KUALA LUMPUR: Bitsmedia Pte Ltd, the company behind lifestyle app Muslim Pro, is seeking more partnerships for regional and international faith-based events that align with its mission of integrating technology with faith and culture.
Group managing director and chief executive officer Nafees Khundker said partnerships play a crucial role in the company's growth strategy.
Collaborating with local organisations and businesses, he said, can help broaden its audience, provide added value to users, and support its ongoing development efforts in Malaysia.
"We want to partner with other institutions. We are going to partner with financial institutions to provide better financial literacy, content, and access to more financial Islamic financial products.
"We are also going to partner with travel services as well as educational institutions," he said in an interview.
Nafees said Bitsmedia's streaming service, Qalbox, is set to feature collaborations, with upcoming Qalbox originals including notable Muslim scholars like Shaykh Ahmad El-Azahary and Maulana Sheikh Afeefudin.
The app is strengthening its partnerships with institutions such as the Ulum Al-Azhar Academy, offering live Tajweed lessons to a global audience of over 15,000 students.
In addition, Nafees discussed another development called Umrah, which aims to simplify the spiritual journey by streamlining logistics and planning for Muslims worldwide.
The service is currently being piloted in Western markets, including the US and the UK.
"By the end of the year, this feature will be available in Malaysia. Someone in Malaysia can actually book their Umrah through Muslim Pro, this includes travel tickets, hotels.
"It is actually a very flexible solution where it does not have to be a three day two night package, or five day one night package. It can be what you pick and choose," he added.
Celebrating its 15th anniversary, Muslim Pro has experienced significant growth since its launch in 2009, accumulating over 170 million downloads globally.
The app now boasts 25 million monthly users and 8 million daily active users.
"Celebrating 15 years of Muslim Pro is a momentous occasion that marks not just the longevity of the brand but its significant contributions to the global Muslim community.
"This growth is a testament to the value we bring to users, combining faith, technology, and lifestyle into one platform," Nafees said.
The app has also received recognitions, namely the Islamic Economy Award (Media category) at the Global Islamic Economic Summit in 2018.
Nafees said the Islamic tech industry is rapidly growing, with new innovations and competitors starting to emerge.
"We anticipate continued growth in areas such as Islamic e-learning and networking.
"To stay ahead of the curve, we are focusing on investing in research and development to create new and innovative products and services," he said.
He also shared plans to collaborate with various organisations and startups to tap into diverse expertise and resources, while consistently listening to users and adapting to their evolving needs and preferences.
Addressing the data allegations in 2020, Nafees assured that none of the data in question was ever shared with the US military or its contractors.
"Our data partner had ended their relationship with the military long before partnering with Muslim Pro.
"The data that was shared was anonymised, meaning it could not be linked back to individual users, protecting personal identities.
"Upon learning of the concerns, we immediately ended our relationship with the data partner and conducted a thorough internal investigation," he added.
In response, Nafees said they had implemented enhanced security protocols, including regular audits to identify and address any vulnerabilities in its systems.
"We are committed to collecting only the data necessary to provide essential services, such as accurate prayer times and Qibla direction, ensuring users can fully engage with their faith practices.
"Serving users in over 190 countries, we remain dedicated to adhering to global data privacy laws and ensuring the safety of user data across all regions.
"We continue to prioritise transparency, user security, and trust by adhering to the highest privacy standards and maintaining good data protection measures," he added.