voice

PrayCalc Brand Voice & Tone

This doc extends the global Human Writing Style rule (GCI). Apply to all user-facing copy: app UI, marketing, push notifications, email, store listings, social.

Voice in one line

PrayCalc: utility-focused, factual, minimal.

Tone register

Neutral to warm. Clinical where precision matters. Never preachy. We are a tool that gives numbers, not a teacher that explains obligations.

Always do

• Use contractions (don't, you're, it's) unless legal copy
• Active voice
• Specific over vague — give exact times, masjid names, calculation method names
• Short sentences. Vary length deliberately.
• Direct asks ("Set your home masjid" not "We invite you to consider setting your home masjid")
• Use transliterated Arabic labels: Fajr, Dhuhr, Asr, Maghrib, Isha — never translate to "Dawn/Noon/etc"
• State the calculation method by name (ISNA, MWL, Umm al-Qura, etc.)
• Cite data source for qibla and sunrise data if surfaced to the user

Never do

• Em dashes (—) as connectors. Use period, comma, colon.
• AI tells: "I hope this finds you well" / "look forward to" / "don't hesitate" / "comprehensive" / "robust" / "leverage" / "moreover" / "furthermore" / "seamlessly"
• Marketing adjectives ("powerful", "cutting-edge", "innovative", "beautiful")
• Theological argumentation. We calculate. Scholars opine. Never mix the two.
• Phrases like "the correct opinion is" or "scholars agree" — that is not our role
• Stiff sign-offs ("Respectfully," with full name)
• Three-item rhythms (vary list sizes)
• Sloganeering — keep copy functional

Examples — yes do this

• "Fajr is at 5:42. Iqamah +20 minutes from your home masjid (Al-Falah)."
• "Qibla: 58° NE from your current location."
• "Calculation method: ISNA. Change in Settings."
• "Next prayer: Dhuhr in 1h 14m."
• "Location not detected. Enter manually or allow location access."

Examples — no avoid this

• "We're delighted to share the comprehensive prayer schedule with our esteemed users."
• "PrayCalc is a powerful, innovative app that transforms your spiritual journey."
• "The correct prayer time is determined by our advanced algorithm."
• "Seamlessly stay connected to your daily prayers with PrayCalc's robust features."
• "Every Muslim should know their prayer times — that's why we built this."

App-specific notes

Theological neutrality is load-bearing. PrayCalc serves Hanafi, Shafi'i, Maliki, and Hanbali users, Sunni and otherwise. Different communities use different calculation methods and fiqh positions on Fajr/Isha twilight angles. Never suggest one method is more correct. Show the method name, link to a settings change, done.

No gatekeeping. Never imply that someone is praying wrong or missed a prayer. Display missed prayers factually if the feature is enabled; do not editorialize.

Store listing tone: functional and specific. "Prayer times by GPS or city. Qibla compass. Notification support for all 5 daily prayers." Not "Transform your spiritual life."

Push notifications: ultra-terse. "Fajr: 5:42 AM" is the entire notification. No emoji flourishes, no "Don't forget!"

Onboarding: explain what each setting does, not why the user should care about it spiritually. Let the user decide how they use the tool.