A new app for du’as and supplications is connecting the community at this challenging time of Ramadan under coronavirus lockdown.
Sahifa is a growing collection of du’as, a’maal, prayers and more:
http://sahifa.org/home/the-sahifa-app/
The goal of its founders is to engage people of all ages around the world and provide them with a resource to deepen their understandings of our faith.
It has been developed by the Ladha family, Khojas from New Jersey, who in the process established The Sahifa Foundation, a nonprofit organization registered with the U.S. federal government.
Streamlined access
“It has been a dream for many years to create an app like Sahifa, a platform that streamlines access to supplications and offers an opportunity to revel in the meaning of these words and identify with them in a unique and personal way,” said Murtaza Ladha.
Each piece of content seamlessly combines Arabic, English transliteration and translation.
“My family and I recognized a growing need in our community, as religious routine was becoming monotonous,” Mr. Ladha explained. “For example, we gather on Tuesdays for Du’a-e-Tawassul, on Thursdays for Du’a-e-Kumayl, and on Fridays for Salaatul Jum’a. But in the midst of all of this, it’s easy to lose sight of what we’re doing and, most importantly, why we’re doing it.”
Sahifa is an answer to this conundrum.
“Incredibly encouraging” response
The World Federation’s Islamic Education department said it “has great capacity and potential.”
Insha’Allah this can be beneficial for mu’mineen all around the world – since the app was launched less than two months ago, the response from Muslim brothers and sisters has been “incredibly encouraging,” Mr. Ladha revealed.
Testimonials praise it as “amazing”, “ideal”, “beautifully designed” and “very impressive.”
Premium resource
“Many people have shared their excitement about Sahifa as a ‘premium resource for Shi’as’,” he said.
Users are encouraged to recommend what should be added to the growing collection and a new piece of content has been included every week on average.
Across continents and cultures
“There are no words to express how grateful we are,” Mr. Ladha revealed. “Over the past year and a half, my family and I have put in many hours curating content and creating designs for the app. We’ve worked across continents and cultures to make Sahifa a reality.”
By coincidence, Sahifa launched just in time to offer a new way of connecting the community during the immense difficulties caused by Covid-19.
“This Ramadhan is certainly like no other, as many of us remain quarantined at home,” Mr. Ladha said. “Although we cannot be physically present with our family and friends during this blessed month, we hope communities find Sahifa as a resource to engage with each other spiritually.
“When we launched Sahifa in March, we never imagined the current climate and circumstances. As we continue to navigate this pandemic, Sahifa is a resource that connects us. Du’as and a’maal are a unifying language especially in this month of Ramadhan.
Understanding the words of our faith
“Our message to the youth in the community here and throughout the world is to take advantage of this time and understand the words of our faith.”
The Sahifa collection includes not only the daily du’as of Ramadan, but also recommended supplications such as Du’a-e-Iftitah, Du’a-e-Sahar, and Du’a-e-Jawshan-e-Kabir. The app also includes the recommended a’maal for the nights of Laylatul Qadr.
Looking ahead, the collection will continue to build to include requests from users, additional du’as and a’maal, and other features such as playlists.
Expanding global reach
The founders also want to continue to expand its reach globally so that Sahifa becomes a resource in many more communities. They are collaborating with NASIMCO on this goal and hope to form alliances with other organizations as well.
Testimonials
“The Sahifa app is God sent! I’ve always struggled to have the necessary du’as and other prayer essentials at my fingertips but I can safely say that now that problem is a thing of the past. Kudos to the developers for an amazing job. May Allah (S.W.T.) reward you all for the amazing effort! – Ali Hassanali, President, SIJNY
“There is not enough gratitude to give for the creation of this app. Ever since its inception, my family and I have been avid listeners amazed by the amount of rich content available. It has truly become a staple in our household. The audio portion is a feature we personally love because it allows us to follow through with the English translation giving us the opportunity to understand what we are reading. Thank you to you and your family for providing us a tool to be spiritually engaged and may the Almighty continue to bless you and your family.” – Zohrein Jaffer
“I’ve been using Sahifa for over a month now and I’m incredibly pleased with just how little the app leaves to be desired. I don’t need to switch between applications to find what I need in the way of Qur’anic text, supplications, and important dates in the Islamic calendar because it’s all concentrated and neatly organized in one place. The convenience Sahifa offers is unmatched, and the quality of the content it contains is equally as amazing.” – Nabeel Khimji
“My family and I simply love this app and use it every day. We don’t know what we would do without it. It has given us access to everything we need on a daily basis. Kudos to you for envisioning the perfect platform for Shia Muslims. May the Almighty bless you and your family.” – Femida Aziz
“Absolute favorite”
“I am blown away by this app each and every time I use it. The content is amazing and includes everything that you may need. The interface is easy to navigate. It’s beautifully designed and the features are all integrated so seamlessly. The tasbeeh counter is my absolute favorite and demonstrates just how much thought and effort was put into its development. May Allah (S.W.T.) reward you all for your efforts!” – Fatema Dharsee
“It was refreshing to see a well-planned and a well-built community app. The layout is ideal for finding the kind of supplication you need. Great utility as you don’t need to toggle between things. Overall, I am very impressed!” – Hasan Khimjee