Gadgets, e-alerts help faithful observe Ramzan

Abdul Waheed, a busy electronics engineer from Mira Road, struggles to find time to read the Quran.

Abdul Waheed, a busy electronics engineer from Mira Road, struggles to find time to read the Quran.

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Now, during Ramzan, the Islamic holy month of abstinence that began on Saturday, an electronic gadget will help him follow the ritual of reading the holy book, allowing him to do so even while on the move.

The electronic device, called Quran Read Pen, has an audio feature that offers a choice of chapter-wise recitals of the holy book by several popular Qaris or Quran reciters, in a total of 15 languages.

“I find the device extremely useful, since I can listen to a Quran recital even while in the local train. My six-year-old son loves using it too,” said Waheed, who received the device as a gift from his brother three months ago.

Since April, Mohammad Sharif, an electronics dealer based in Hyderabad, has received more than 500 orders for the device from Mumbai alone and expects the number to double during Ramzan.

Also on the market now is a plethora of smartphone applications designed to aid praying, including the iPhone app alQibla, which uses the global positioning system to determine the direction of Mecca from any location, and a slew of other applications that offer regular alerts for the salah or ritual prayer.

“My friend uses it regularly and finds it very useful,” he said.