iOS App · Mind & Faith · Salah & Quran
Sakinah — understand the words of your salah
You've said these words thousands of times. Sakinah explains the salah you already know by heart — Al-Fatiha, the words of the prayer and the short surahs — one phrase at a time, in the order you pray.
Overview
What is Sakinah?
Sakinah is an iPhone app that explains the meaning of the salah you already pray: Al-Fatiha, the words of the prayer and 15 short surahs, one phrase at a time, in the order you pray. Each phrase comes with the Arabic text, its meaning and a simple explanation, plus prayer times and the qibla.
Many Muslims learned the prayer as children, by sound, and recite it every day without knowing what each phrase means. Sakinah is built for that gap. It doesn't ask you to start over — it starts from the words you already say.
The rhythm is small: one phrase before a prayer, one short question after. A few minutes, at your pace. There are no tests and no streaks, and you can begin with whichever part of the prayer interests you.
What Sakinah does not do. It explains the meaning of the words. It does not judge your prayer or your pronunciation and does not give fatwas. For practice, follow your teacher and your community.
Audience
Who Sakinah is for
You pray, but don't speak Arabic
You know Al-Fatiha and the tashahhud by heart. Sakinah shows you what each phrase means, so the words you recite become words you understand.
You want to start small
One phrase before a prayer and one short question after. No tests, no streaks — just a few minutes when you have them.
Parents teaching children
"Words for my child" shows how to explain a phrase to your kids, and a kids' version offers phrases made simple and selected cartoons about prayer.
Families on one plan
One subscription covers the family through Family Sharing, so parents and children can each use the app on their own devices.
People who want prayer times without clutter
Prayer times for your city are calculated on your phone, with the qibla on a compass or through your camera. No ads, no account — and these stay free if your plan ends.
Anyone with questions about a word
Ask the Sakinah guide about a word or phrase from your lessons and see what the answer is based on. Save the phrases that matter to you in My words, with your own notes.
Capabilities
What Sakinah includes
- Al-Fatiha, verse by verse. Each verse of Al-Fatiha, and Āmīn, with the Arabic text, its meaning and a simple explanation.
- The words of the prayer. Takbir, ruku, sujud, tashahhud, salawat, taslim, the opening supplication and seeking refuge — the phrases you say in every rak'ah, explained in the order you pray them.
- 15 short surahs. Surahs you can recite after Al-Fatiha, including Al-Ikhlas, Al-Falaq, An-Nas, Al-Kawthar and Al-Asr.
- Recitation with word highlighting. Quran verses recited by Mishary Rashid Alafasy, with each word highlighted as it is read, so you can follow the Arabic while you listen.
- Prayer times and qibla. Prayer times for your city, calculated on your phone: your country's method, standard or Hanafi Asr, or your own mosque's times. The qibla direction on a compass, or shown on the floor through your camera.
- A phrase to take into your prayer. A reminder with your phrase before you pray, and a gentle "did you catch it?" afterwards. Your salah appears as a map of words, so you can see what you already understand.
- Sakinah guide (AI). Ask about any word or phrase from your lessons. The guide answers and shows what the answer is based on. It explains meanings — it does not issue rulings.
- For the whole family. "Words for my child", a kids' version, My words with your own notes, today's phrase as a Home Screen widget, and Family Sharing. No ads, no account.
Workflow
How Sakinah works — your first week, one phrase at a time
The free week is designed as a gentle routine you can keep, not a course to finish.
- Day 1 — pick where to start.Open Al-Fatiha, the words of the prayer or a short surah — whichever interests you. You get full access, with nothing to pay today.
- Before a prayer — read one phrase.See the Arabic text, its meaning and a simple explanation. Listen to the recitation and follow the highlighted words. A reminder brings your phrase to you before you pray.
- After the prayer — one short question.A gentle "did you catch it?" asks whether you noticed the phrase as you prayed. It isn't a test, and there is no streak to protect.
- Along the way — ask and save.Ask the Sakinah guide about a word, save phrases to My words with your own notes, and use "Words for my child" if you want to share a phrase with your kids.
- Day 7 — decide.The weekly plan starts on day 7 unless you cancel in Settings at least 24 hours before. Cancel in time and you pay nothing. Prayer times and the qibla stay free either way.
Comparison
Sakinah vs Muslim Pro vs Quran.com vs Pillars vs Salah 3D
An honest side-by-side based on each app's public App Store listing at time of writing, October 2026. Muslim Pro and Quran.com are far larger and more established, and Quran.com is free. Sakinah is narrower: it focuses on the meaning of what you recite in salah. "Not listed" means we did not find the feature in the app's App Store description.
| Sakinah | Muslim Pro | Quran.com | Pillars | Salah 3D | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Explains the words of salah phrase by phrase | ✓ core focus | not listed | not listed | not listed | partial — translation and transliteration within a step-by-step guide |
| Full Quran | — Al-Fatiha + 15 short surahs | ✓ with translations | ✓ with translations | not listed | — |
| Recitation audio | ✓ Mishary Rashid Alafasy, word highlighting | ✓ | ✓ multiple reciters | not listed | ✓ tap words to hear |
| Prayer times | ✓ country method, Hanafi Asr, mosque times | ✓ | not listed | ✓ multiple methods, early/late Asr | not listed |
| Qibla | ✓ compass or camera | ✓ | not listed | ✓ | not listed |
| Step-by-step movements / wudu | — words, not movements | not listed | — | — | ✓ 3D animation + wudu |
| For children | ✓ kids' version | not listed | not listed | not listed | ✓ designed for children to adults |
| Ads | No ads | ad-removal purchase offered | Ad-free | No ads | not listed |
| Price model | $7.99/week after 7-day trial, or $39.99/year | Free + in-app purchases | Free | Free + Premium | Free + $2.99 full guide |
| App Store rating | No ratings yet (released Oct 2026) | 4.7★ · ~600K ratings | 4.9★ · 33K ratings | 4.8★ · 5.6K+ ratings | 4.2★ · 21 ratings |
Honest read: Pick Quran.com if you want the full Quran with translations, free and without ads. Pick Muslim Pro if you want one large app for prayer times, Quran, duas and more. Pick Pillars for clean, ad-free prayer times. Pick Salah 3D if you are learning the movements of the prayer. Pick Sakinah if you already pray and want to understand the words you say. See the full Quran & prayer apps guide.
In practice
Situations where Sakinah helps
Illustrative examples of how the features fit into a day — not user reviews.
Before Fajr, one phrase
You open the reminder before the morning prayer and read one verse of Al-Fatiha with its meaning. After you pray, Sakinah asks whether you caught it. Over the week, your map of words starts to fill in.
The surah you always choose
You usually recite Al-Ikhlas after Al-Fatiha. You open it in Sakinah, listen to the recitation with each word highlighted, and read what each phrase means.
A question from your child
Your child asks what they are saying in the tashahhud. "Words for my child" shows a way to explain the phrase simply, and the kids' version gives them phrases of their own.
A word you want to understand better
You ask the Sakinah guide about a word from your lesson. It answers and shows what the answer is based on. You save the phrase to My words with a note. For anything about how to pray, you ask your teacher.
Pricing
7-day free trial, then Weekly or Yearly
Sakinah Plus Weekly
$7.99 / week
- 7-day free trial for new subscribers
- Full access, Family Sharing included
- Cancel anytime in Apple settings
Sakinah Plus Yearly
$39.99 / year
- ≈ $0.77 / week — costs less per week
- Everything in Weekly, Family Sharing included
- Billed once per year, no free trial
US prices shown; local prices are displayed in the App Store before purchase. Payment is charged to your Apple ID at confirmation of purchase, or when the free trial ends. Subscriptions renew automatically unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period — manage in iPhone Settings → Apple ID → Subscriptions. If your plan ends, prayer times and the qibla stay free.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
What is Sakinah?
Sakinah is an iPhone app that explains the meaning of the salah you already pray: Al-Fatiha, the words of the prayer and 15 short surahs, one phrase at a time, in the order you pray. Every phrase comes with the Arabic text, its meaning and a simple explanation.
Does Sakinah check my pronunciation or tell me if my prayer is correct?
No. Sakinah explains the meaning of the words. It does not judge your prayer or your pronunciation and does not give fatwas. For questions of practice, follow your teacher and your community.
Which parts of the prayer does Sakinah cover?
Al-Fatiha verse by verse, and Amin; the words of the prayer, including takbir, ruku, sujud, tashahhud, salawat, taslim, the opening supplication and seeking refuge; and 15 short surahs you can recite after Al-Fatiha, such as Al-Ikhlas, Al-Falaq, An-Nas, Al-Kawthar and Al-Asr.
Is Sakinah a full Quran app?
No. Sakinah focuses on what you recite in salah: Al-Fatiha, the words of the prayer and 15 short surahs. If you want to read the whole Quran with translations and many reciters, a dedicated Quran app such as Quran by Quran.com is the better tool, and many people use both.
Whose recitation is used in the app?
Quran verses are recited by Mishary Rashid Alafasy, and each word is highlighted as it is read, so you can follow the Arabic while you listen.
What does the Sakinah guide (AI) do?
The Sakinah guide answers your questions about a word or a phrase from your lessons and shows what the answer is based on. It explains meanings; it is not a scholar and does not give religious rulings.
Can I use Sakinah with my children?
Yes. There is a kids' version with phrases made simple and selected cartoons about prayer, and a feature called Words for my child that shows how to explain a phrase to your kids. One subscription covers your family through Family Sharing.
How does the free week work?
New subscribers on the weekly plan get 7 days free with full access and nothing to pay on the first day. On day 7 the weekly plan starts unless you cancel in Settings at least 24 hours before. If you cancel in time, you pay nothing.
How much does Sakinah cost?
In the US, Sakinah Plus is $7.99 per week after a 7-day free trial for new subscribers, or $39.99 per year with no free trial. Family Sharing is included. Subscriptions renew automatically unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period.
What stays free if my plan ends?
Prayer times and the qibla direction stay free if your plan ends.
How are prayer times calculated?
Prayer times for your city are calculated on your phone. You can use your country's method, choose standard or Hanafi Asr, or enter your own mosque's times.
Do I need an account, and are there ads?
No account is needed and there are no ads. Sakinah is available in Arabic, English, French, German, Indonesian, Malay, Russian and Turkish.
About religious guidance. Sakinah explains the meaning of the words of the prayer. It does not judge your prayer or your pronunciation and does not give fatwas or religious rulings. For questions of practice — how to pray, what to recite, matters of fiqh — follow your teacher and your community.
About the AI guide. The Sakinah guide answers questions about words and phrases from your lessons and shows what its answer is based on. Like any AI, it can be incomplete or wrong; treat it as a study aid, not a scholar.
About prayer times. Prayer times are calculated on your phone from the method you choose. If your local mosque follows different times, you can enter your mosque's times instead.
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