The recently-released Islamic/Muslim iPhone App “Muhasabah” is generating quite a buzz. So what does this app do for you?
“By the Soul, and the proportion and order given to it; And its enlightenment as to its wrong and its right; Truly he succeeds that purifies it, And he fails that corrupts it” [Surat Ash-Shams; 91:7-10].
Purifying our soul should truly be on the top of our priorities’ list. The first step to such purification is an honest and regular assessment of our standing, i.e. muhasabah. This means that we take account of ourselves undergo honest self-criticism while reflecting on our actions, words and thoughts.
But due to our hectic lifestyle and technology frenzy, our priorities have shifted. Have you ever had one of those days when you felt the drain of the day and tried to think of how you spent your day? You want to remember how you carried yourself as a human being and more importantly as a Muslim, but you can’t remember details of your day, like it just flew past.
Yet amidst all the metallic clutter of smart phones and laptops, there is a jewel within waiting to be found – an iOS App that can help us to purify our soul and achieve ihsan in our life.
Application Features
A multifaceted self-check:
With five categories to choose from – Prayer, Adhkar, Qur’an, Social, and Miscellaneous – you really can’t go wrong. It helps track almost all aspects of your day by prompting simple questions, taking you through the smallest details of your day.For example, under the Qur’an category it asks whether you did your best to understand the Noble Qur’an, and under the Social category it asks whether or not you harbored any ill feelings towards a fellow Muslim today. It has 37 such questions. After doing this for seven days, the app will give you a week’s worth of review in visual and text form.
Encou
ragement to improve:
The app tracks your daily highs and lows and encourages you to reach the level of ihsaan. The five different categories may be tracked and if completed faithfully, then a detailed report will show up at the end of the week with suggestions for improvements and encouragement.
Personalization:
In regards to privacy, the whole application is totally password-protected. Plus, it is totally gender-friendly, so us girls don’t have to worry about the App giving us a flat prayer review when we are going through our ‘days,’ for it has an option for that too.
What else?
The beautiful graphics and easy accessibility definitely add a boost to the experience. Ideally, this app should be used before sleeping, when you are the most relaxed. The only feature I felt lacking was with reminders, like ‘Finish morning Adkhar’ or ‘Finish recitation of Qur’an’ at certain set times during the day – this would definitely be the cherry on top and something I hope the developers consider adding.
For more information about Muhasabah check http://www.muhasabahapp.com/
About the Author:
Sameeha Rafeek is a student in Leicester, UK.
About the Developers:
Sanel Abdur Rahman has a bachelors degree in Islamic Law from the Islamic University of Madinah and currently pursuing his Masters in Education. He is the Deputy Head at APEX Primary School in Ilford, UK.
Rushdhi Ismail is currently pursuing a bachelors degree in Islamic Law from the Islamic online university. He is an emerging personal development coach and working as an IT consultant for a Multinational corporation in Switzerland.
