proven and effective method based on repetition.
Conclusion
Alkoran app has been made with a rigorous sense of thoughtfulness, craftsmanship, and most of all, love. We hope you’ll give it a try.
