Product Specification
Faith Essentials Product Specification
Version: 1.0 Date: April 14, 2026 Status: Buildable spec -- engineering, design, and content production can begin from this document Audience: Engineering (Kamran), Design (contractor), Content Production Lead (Zahra), Instructor Coordination
1. Product Overview
Faith Essentials is a daily Muslim spiritual practice delivered as a mobile subscription product. It serves Muslims aged 25-40 who believe deeply and practice inconsistently -- the vast, underserved middle between beginner and scholar who have tried YouTube lectures, started apps, and reset every Ramadan for years. The product delivers a five-minute, four-movement daily reflection anchored to prayer times (primarily post-Fajr), drawn from 80 hours of existing scholar content from Yasir Qadhi, Omar Suleiman, Yasmin Mogahed, Waleed Basyouni, Abu Eesa, and others. It is not a content library, not a course platform, not an Islamic Netflix. It is the thing you open after Fajr instead of Instagram -- one curated thought from a trusted scholar, one question to carry into your day, and a quiet record of your own steadfastness that shows what you did and never shows what you did not.
2. Core Experience: The Daily Reflection
The Four Movements
Each daily reflection follows four movements derived from Al-Ghazali's cycle of spiritual transformation (Ihya Ulum al-Din). They flow as a single experience, not discrete sections. Total duration: 4-7 minutes.
Movement 1: The Awakening (Al-Iqadh) -- 30-45 seconds
A question, statement, or Quranic verse that disrupts the listener's default state of heedlessness (ghafla). This is a pastoral address, not a lesson introduction. The listener must feel personally spoken to within the first 30 seconds.
- Source material: Scholars' most direct, personal openings -- moments where they break from curriculum and speak from the heart
- Example: "The Prophet, peace be upon him, said: 'Whoever prays Fajr is under the protection of Allah.' You just prayed Fajr. You are, right now, under that protection. So let me ask you -- what are you afraid of today?"
- Tone: Direct, intimate, un-rushed. The voice of a teacher who sees you.
Movement 2: The Teaching (Al-Ta'lim) -- 2-3 minutes
A single insight from the Islamic tradition, extracted from the existing course library. Each teaching must be fully self-contained -- a pearl, not a link in a chain. A subscriber who missed yesterday and skips tomorrow must find this teaching complete in itself.
- Source material: The 80-hour course library, prioritizing moments where scholars enter halaqah register -- speaking to a person, not an audience
- Content Lead editorial judgment: identify moments where pace changes, voice softens or intensifies, the scholar stops teaching and starts testifying
- Format: Audio-first. Video optional but audio is the default. Audio strips away visual evidence of age and distance (empty chairs, dated camera angles, conference room settings) and preserves the scholar's voice, breath, and humanity.
Movement 3: The Connection (Al-Rabt) -- 30-60 seconds
The bridge between teaching and the listener's actual day. Takes the form of a single reflection question displayed on screen after the audio ends, with an optional private journal text field.
- The question references a specific moment from the audio clip (a quote, a concept, a du'a the scholar mentioned)
- Two response options:
- A text field (optional, private, never shared, encrypted at rest, saves silently to private journal)
- A button: "I'll carry this thought with me" -- acknowledges the moment without requiring writing
- Example: "Shaykh Waleed mentioned a specific du'a the Prophet made after Fajr. Would you like to learn it?" with options "Yes, show me" / "Not today"
- Design requirement: No right answer. No submission feedback. No grading. The text field saves silently. The button simply closes the moment.
Movement 4: The Du'a (Al-Khatm) -- 30 seconds
A short du'a or dhikr connected to the day's teaching, displayed on screen with transliteration and translation. This is the wird -- the daily water the listener carries through their day.
- If the teaching was about tawakkul: Hasbuna Allahu wa ni'mal wakeel
- If the teaching was about the heart's diseases: Allahumma musarrif al-qulub, sarrif qulubana 'ala ta'atik
- The du'a must connect thematically to the teaching, not be a generic sign-off
- Display: Arabic text, transliteration, English translation, all on one screen
Format and Duration
| Element | Specification |
|---|---|
| Total reflection duration | 4-7 minutes audio + 30-60 seconds interaction |
| Default format | Audio-first (audio player with scholar photo, title, source course) |
| Video option | Toggle available from Day 8 onward: "Listen only" (audio, no video) |
| Session cadence | One reflection per day, seven days a week |
| Content rotation | No subscriber sees the same reflection twice in a 90-day cycle |
| Instructor rotation | Never more than two consecutive days from the same scholar |
Schedule and Push Notifications
Notification timing is selected during onboarding, anchored to prayer times:
| Option | Copy | Subtitle |
|---|---|---|
| After Fajr | "Start your day with a thought" | Default recommended option |
| Midday | "A pause between Dhuhr and Asr" | |
| After Isha | "End your day with reflection" | |
| Manual | "I'll open the app on my own" | For subscribers who reject push notifications |
Delivery window: User-selected time, +/- 15 minute window to avoid server load spikes.
Push notification copy rules (strictly enforced):
- Always name the scholar. The scholar's name is the trigger, not the app's name.
- Never mention streaks, progress, or absence.
- Never use exclamation marks.
- Mention what is waiting, not what the user might lose.
Notification copy by time slot:
| Time | Copy |
|---|---|
| After Fajr | "A thought for this morning, from Shaykh Omar Suleiman." -- Tap to reflect. |
| Midday | "A short reflection is ready for you." -- From Ustadha Yasmin Mogahed. |
| After Isha | "Before the day ends -- a moment with Shaykh Waleed Basyouni." |
Infrastructure requirements:
- Push notification scheduler must support per-user timezone calculation
- Fajr time varies by location and season -- use existing prayer time API (already in app for prayer times feature)
- Fallback: if precise Fajr time unavailable, use 5:30am local time
3. Onboarding Flow
Six screens. Under 8 minutes total, including the first reflection. The subscriber must complete their first reflection before onboarding ends. This is the single most important design decision in the onboarding. If the subscriber leaves with a promise of "see you tomorrow morning," we lose 40-60% of them.
Screen 1: The Welcome (5 seconds)
Visual: Dark background. Soft warm light. No navigation. No menu. No "Skip."
Copy:
Bismillah.
Welcome to Faith Essentials.
Button: "Begin"
Design: The absence of UI chrome is deliberate. This is a threshold, not a dashboard. The Bismillah frames what follows as an act of intention, not consumption.
Screen 2: The Routing Question (30 seconds)
Copy:
Before we show you anything, we want to understand one thing.
What drew you here today?
Three cards (not radio buttons, not a dropdown -- full cards the user taps with their thumb):
| Card | Title | Subtitle | Routes to |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "I want to grow in my deen." | "I feel a gap between where I am and where I want to be in my Islamic life." | Standard daily practice path |
| 2 | "I want to learn from scholars I trust." | "I already study, but I want structured access to teachers like Yasir Qadhi and Omar Suleiman." | Standard path, first reflection shows scholarly depth |
| 3 | "I want to support Islamic education." | "I believe this work matters, and I want to be part of making it available." | Cause subscriber path (lighter notification cadence) |
Routing logic:
- Card 1 and Card 3: First reflection is on intention and sincerity (universally resonant, low competence threshold)
- Card 2: First reflection showcases scholarly depth in compressed format
Screen 3: The Notification Choice (15 seconds)
Copy:
Each morning, we'll have a short reflection waiting for you. A single thought from one of our scholars, with a question to carry into your day. About 5 minutes.
When would you like it?
Three time options anchored to prayer times (see table in Section 2). Plus a small toggle: "I'll open the app on my own."
No "Are you sure?" if they select manual. No warning about what they will miss.
Screen 4: The First Reflection (4-5 minutes)
Copy at top:
Your first reflection.
Below: the daily reflection card with scholar photo, title, runtime, and play button. Nothing else on screen.
Pre-selected content by routing:
- Card 1 / Card 3 subscribers: "The Weight of a Single Intention" -- Shaykh Yasir Qadhi, from Purification of the Soul, 4:32
- Card 2 subscribers: A reflection showcasing scholarly depth and compressed substance
The reflection plays immediately. All four movements (awakening, teaching, connection, du'a) are included.
Screen 5: The Reflection Question (30-60 seconds)
After the audio ends, a gentle transition (not a hard cut) to the reflection question screen.
Copy (example for the intention reflection):
Shaykh Yasir said: "The distance between an action and its reward is the intention behind it."
What is one thing you do every day that you could renew your intention for?
Text field (optional) + button: "I'll carry this thought with me."
Screen 6: The Closing (5 seconds)
Copy:
Your first reflection is complete.
Tomorrow, another one will be waiting.
A small, understated marker: Day 1.
Button: "Explore Faith Essentials" -- takes them to the full content library. An invitation, not a requirement.
Cause Subscriber Path
Subscribers who select Card 3 ("I want to support Islamic education") during onboarding receive a modified experience:
| Element | Standard Path | Cause Subscriber Path |
|---|---|---|
| Push notification frequency | Daily | Once per week (Friday / Jumu'ah) |
| Friday notification copy | Scholar-named reflection | "This week on Faith Essentials: Shaykh Omar Suleiman's new reflection reached 847 subscribers. Your support makes this possible." |
| Home screen priority | Daily reflection card dominant | "Mission Update" card above daily reflection |
| Monthly email | None specific | Impact report: subscriber counts, reflections completed, "Your support keeps this available at $9/month instead of $50/month" |
Cause-to-learner transition: If a cause subscriber completes 3+ daily reflections in a single week, the system silently increases their notification cadence the following week (3 notifications instead of 1). If they continue engaging, it increases to daily. No "We noticed you've been active!" announcement. The app simply shows up more often.
4. The Istiqamah Tracker
Visual Design Language
Metaphor: Water on stone. Each day of engagement is a drop of water that leaves a mark over time -- not dramatic, not flashy, but undeniable. Drawn from the Prophetic tradition: "The most beloved deeds to Allah are those that are most consistent, even if they are small."
Color system (strictly enforced):
| Element | Color | Hex | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engagement circles | Warm amber | #D4A574 | 40-60% opacity. Soft, present, undemanding. Like light seen through parchment. |
| Background | Warm cream | #FAF6F0 | Not clinical white, not dark |
| Text | Warm dark brown | #3D2B1F | Legible, calm. Never black. |
| Prohibited | Red | -- | No red anywhere in the tracker system |
| Prohibited | Green | -- | No green anywhere in the tracker system |
Typography: Same typeface as the rest of the app, slightly smaller and quieter weight. The tracker does not compete for attention.
What the Tracker Shows
Monthly view: A 5x6 or 5x7 grid (depending on the month), where each cell represents a day. Days with engagement are rendered as soft, translucent amber circles. Days without engagement are simply the background -- unmarked, not grey, not outlined, not empty boxes waiting to be filled. There is no visual representation of a missed day.
The single number: If the user taps the month, one number appears: "22 days." Not "22 of 30." Not "22-day streak." Not "73% completion." A fact, not a score.
Weekly view (home screen): A horizontal row of 7 circles for the current week. Resets every Monday at midnight, local time. This is the only progress indicator on the home screen. The longest the user ever has to think about is 7 days.
No streak counter. Consecutive days are visible in the pattern (clusters of warm circles), but they are never counted, named, or celebrated differently from non-consecutive days.
Deeper engagement indicator: If a user engages with a full course lecture (beyond the daily reflection), the circle for that day is slightly larger -- acknowledging depth without penalizing the user who only has time for the daily reflection.
What the Tracker Never Shows
- Empty boxes, grey circles, or any visual indicator of a missed day
- A denominator ("22 of 30")
- A streak count or longest streak
- "Welcome back!" messages that acknowledge absence
- Comparative rankings or leaderboards
- Badges, trophies, or collectibles
- Any color-coded evaluation (green for good, red for bad)
The Missing Day Experience
When a user misses a day: Nothing happens. No notification. No "We missed you." No visual change.
When a user returns after 1-6 days: The home screen shows a single daily reflection card exactly as it would for a Day 1 subscriber. No reference to the gap. The weekly tracker shows a fresh row of 7 circles if it is a new week, or the current week with only the days they did show up. After completing the return-day reflection, a gentle message: "It's good to have you here." Five words. No exclamation mark. No emoji.
When a user returns after 7-13 days: Same as above. The re-entry threshold triggers the clean-slate home screen. Above the reflection card: "A thought for today, from Ustadha Yasmin Mogahed." No "Welcome back."
When a user returns after 14+ days: The tracker defaults to showing today only, not the monthly view. Temporal compression -- narrowing the window of self-assessment to the present. After 3+ consecutive days of engagement, the monthly view returns as default.
Content selection for re-entry: The first reflection served after a 7+ day absence is deliberately curated around themes of renewal, mercy, and returning (tawbah). Not as a psychological trick, but because these are the richest topics in the Islamic tradition and exactly what the returning subscriber needs to hear.
The Five Islamic Milestones
Milestones are not numbered but named. Their timing resonates with Islamic frameworks of spiritual development. Once acknowledged, a milestone is permanent and can never be lost.
| Milestone | Arabic Name | Trigger | Experience |
|---|---|---|---|
| The First Return | Al-Awdah | First time a user returns after missing 2+ days and completes a reflection | Message: "The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: 'All the children of Adam err, and the best of those who err are those who repent.' You came back. That is the act." Appears once, never repeated. |
| The Forty Days | Al-Arba'in | 40 total days of engagement (not necessarily consecutive) | A 60-90 second audio clip from an FE scholar reflecting on what 40 days of persistence means in the Islamic tradition. Not "Congratulations!" but "Let me tell you what forty days means in our tradition." Saved to Milestones journal section. |
| The Consistent Month | Ash-Shahr | 25+ days of engagement in a single calendar month | Message: "You reflected on 25 days this month. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, 'The most beloved of deeds to Allah are those that are most consistent, even if they are small.'" Subtle warm glow around the month's tracker border. 25 days, not 30 -- perfection is not the standard. |
| The Seasonal Rhythm | Al-Fasl | ~90 total days of engagement | The tracker becomes a prompt for self-reflection: "You've been reflecting for a season now. Look at the shape of your consistency. What do you see?" Three-month thumbnail view surfaces. |
| The Year of Seeking | Sanah al-Talab | 300+ total days of engagement | A personalized narrative summary: scholars heard, courses explored, courses completed, journal entries written. An audio message from a senior scholar. The name evokes the classical Islamic rihlah tradition. This milestone is the most substantial and is permanent. |
Production cost for milestone audio recordings: $500-$1,000 total. Record 3-4 scholars in a single session. Each recording takes 10 minutes of studio time. These assets last for years.
5. Community Features (Phase 1)
What Ships in Phase 1
1. Concurrent Presence Counter
When a subscriber opens the app, a single quiet line of text near the top of the screen:
"412 others are reflecting right now."
- Rendered in warm brown (#3D2B1F), small size, low visual weight. A whisper, not an announcement.
- Real-time or near-real-time (updated every few minutes) count of concurrent active app sessions
- The number must be genuine, never inflated. "23 others are reflecting right now" at 3am is more intimate and more powerful than a large inflated number.
- During the Fajr window (varies by location/season): the background warms slightly and the indicator adds the word Fajr: "847 others are reflecting at Fajr."
- Implementation: Simple websocket counter on Cloudflare tracking concurrent sessions
- Engineering estimate: $1,500-$3,000
2. Cumulative Daily Counter
Below the daily reflection, after completion:
"2,847 reflections completed today across the community."
- Resets daily. Each day is a new collective practice.
- The subscriber's own reflection is counted in the total.
- Engineering estimate: Included in concurrent counter infrastructure
3. Collective Milestones
Five community-level milestones, displayed as cards on the home screen:
| Milestone | Trigger | Display |
|---|---|---|
| "The First Thousand" | 1,000 reflections in a single week | Monday card: "Last week, our community completed 1,000 reflections together. You were one of them." |
| "The Ramadan Cohort" | Subscribers who started during Ramadan and are still active 30 days post-Ramadan | "347 people began their journey during Ramadan. You are one of the ones who kept going." (Shown only to cohort members.) |
| "The Fajr Community" | 500 reflections completed before sunrise in a single week | "This week, 500 reflections were completed before Fajr. The ones who rise early, rise together." |
| "A Year of Seeking" | 100,000 total reflections since launch | One-time card + 60-second scholar voice note on the meaning of collective seeking |
| "The Quiet Week" | Weekly reflections drop below 60% of 4-week average | "This was a quieter week for our community. That's okay. The door is always open. Today is a new day." |
- Engineering estimate: $1,000-$2,000 (data aggregations displayed as cards, plus one scholar recording at $200-$500)
What Is NOT Built in Phase 1
| Feature | Rationale for Parking |
|---|---|
| Weekly Halaqah (scholar question + anonymous responses) | Requires 300+ weekly active participants to feel alive. Launch when daily practice achieves this threshold (est. Q4 2026). |
| Companion / Rafiq matching | Requires gender collection during onboarding and pairing infrastructure. Launch after daily practice validates (est. Q4 2026). Cost when built: $3,000-$4,000. |
| Scholar voice notes (weekly 60-second personal recordings) | Requires 2-3 months of Content Lead building rapport with instructors. Launch Q4 2026. Cost: $200/month ongoing. |
| Monthly live audio sessions | Requires scholar scheduling workflow and live audio platform. Launch Q4 2026. Cost: $500-$1,000/month. |
| Community feed, user profiles, comments, chat | Never building these. See Section 10. |
6. Pricing and Tiers
Three Tiers
| Daily Practice | Deep Learner | Supporter | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly | $9/month | $15/month | $30/month |
| Annual | $84/year ($7/mo effective) | $132/year ($11/mo effective) | $300/year ($25/mo effective) |
| Annual discount | 22% | 27% | 17% |
Tier 1: Daily Practice -- $9/month
Includes:
- Full daily reflection (four movements, audio, reflection question, du'a)
- 90-day guided curriculum (Ma'rifa, Tazkiyah, Mu'amalat)
- Istiqamah Tracker + private journal
- Concurrent presence counter + community milestones
- Weekly halaqah question (when launched)
- Islamic calendar-aligned content (Ramadan, Dhul Hijjah, Rabi al-Awwal)
- Push notifications with scholar name and topic
Does not include: Full 32-course library, scholar voice notes, "Compare & Reflect" multi-scholar perspectives, course completion certificates
Target user: Amira -- the scroll-stopper who saw a Mogahed reel, has never heard of AlMaghrib, wants five minutes after Fajr. $9 is the price of two coffees. The framing: "the structure your deen has been missing."
Tier 2: Deep Learner -- $15/month
Includes everything in Daily Practice, plus:
- Full access to 32-course, 80-hour library
- Scholar voice notes (weekly 60-second personal messages, when launched)
- "Compare & Reflect" multi-scholar perspective pieces (two scholars, two views, one question)
- Course completion certificates
- Priority access to new content and courses
Target user: Noor -- the committed learner who wants both the daily practice for consistency and the course library for depth. This is where existing subscribers map.
Framing: "For when five minutes is not enough."
Tier 3: Supporter -- $30/month
Includes everything in Deep Learner, plus:
- Name (or "anonymous") on Barakah Fund supporters list
- Quarterly impact letter: how many learners their support funded
- Early access to new scholar content (48 hours before general release)
- Annual physical gift (curated book, prayer journal, or calligraphy piece)
- Invitation to annual virtual gathering with one of the scholars (small-group session)
Target user: The community elder or professional who wants to fund the mission. This is not a premium product tier -- the content difference from Deep Learner is minimal. The Supporter is buying meaning. Their subscription funds scholarship access for fellow Muslims.
Framing: "Your learning funds someone else's." Islamic framing, not corporate: "When you choose the Supporter tier, you are making someone else's learning possible."
The Barakah Fund (Replaces Instant 50% Scholarship)
The current "instant 50% off" checkout button becomes a named, community-funded financial aid program.
- Rate: $72/year ($6/month) -- not $60
- Access: Requires answering one question: "Tell us briefly why a reduced rate matters for you." Not means-testing. A micro-commitment that activates identity investment.
- Visibility: Link on pricing page: "If cost is a barrier to your learning, we have a community fund for you." Not a checkout button. Not instant. Requires one additional click.
- Funding: Every Supporter-tier subscriber is told their contribution funds the Barakah Fund
- Reporting: Quarterly publication of how many learners the fund supported
Design requirement for pricing page: Include the hadith: "Whoever travels a path seeking knowledge, Allah will make easy for him the path to Paradise." This is not decoration. It is the value proposition.
Free Windows (No Permanent Free Tier)
| Window | Mechanic | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Ramadan Last 10 Nights | Free daily reflections, no paywall, no credit card. Eid morning message: "You just spent 10 nights with your deen. What if you didn't stop?" | Acquisition. The 40 days post-Ramadan become the conversion window. |
| The Taste | Any visitor can experience one full daily reflection (all four movements) without signing up. Just one. | Demonstrate product quality without giving away ongoing value. |
| Shareable Reflections | After each reflection, one button: "Send this to someone who needs to hear it." Recipient experiences the full reflection but not the journal, tracker, or community features. | Organic acquisition through dawah instinct. The shareable unit is the insight, not the app. |
7. Content Architecture
The 90-Day Curriculum
The curriculum follows the classical Islamic pedagogical sequence: know Who you worship before you learn how to worship; once worship is established, carry its ethos into dealings with people.
Phase 1: Ma'rifa (Knowing Allah) -- Days 1-30
| Days | Theme | Emotional Register | Primary Sources |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1-10 | Allah's mercy and love | Warmth, safety, intimacy | Valley of the Seekers (Ouarzazi), Purity of the Heart (Suleiman) |
| 11-20 | Allah's names and attributes | Awe, wonder, expansion | Valley of the Seekers, Names of Allah (Basyouni), What Is Faith (Qadhi) |
| 21-30 | Allah's nearness and response | Trust, conversation, du'a | Valley of the Seekers (Lec. 26, 28), Fiqh of Du'a & Dhikr (Basyouni) |
Opening week is Mogahed and Suleiman exclusively -- broadest emotional resonance. No Fiqh in the first 30 days. Confirmed by both the behavioral psychology and the Islamic pedagogical tradition.
Phase 2: Tazkiyah (Purification) -- Days 31-60
| Days | Theme | Emotional Register | Primary Sources |
|---|---|---|---|
| 31-40 | The heart's diseases and cures | Honest self-recognition, hope | Purification of the Heart (Mogahed), Lec. 1-8 |
| 41-50 | The inner life of worship | Depth, presence, khushu' | Purification of the Heart Lec. 9-19, Meaning of Salah (Zubair), Khushu' (Abu Eesa) |
| 51-60 | Dhikr, du'a, and daily remembrance | Peace, stability, rhythm | Fiqh of Du'a & Dhikr (Basyouni), morning/evening adhkar |
Day 40 transition is intentional. In the Islamic tradition, 40 days is a threshold -- the moment the seeker is ready for the mirror.
Phase 3: Mu'amalat (Living Islam) -- Days 61-90
| Days | Theme | Emotional Register | Primary Sources |
|---|---|---|---|
| 61-70 | Stories of trial and perseverance | Courage, resolve, perspective | Through the Fire (Suleiman), Unbroken |
| 71-80 | Living Islam in the world | Integration, confidence, identity | Muslim Ethics (Basyouni), Muslim Minority (Suleiman), Family Life (Abu Eesa) |
| 81-90 | Gratitude, preparation, and return | Gratitude, serenity, readiness | Journey to the Hereafter (Basyouni, selected), Purity of the Heart Lec. 8-9 |
Post-90 days: The daily practice continues, drawing from an expanding pool of content. The user now has a library of completed reflections, a pattern of consistency, and pathways into full courses. Content becomes self-directed -- the subscriber follows scholars they have come to know.
Instructor Rotation Rules
| Rule | Specification |
|---|---|
| Max consecutive days, same scholar | 2 |
| Weekly mix minimum | 3 different scholars per week |
| Week 1 (new subscriber) | Mogahed and Suleiman only (broadest emotional resonance) |
| "Compare & Reflect" frequency | Once per week (Deep Learner tier) |
Compare & Reflect Format
Two scholars, two perspectives on the same question, delivered as a paired audio experience. Available to Deep Learner and Supporter tiers only.
- Format: Scholar A (90 seconds) + Scholar B (90 seconds) + reflection question that asks the listener to sit with both perspectives
- Example: Yasir Qadhi and Omar Suleiman on a fiqh or theological question where they respectfully disagree
- Production: Extract from existing lectures where scholars address the same topic differently
- Purpose: Showcases AlMaghrib's unique asset of intellectual diversity within one tradition
Islamic Calendar Integration
The daily practice reshapes around the Muslim year. This is not optional theming -- it is structural.
| Period | Adjustments |
|---|---|
| Ramadan | Reflections shorter (3 min, not 5). More intimate, Quran-centered. Last 10 nights: focus on Laylat al-Qadr. Du'a: Allahumma innaka 'afuwwun tuhibb al-'afwa fa'fu 'anni. Tone: whispered, companion on the journey. |
| First 10 Days of Dhul Hijjah | Focus on sacrifice and commitment. Content drawn from Ibrahim and Isma'il. Tone: solemn. |
| Muharram / Ashura | Themes of tawbah and new beginnings. "The year begins again. You begin again." |
| Rabi al-Awwal | Love of the Prophet. Saturated with Seerah -- character, mercy, human warmth. Abundant salawat in the du'a movement. |
| Sha'ban | Pre-Ramadan preparation and introspection. "Ramadan is approaching. How is your heart?" |
| Quiet months (Jumada, Rajab) | Honest acknowledgment of drift. "There is no holiday today. There is just you and Allah, on a quiet Tuesday in Jumada. And that is enough." |
Content Production Pipeline
| Element | Specification |
|---|---|
| Content Lead first task | Full 80-hour library audit. Timestamp moments. Write frame package (title, description, reflection question, du'a). Grade: Tier 1 (standalone), Tier 2 (needs 15-sec intro overlay), Tier 3 (too sequential, skip). |
| Initial extraction target | 30-40 Tier 1 frames by end of Week 6 (enough for 1 month of daily practice) |
| Full extraction target | 200-250 extractable moments across full library |
| Content runway | 8-10 months of daily content at current extraction rate |
| Production cadence (ongoing) | 5-8 new frames per week |
| Social content byproduct | Each 45-min lecture yields 15 distribution pieces: 5 audio clips, 3 quote cards, 2 discussion prompts, 2 story hooks, 2 reflection questions, 1 Compare & Reflect pairing. 3 pieces posted daily. |
8. Technical Requirements
Phase 1: Built in Existing App (Weeks 5-10)
Phase 1 launches inside the existing app. No Flutter. No new app. Four components:
Component 1: Home Screen Card
- When subscriber opens the app, the first element is a single card: today's reflection
- Displays: scholar name, scholar photo, topic title, source course, duration, play button
- Design: warm parchment tones, amber accents, no red, no notification badges
- Below the card: "Your courses are still here" link to the existing library (Deep Learner tier only)
- Muted text below the card: "Day [X] of your reflections"
Component 2: Audio Player with Reflection
- Modified existing audio player
- Audio-first (default). Video toggle available from Day 8.
- On audio completion: gentle transition (not hard cut) to the reflection question screen
- Reflection question screen: scholar quote + question + text field (optional) + "I'll carry this thought with me" button
- Du'a display screen: Arabic + transliteration + English translation
- After completion or skip: amber circle animation on today's date
Component 3: Istiqamah Tracker
- Simple streak API on Cloudflare (records date of engagement, total count)
- Monthly grid view: 5x7 cells, amber circles for engaged days, cream background for all other days
- Weekly row: 7 circles on home screen, resets Monday midnight local time
- Tap-to-reveal: tapping the month shows total days count ("22 days")
- Milestone triggers: server-side check against total engagement count (40, 90, 300) and per-month count (25)
- Milestone content: stored as special reflection frames, delivered in place of the regular daily reflection on trigger day
- Journal entries: stored locally on device. Encrypted at rest. Never shared. Never surfaced in any social feature.
Component 4: Push Notification Scheduler
- Per-user timezone awareness
- Configurable delivery time (set during onboarding, changeable in settings)
- Scholar name included in notification text (pulled from that day's content metadata)
- +/- 15 minute delivery window to smooth server load
- No notifications for missed days (strict rule: the system never acknowledges absence)
Component 5: Concurrent Presence Counter
- Websocket counter on Cloudflare tracking concurrent active app sessions
- Updates every 2-3 minutes (near-real-time, not true real-time)
- Displayed as quiet text on reflection screen
- Fajr window detection: compare current time to prayer time API for user's location; if within Fajr-to-sunrise window, append "at Fajr" to counter text
Phase 1 engineering estimate: 4-5 weeks at 0.4 FTE (16 hours/week). $5,000-$7,000 if a frontend contractor assists. $0 incremental if built within existing allocation.
Phase 2: Flutter App Rebuild (Post-validation)
Parked until the Week 18 gate decision. The Flutter rebuild only proceeds if Day 30 completion rates validate the daily practice behavior.
Flutter-only features (cannot be built in existing app):
- Home screen widgets (daily reflection on device home screen without opening app)
- Offline audio caching for reflections
- Native iOS/Android notification channels with rich media
- Smooth gesture-based navigation between reflection movements
- Full journal with search, milestone section, and thematic threads
Estimated cost: $35,000 Estimated timeline: 8-12 weeks post-gate-decision
Analytics Events to Track
Engagement events (track from Day 1):
| Event | Description | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
reflection_started |
User pressed play on daily reflection | Measure open-to-play conversion |
reflection_completed |
Audio finished playing (user did not close early) | Core engagement metric |
reflection_question_answered |
User typed in journal text field | Depth of engagement |
reflection_question_skipped |
User tapped "I'll carry this thought" | Acceptable completion |
reflection_shared |
User tapped "Send this to someone" | Viral coefficient input |
share_recipient_visited |
Shared link was opened by recipient | Viral funnel top |
share_recipient_subscribed |
Shared link recipient became subscriber | Viral coefficient output |
tracker_viewed |
User viewed monthly/seasonal tracker | Self-reflection engagement |
milestone_reached |
User triggered a named milestone | Retention health |
course_explored |
User tapped "Explore the full course" from a reflection | Deepening signal |
course_started |
User began a full course | Upgrade trigger |
onboarding_completed |
User reached Screen 6 | Funnel completion |
onboarding_abandoned_screen_N |
User exited during onboarding at screen N | Funnel diagnostics |
Session events:
| Event | Description |
|---|---|
session_start |
App opened (feeds concurrent counter) |
session_end |
App closed or backgrounded |
session_time_of_day |
Bucketed: Fajr window, morning, midday, evening, night |
days_since_last_session |
Gap detection for re-entry logic |
Business events:
| Event | Description |
|---|---|
tier_selected |
Which tier at signup |
tier_upgraded |
Tier change (e.g., Daily Practice to Deep Learner) |
barakah_fund_applied |
Scholarship application submitted |
subscription_renewed |
Annual or monthly renewal |
subscription_cancelled |
Churn event with days-since-last-engagement |
9. Success Metrics
Pre-committed Targets (Before Soft Launch)
These targets are set before the soft launch begins. They determine whether the product proceeds to full rollout and Flutter investment.
Daily Practice Completion Rates:
| Metric | Strong | Viable | Rethink Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| Day 7 completion (5 of 7 days) | 40%+ | 25%+ | Below 15% |
| Day 14 completion | 25%+ | 15%+ | Below 10% |
| Day 30 completion | 15%+ | 10%+ | Below 7% |
The most important cohort for these metrics is Cohort B (ghost subscribers -- 60+ days dormant). If dormant subscribers show Day 14 completion above 15%, the daily practice is reaching people the course catalog never could. That is the behavioral validation.
Weekly Net Subscriber Change:
| Metric | Target (by Week 14) |
|---|---|
| Weekly net subscriber change | Positive (more new + reactivated than churned) |
| Monthly churn rate | Below 3.0% (down from 3.37%) |
| Reactivation from dormant list | 250-350 subscribers |
ARPU by Tier (Post-launch steady state, 6-month target):
| Tier | Monthly ARPU | Target Mix |
|---|---|---|
| Daily Practice | $9.00 (monthly) / $7.00 (annual effective) | 40-50% of new subscribers |
| Deep Learner | $15.00 (monthly) / $11.00 (annual effective) | 35-45% of subscribers (includes migrated base) |
| Supporter | $30.00 (monthly) / $25.00 (annual effective) | 10-15% of subscribers |
| Barakah Fund | $6.00 (monthly effective) | 10-15% of new subscribers (down from est. 30-50%) |
| Blended ARPU target | $12.50-$13.50 | Up from $10.65 current |
Build/No-Build Thresholds (Week 18 Gate Decision)
| Signal | Proceed to Flutter | Stabilize Only | Rethink |
|---|---|---|---|
| Day 30 completion (Cohort B - ghosts) | >15% | 10-15% | <10% |
| Day 30 completion (Cohort A - engaged) | >25% | 15-25% | <15% |
| Weekly net subscriber change | Positive for 3+ consecutive weeks | Flat | Negative for 3+ consecutive weeks |
| Organic content follower growth | Visible upward trend | Flat | Declining |
| Referral shares per 100 completions | >5% | 2-5% | <2% |
If thresholds are met: Proceed with Flutter rebuild ($35,000), Supporter tier launch, Barakah Fund infrastructure, scholar voice notes, weekly halaqah.
If thresholds are mixed: Stabilize on current app. Continue daily practice. Investigate which cohort underperformed and why. Do not invest in Flutter until clarity.
If thresholds are not met: Do not invest in Flutter. Conduct user interviews with the cohort to understand why the format did not work. Consider whether the daily practice concept needs fundamental redesign or whether FE is a niche course library and should be operated as such.
10. What We Are NOT Building
This is an explicit list of parked or permanently excluded features. Every item has a rationale. Nothing is rejected because we could not build it. Things are parked because they are premature, or excluded because they violate the product's core principles.
Permanently Excluded
| Feature | Rationale |
|---|---|
| Community feed / forum | Creates moderation burden, unsolicited religious opinions, arguments, and social dynamics that contradict the product's architecture of quiet, private practice. Islam's concern with riya' (performing worship for others to see) makes public spiritual activity on a platform spiritually hazardous. |
| User profiles | Profiles create social comparison. The tracker is between the user and themselves -- and in the Islamic frame, between the user and Allah. |
| Comments on content | See community feed. Also: a comment section on a scholar's teaching invites the exact kind of unqualified religious opining that harms the learner. |
| Public sharing of tracker | No "Share to Instagram" button. No "Post your year in review." The tracker does not generate shareable graphics. The user's consistency in seeking knowledge is a matter between them and God. |
| Leaderboards or competitive rankings | "You're in the top 10% of learners" turns devotion into performance. Incompatible with the product's principle of observation without evaluation. |
| Gamification mechanics | No XP, no badges, no collectibles, no levels, no streak-based rewards. Gamification applied to Islamic education is not merely ineffective but corrosive -- it applies loss aversion on top of pre-existing religious guilt. |
| Loss-based notifications | "You'll lose your streak!" "We missed you!" "You have 3 unfinished courses!" -- permanently banned. The system never acknowledges absence through any channel. |
Parked (Will Build Later, With Conditions)
| Feature | Condition to Unpark | Estimated Timing |
|---|---|---|
| Flutter app rebuild | Day 30 completion validates daily practice behavior (Week 18 gate) | Q3-Q4 2026 |
| Home screen widgets | Flutter rebuild must ship first (widgets are Flutter-native) | Q4 2026 |
| Weekly halaqah (scholar question + anonymous responses) | 300+ weekly active participants in daily practice | Q4 2026 |
| Companion / Rafiq matching | Daily practice validated + gender collection added to onboarding | Q4 2026 |
| Scholar voice notes | Content Lead has 2-3 months building rapport with instructors | Q4 2026 |
| Monthly live audio sessions | Scholar scheduling workflow established | Q4 2026 |
| AI companion / reflection responder | (a) Human-curated content working, (b) scholar review process for AI outputs, (c) sufficient journal data to train on | Q1 2027 |
| "The 23 Hours" short film | Organic content engine running reliably, team has production bandwidth | Ramadan 2027 |
| Quran engagement content (recitation, tajweed, memorization) | New content commissioning requires instructor coordination and recording sessions | Q1 2027 |
| B2B mosque licensing | Only if Week 18 gate shows consumer model has a ceiling | Strategic pivot option |
| Premium tier beyond Supporter | Daily practice defines what "premium" means based on user behavior data | Q4 2026 pricing decision |
Appendix: Onboarding Timing Summary
| Screen | Duration | Cumulative |
|---|---|---|
| Screen 1: Welcome | 5 seconds | 0:05 |
| Screen 2: Routing Question | 30 seconds | 0:35 |
| Screen 3: Notification Choice | 15 seconds | 0:50 |
| Screen 4: First Reflection (audio) | 4-5 minutes | 5:50 |
| Screen 5: Reflection Question | 30-60 seconds | 6:50 |
| Screen 6: Closing | 5 seconds | 6:55 |
| Total onboarding | Under 8 minutes |
Appendix: Phase 1 Budget Summary
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Daily reflection feature (existing app) | $5,000-$7,000 |
| Concurrent presence counter | $1,500-$3,000 |
| Collective milestone cards | $1,000-$2,000 |
| Milestone scholar audio recordings | $500-$1,000 |
| Content Production Lead (salary, ongoing) | Part of team budget |
| Dormant list reactivation sequence | $1,500 |
| Landing page A/B test ad spend | $3,000-$5,000 |
| Total Phase 1 investment | $12,500-$19,500 |
Appendix: Content Per Reflection (Production Checklist)
For each daily reflection, the Content Production Lead delivers:
- Scholar name and photo asset
- Source course title
- Audio clip (4-7 minutes), with start and end timestamps from source lecture
- Tier classification: 1 (standalone), 2 (needs 15-sec intro overlay), or 3 (skip)
- Title (6 words or fewer, evocative, not descriptive)
- Movement 1 content: Awakening text or audio segment identification
- Movement 2 content: Core teaching segment (2-3 minutes)
- Movement 3 content: Reflection question (scholar quote + question + optional journal prompt)
- Movement 4 content: Du'a text (Arabic + transliteration + English translation), thematically connected
- Thematic bridge line: one sentence connecting yesterday's reflection to today's (works as standalone intro if yesterday was missed)
- Curriculum placement: phase (Ma'rifa / Tazkiyah / Mu'amalat), day range, emotional register
- Social distribution package: best 15-second segment for reels, quote card text, discussion prompt
This specification is the buildable foundation. An engineer can estimate hours from the technical requirements. A designer can begin wireframes from the screen-by-screen onboarding and tracker specifications. A Content Production Lead can begin extracting and sequencing reflections from the production checklist. The vision is in the Round 3 documents. The plan is in Round 4. This document is the bridge between vision and shipment.