Sakinah | Quran Memorisation & Prayer App

React NativeTypeScriptSupabase

Thursday, October 15, 2026

Sakinah is a cross-platform mobile app that helps Muslims memorise the Quran using the proven 3x3 method, track their daily prayers, and get intelligent recommendations connecting the two.

The problem

There are solid Quran memorisation apps on the market, and there are decent prayer trackers. Nothing meaningfully bridges the two. Muslims memorise surahs and then never get prompted to recite them where it matters most, in their daily prayers. Sakinah fills that gap.

What it does

The core feature uses the 3x3 method: repeat the first ayah three times, the second three times, then combine them. A spaced repetition algorithm inspired by Anki tracks memorisation strength and recommends which surahs to recite in each prayer, prioritising material at risk of being forgotten.

Other features:

  • 3x3 memorisation sessions with customisable repetitions and audio recitation from professional reciters.
  • Prayer tracking to log all five daily prayers, record surahs recited, and build consistency through streaks.
  • Smart recommendations for what to recite in each prayer based on memorisation strength.
  • Progress dashboard with visual statistics across four memorisation levels: new, learning, reviewing, and mastered.
  • Audio playback at adjustable speed, with support for multiple reciters.

Tech stack

Built on React Native with Expo for cross-platform delivery from a single codebase, launching iOS first. TypeScript throughout for type safety. Tamagui handles the cross-platform UI with design tokens tuned for Islamic theming. Supabase provides authentication, the Postgres database, and cloud sync. Expo AV handles the audio playback.

Technical highlights

A few choices shaped how the project came together. Arabic text rendering needed proper RTL support and careful handling of the Bismillah across different surahs. The original 1,400-line monolithic component got refactored into a modular architecture with custom hooks and a dedicated service layer. The backend moved from a planned AWS setup (Amplify, Cognito, DynamoDB, Lambda) to Supabase for a much better developer experience without sacrificing capability.

Status

Approaching beta on iOS, with Android to follow. Post-launch priorities include family linking features and smarter recommendations.