iPhone/iPod Touch v2.0 Applications

The Intraweb is all a buzz with the new iPhone 3G and the new 2.0 version of their OS that rolled out with it. The 2.0 OS runs on the original iPhone, the new iPhone, and the iPod Touch (for a small price). This new OS now has an "App Store" for purchasing or downloading applications for your device, and has opened up a world of possibility for these seemingly powerful little gadgets. Previous to this you would have to "jailbreak" your device which runs all sorts of risks that I won't take on a device that is still under warrantee, so I upgraded my iPod immediately.

The next question, of course, is how can the new OS help improve my deen? At first, not a lot, but after a while it is apparent that some developers have answered the call to provide solutions for Muslims, and in our case Muslims on the Go.

iQibla $4.99
Category: Utilities
Released: Jul 23, 2008
Seller: Daniel Hammond
© 2008 Two Toasters LLC
Version: 1.0
0.2 MB

With the latest iPhone 3G and it's built in GPS Muslims now have the ability to find direction of the Qibla accurately using their iPhones.

I haven't purchased this one, so I can't tell you how this runs. $4.99 seems cheap enough for something so important, but since you can also pull up the Qibla Locator website in Safari, you're just paying $4.99 for the device to think it knows where you are. If you have a 3G iPhone and you're outside, GPS should do it, otherwise you have to hope that the fallback methods of cell tower location guess and/or IP Geolocation guess are good enough. I think sticking with the Qibla direction methods I posted about before should be fine.

Izkar $0.99
Category: Utilities
Released: Jul 11, 2008
Seller: Haploid
© HAPLOID
Version: 1.0
0.2 MB

Although it's only 99 cents, I haven't purchased this one either. It's basically a simulation of tasbih aka dhikr beads. I guess it would be helpful, since you are likely to have your iPhone or iPod with you all of the time, but the sort of Muslim who uses tasbih tends to carry them around anyway. It also has prayer time calculation, but I'm still holding out before spending my hard earned 99 cents.

Quran $9.99
Category: Reference Released: Jul 26, 2008
Seller: Safeer Jiwan
© 2008 Safeer Jiwan
Version: 1.0
0.4 MB

This seems like a good deal, however it seems much more limited than the iQuran Pro (below) which I ended up purchasing. It appears that Brother Safeer does have some things planned for his application, and future updates he promises for free, but currently it is just the English translation by M.H. Shakir. If you are tight for money or space on your device, this may be one way to go.

iQuran Free Category: Reference Released: Aug 06, 2008 Seller: Guided Ways Tech.Ltd © Guided Ways Tech., Ltd. Version: 2.1 1.2 MB

iQuran Pro $24.95 Category: Reference Released: Aug 03, 2008 Seller: Guided Ways Tech. Ltd © Guided Ways Techn., Ltd. Version: 2.1 1.2 MB

From the App Store:

iQuran offers its users the Complete Quran in Arabic along with its various translations. Richly featured and fully interactive! Specially designed to allow easy reading with scrolling, iPhone style. With excellent built-in audio capabilities, iQuran utilizes these to provide a very satisfying recitation play back experience, excellent navigation and fast scrolling support with verse for verse recitation along with auto-scrolling and verse highlighting.

This one is packed with a ton of goodies. I originally downloaded the free version, and very much liked the way the app worked, however I waited for the pro version (yes it was after the free, even though the dates don't seem to agree) because I rather dislike the only English translation that comes with the free version: M Mohsin Khan. The pro version gives you a choice of Khan, Yusuf Ali, Pickthal, or Shakir as well as transliterated (so you can sound it out) and some international versions: French, German, Indonesian, Melayu, Spanish, and Turkish. Also you have a choice of recitations: Husary, Al-Afasy, Sudais & Shuraim, Ash-Shaatree, Abdul Basit, or Ghamdi.

Two more features that really put this over the top, and hopefully will get much use during Ramadhan, is markers in the text and index for each Surah, each Hizb, and each Juz and then on top of that auto-bookmarking to remember where you left off. This way you should easily be able to stay on top of your reading and finish the Qur'an during Ramadhan.

The only drawback that this app seems to have is also part of its strength. Instead of pre-installing with all of the above options, you select your translation if desired and your reciter and it only downloads when it needs it. You can ask it to download all surah for the selected translation/reciter, but it still will only download that option. This allows the program to not consume your entire device, and since the current options are limited in size, this is a good thing. However after you download this much, on your next sync it will back up everything, and that backup may take quite a while. I'm not sure why it takes so much longer to back up over USB than it did to download all of the surah over WiFi, but it does so be prepared.

Athan

Nope, none yet. Odd too because to me the one thing I certainly need to know is when to pray no matter where I am. I see that Guided Ways has an application called iPray that they sell for jailbroken devices so I can only assume they are working on getting it approved and into the App Store for purchase. It should do prayer times and athan and from the feedback on their website is a well liked program.