iPray: iPhone offers Islamic apps for Ramadan
The "Find Mecca" and "mosque finder" applications help Muslim travellers in unfamiliar cities find the nearest place to pray.
"When I saw these applications for the first time, I thought: this is amazing," said James Otun, who has several Islamic applications on his AppleiPhone and iPad.
"Whoever came up with this idea: God bless him or her."
The applications are not just for Ramadan; there are Islamic-themed programs that help users find the nearest Costco offering foods prepared according to Islamic dietary rules, learn the correct Arabic pronunciations in a daily prayer, or count how many pages of the Koran they have read that day - all on a mobile phone.
There also are applications, or apps, for the holy books of several other religions, from the Christian Bible to the Bhagavad Gita, a sacred Hindu scripture.
Such applications are especially popular in the US, as American mosques do not broadcast daily calls to prayer from external loudspeakers, as they do in Muslim countries.
The programs are not just offered by Apple; Nokia has a Ramadan suite for its mobile phones that consolidates everything worshippers need to know to observe Islam's holiest month, in which Muslims worldwide observe daily daylight fasting.
Some apps are free. Those that are not range from about 60p to £2, though some are more expensive.
The dates of Ramadan still are determined by the lunar calendar, and calculations can differ among Islamic communities around the world. Sunnis this year mark the first day of Ramadan on Wednesday, while Shias are likely to begin the holy month on Thursday
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