DeenLock
Helping Muslims build consistent prayer habits through behavioural design
The Challenge
Muslims who want to pray five times daily struggle to maintain consistency because their smartphones — the same devices that could help them — are full of distractions. The challenge was designing an iOS app that builds a lasting prayer habit without feeling like a productivity tool or a guilt-inducing reminder.
The Process
User research: 12 in-depth interviews with Muslims across Pakistan, UK, and Canada to understand the emotional relationship with prayer and the role of technology
Defined three distinct user archetypes: the Lapsed Practitioner, the Consistent Believer, and the Motivated Beginner — each with different motivational drivers
Designed a personalised 5-minute onboarding flow that asks about prayer goals, not personal data — setting positive intent from first launch
Built a streak system with Lottie-animated rewards — visual dopamine that reinforces habit without making it feel like a game
Designed a paywall conversion screen using principles from BJ Fogg's behavioral model — motivation + ability + prompt — resulting in a 22% premium conversion rate
Implemented a motivational insights system that surfaces relevant Quranic verses and hadith contextually, not on a timer
The Outcome
After 90 days of deployment, daily prayer consistency increased by 37% across the active user base. The app maintained a 4.7-star App Store rating. The streak feature became the most-used element in the app, with 68% of users checking it daily.
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Building DeenLock: UX Lessons from a Prayer Habit Product→
12+ years building digital products at the intersection of code and design. Senior Design Engineer at Insphere AI, UX Delivery Lead at ReloadUX, and Lead Designer at Tkxel. Based in Lahore, Pakistan.