Muslim Pro's new features make it easier for users to perform the haj and umrah
TECHNOLOGY is instrumental in the lifestyle of people of different backgrounds and faiths.
Muslim Pro, a pioneer in the Islamic tech industry, aims to enable Muslims to "access" their faith wherever they are.
"Muslim Pro strives to be the digital home for all things Muslim — developing beneficial features and pushing out lifestyle offerings tailored to the evolving needs of the global Muslim community while nurturing and enriching their everyday experiences," said Bitsmedia co-chief executive officer Nik Emir Din.
HELPFUL TOOL
Technology has helped many people to stay spiritually connected during the pandemic.
From daily prayers to pilgrimage, Muslim Pro has you covered.
As travel restrictions were enforced the past two years, one of the most important events in the Islamic calendar, the haj, was subject to tight regulations. No one outside of Saudi Arabia was allowed to perform the haj to ensure the safety of the pilgrims. According to Nik Emir, it was at that moment that the company came up with a solution of recreating the pilgrimage experience virtually, accessible to everyone from the app.
"We are constantly finding ways to empower users through innovative technology. For example, the comprehensive guides to the haj and umrah were introduced during the Covid-19 pandemic so that Muslims around the world can experience a digital journey through our app and learn more about the haj and umrah," he said.
The feature later became a useful tool, providing a holistic experience for users. Muslim Pro's pilgrimage-centric features offer assistance to anyone curious about the spiritual journey every Muslim dreams of embarking on.
From explaining the different types of haj and umrah to guides on how to wear the Ihram, the app gets it all covered.
Under the Hajj & Umrah section, app users can read up on what one needs to know before the journey starts. There is also a simplified, visual explanation of the full haj journey, which is suitable for children.
Meanwhile, the Resources section allows you to learn the Niat and Talbiyah. There is also a shareable and printable checklist for pilgrims — a useful list whether you're a first-timer or a seasoned traveller.
KEEPING ABREAST
The Hajj Journey feature lets users learn more about the five Meeqat locations, a point where the pilgrims take Ihram and Niat — the first step in the umrah or haj journey.
The virtual guide is useful to those in Makkah performing the haj. The details can serve as a refresher course on what they are to accomplish next. For those who cannot be in the Holy Land, it is a good way to stay in the loop and "see" what's next.
To give a better overview of some places, there's a dropped pin on a map, which allows users to explore the Map feature and see locations in 360-degree views.
Since the app is used by Muslims from different parts of the world, the step-by-step guide on the key sites, rituals and prayers are offered in English, Bahasa Indonesia, Bahasa Melayu, French and Arabic.
On top of the multi-language offerings, Nik Emir said the app recently adopted text-to-speech technology.
"We implemented the latest text-to-speech technology for Muslim Pro's Quran translation recitations to bring Muslim Pro to as many users worldwide," he said.
LIVE ON THE GO
Whether one has been to the Holy Land or dreams of one day setting foot on the most desired destination for Muslims, a live broadcast of the Kaabah is a welcome sight.
The livestream of the Masjid al-Haram is a privilege. Although it can be viewed on a website, viewing it on the Muslim Pro app makes it "portable".
Users can watch the live broadcast anytime and anywhere. "It is a dream come true for many, as it was for my mother who would sit and reminisce about the feeling of being among the lucky 14,000 pilgrims from Malaysia in Makkah to fulfil one of the five pillars of Islam," said Nik Emir.
REACHING OUT TO MORE
Muslim Pro aims to give users stories, entertainment and enriching content on various lifestyle topics in keeping with the company's vision of reconnecting Muslims around the world with technology.
To do so, it recently announced a brand new on-demand streaming service, Qalbox.
Sharing his excitement, Nik Emir said that the service is designed to complement the app, connecting Muslims of different ages with entertaining and informational content.
"Our new on-the-go subscription video-on-demand entertainment streaming service is designed to complement the existing features of the Muslim Pro app with the goal of creating a holistic platform for our users' lifestyle needs.
"Qalbox is a global subscription video-on-demand entertainment streaming service that hosts an enriching and wide-ranging library of Muslim lifestyle content that is also a global platform for Muslim creativity and filmmakers," said Nik Emir, adding that the company is looking for collaborations to meet its content needs.
"We look forward to nurturing relationships with content partners in Malaysia and abroad to meet the entertainment needs of our Muslim community," he said.