Interconnected Learning in Islamic Apps: Insights from User Interviews

Published: 25 March 2025

Author: Ishrat Jahan Easha, Dr Riasat Islam

At Greentech Apps Foundation (GTAF), our mission is to create digital tools that help Muslims come closer to Allah ﷻ by engaging meaningfully with the Qur’an, Hadith, and Seerah. As part of our ongoing research efforts, we recently conducted a qualitative user study to explore how these core Islamic sources can be integrated into a single, seamless learning experience.

This blog post summarises the key findings from those user interviews. The detailed data and analysis will be shared in a forthcoming research publication.

The Vision: A Unified Platform

Users expressed a strong desire for a single app that brings together Qur’anic verses, Hadith, and Seerah in a coherent and contextualised way. Many are currently navigating between separate apps or resources, and find this fragmentation limits their understanding. They want one app, one interface, and one journey that connects the words of Allah ﷻ with the life and teachings of the Prophet ﷺ.

The appeal of such integration lies not only in convenience but in the potential for deeper understanding. Users appreciate how the Qur’an is illuminated by Hadith and Seerah—especially when trying to grasp the historical and spiritual context behind key verses. An integrated platform would help users connect the dots, making their learning more holistic and grounded.

What Users Want

Contextual Depth Without Disruption: While users value depth, they are clear that it should not come at the cost of usability. They prefer an interface that allows them to explore related Hadith or Seerah context at their own pace—through optional links, expandable panels, or subtle highlights. This ensures the reading flow is preserved while still offering pathways to dive deeper.

Timeline-Based Storytelling: Many users responded positively to the idea of a chronological timeline. This feature could visually map events from the Prophet’s ﷺ life, linking them to related verses and Hadith. It makes the experience more narrative-driven, and supports retention by presenting the material as a story rather than isolated facts.

Lightweight and Uncluttered Design: A recurring concern was feature overload. Users value simplicity. Any integration must be clean, minimal, and distraction-free. Ads and pop-ups were seen as detrimental to the spiritual focus the app is meant to foster.

Interactive Tools to Reinforce Learning: Suggestions included quizzes at the end of each section, worship planners, and even Umrah itineraries. These tools would transform passive reading into active engagement, helping users to reflect, retain, and apply what they learn.

Clarifying Controversial Topics: There is also a clear demand for nuanced, well-contextualised explanations of commonly misunderstood issues. Users want to understand the background and context of such verses, aided by reliable Hadith and Seerah references.

Our Way Forward

Based on these findings, we’re working toward a more integrated and engaging learning experience within our apps. This will include:

• Seamless links between Qur’an, Hadith, and Seerah
• Optional deep dives that preserve narrative flow
• A visual timeline to anchor revelations in historical context
• Interactive features that encourage active learning
• Simple, distraction-free user interfaces

This initiative is not just about UI improvements or technical integrations. It’s about reshaping how Muslims engage with sacred knowledge—helping them to see Islam not in fragments, but as a connected, living tradition.

The full research findings will be released as a peer-reviewed paper in due course. For now, this early summary offers a glimpse into what our users want and need: not just information, but transformation.

May Allah ﷻ grant us sincerity and success in this mission. Ameen.