Case Study

• Primary Users: Members of the mosque in the vicinity, Muslim families, children above 13 years, and visitors.
• Secondary Users: Volunteers, donors, and masjid administrators.
• Target Population: Muslim techie communities between young adults and seniors from the mosque with potential ownership of smartphones.

• Prayer Times: Automatic location-based updates of mosque prayer times, including special prayers like Taraweeh during Ramadan.
• Event Calendar: Single-point calendar for mosque events, classes, and lectures (with reminders).
• Qibla Finder: Integration of a compass to point towards the direction of the Qibla from the user's position.
• Donation System: Easy donation methods through the app, including recurring donation, event-based donation, and Zakat management.
• Volunteer Sign-Up: A volunteer sign-up area and scheduling tracker.
• Community Forum: A forum where members can chat, ask questions, and stay up to date on mosque news.

• Simple Interface: The app should be user-friendly and easy for all age groups.
• Customizable Notifications: Users should be able to set up prayer time reminders, event reminders, and news notifications according to their interest.

• Platform: iOS and Android (cross-platform development using React Native for cost savings).
• Backend: Firebase, Node.js, Python, or AWS for data handling.
• Integration: Integration with donation gateways e.g. Stripe.

• Research: The project began with a survey of masjid needs in the local community. This involved interviewing volunteers, leaders, and mosque attendees to learn about their pain points (e.g., missing out on events, difficulty donating, poor communication).
• Prototype: First prototypes were built with user feedback regarding design and functionality.
• Development: Gradual development of the app, with features rolled out in phases to gauge user interest and gather feedback.
• Testing: There was extensive beta testing with a small group of masjid members to ensure that the app fulfilled the needs of different user groups.

• User Adoption: It was difficult to get older members of society to use the app, so tutorials and demonstrations were conducted face-to-face.
• Correct Prayer Times: It was a technical hurdle to ensure that the prayer times were accurate for different locations and also to calculate the prayer times from different conventions.
• Monetization for Donations: Ensuring the donation feature to be secure, easy to use, and compatible with local payment gateways required adequate research and development.

• Increased Engagement: After app launch, the event participation increased by 30%, and more members used to attend events and classes on a regular basis.
• Successful Donation System: The mosque saw a 50% increase in online donations, particularly during Ramadan, as the donation system was more convenient.
• Community Building: The app facilitated enhanced community interaction, with a 70% active user rate on the community forum.

• AI-Driven Insights: The app will use AI to suggest events or lectures based on user behavior and interest.
• Integration with Mosque Administration: Future versions will include mosque administration personnel to manage members, attendance, and event management more efficiently.
• Extended Community Services: Incorporating services such as prayer request submission, Islamic counseling, and mental health services.

The Masjid Mobile App was also able to overcome the gap between the mosque activity of the previous times and this contemporary era, offering not only the mosque but the members an easier way to communicate, offer contributions, and engage in activities with groups. From here, the app has the potential to expand, garnering more function and services in enhancing experience for Muslims worldwide.