ShiaNūr — Privacy Policy
Effective Date: June 27, 2026
Last Updated: June 27, 2026

This Privacy Policy explains what information the ShiaNūr mobile application (the "App") collects, how it is used, who it is shared with, and the choices you have. ShiaNūr is operated by the ShiaNūr team (the "Developer," "we," "us," "our").
If you have any questions, contact us at: privacy@shianur.com

1. Summary
* ShiaNūr is a free, Shia-focused Islamic devotional application: Qur'an reader, prayer times, Qibla, Islamic calendar, missed-prayer (Qaḍāʾ) tracker, duas, ziyarat and other worship content.
* We collect the minimum information needed to run the App.
* We do not sell or rent your data.
* We do not run analytics, ad networks, or third-party tracking.
* We do not profile you for advertising.
* Most of your personal devotional data (reading progress, qaḍāʾ counts, favorites, worship history) stays on your device and is never sent to our servers.
* You can sign in anonymously, with Apple, with Google, or with Email.
* You can delete your account and associated data from inside the App at any time (Me → Account → Delete account).

2. Information we collect
2.1 Account Information (Only If You Create an Account)

If you choose to create an account, we may collect the following information:

* Email Address – Provided by you when signing up with email or supplied by your Apple or Google sign-in provider. Used for authentication, account recovery, and account-related communication.
* Display Name (Optional) – Provided by you or by your Apple or Google account. Used to personalize your experience within the App (for example, “Salam, [Name]”).
* Unique Account Identifier (UID) – Automatically generated when your account is created. Used to associate your account with your private devotional data and synchronize it across your devices.
If you use Sign in with Apple, Apple may provide us with a private relay email address (e.g., xxx@privaterelay.appleid.com). We treat this the same as any other email address and never attempt to resolve it back to your real address.
You may also use the App without signing in (guest mode). In that case, a temporary identifier is generated for you; we collect no email or name.
2.2 Approximate Location (Only If You Grant Permission)
The App uses your device location for:
* Computing local prayer times (Fajr, Dhuhr, ʿAṣr, Maghrib, ʿIshāʾ).
* Pointing the Qibla compass toward Mecca (your coordinates are required to compute the bearing from your position to the Kaaba).
Location is read on-device only by your operating system and standard location and compass components. The raw GPS coordinates are not transmitted to our servers or stored in your account. You can revoke location permission at any time in your device's Settings; prayer times will revert to a manually selected city, and the Qibla compass will prompt you to enable location or enter your city manually.
2.2a Device Sensors (Qibla Compass)
The Qibla compass also reads your device's magnetometer and accelerometer to determine the direction your device is pointing and to keep the compass needle stable when you tilt the device. This sensor data is processed on-device only, in real time, and is never recorded, stored, or transmitted to our servers. On iOS, access to motion sensors requires the system motion permission (which the system will prompt you to grant); on Android, motion sensors do not require a runtime permission. You can stop using the compass at any time by leaving the screen.

2.3 Worship-Related Data You Create
When signed in, the following data is synced to a private, per-account area of our cloud database:
* App settings (language, theme, notification preferences)
* Profile preferences (display name, preferred reciters)
* Qaḍāʾ (missed-prayer) counts and history
* Reading-continuity state (last Qur'an page / surah / ayah)
* Favorites and favorite folders
* Arbaʿīn walk progress (step count, distance, and completion state — the precise GPS path is never uploaded)
This data is private to your account. It is not shared with other users, advertisers, or any third party.
2.4 Device Permissions and What They’re Used For

ShiaNūr requests only the permissions necessary to provide the features you choose to use. Unless otherwise stated, all permissions are optional and can be revoked at any time through your device’s Settings.

* Location (While Using the App) (Optional) – Used to calculate accurate prayer times and determine the direction of the Qibla.
* Motion & Fitness / Activity Recognition (Optional) – Used to improve the accuracy of the Qibla compass through tilt compensation and to track Arbaʿīn walk progress. Only the resulting step count and distance may be synchronized with your account (see §2.3). Your precise GPS route is never uploaded and remains on your device.
* Camera (Optional) – Used for the AR Qibla view, capturing a profile photo, and scanning ingredient labels using on-device text recognition to help identify non-halal ingredients.
* Photo Library (Read Access) (Optional) – Allows you to choose a profile picture or select an image for a share card.
* Photo Library (Add Access) (Optional) – Allows you to save a profile picture or a generated share card to your device.
* Notifications (Optional) – Used to deliver prayer-time reminders and Qaḍāʾ reminders. Notifications are generated locally on your device; no third-party push notification service is used.
* Internet Access (Required) – Required for account sign-in, synchronization of your data, audio streaming, and downloading optional content.

2.4a Ingredient Scanner (On-Device Text Recognition)
The ingredient-label scanner uses an on-device text-recognition engine running entirely on your device. The camera frames and the text extracted from them are processed locally; they are not uploaded to us or to any third party, and they are not stored after the scan ends. The matching of recognized text against a list of ingredients is performed on-device against data bundled inside the App.
2.5 Information we do not collect
* We do not collect precise GPS history.
* We do not collect your contacts, calendar, or microphone.
* We do not integrate any advertising SDK.
* We do not integrate any third-party analytics or crash-reporting SDK.
* We do not track you across other apps or websites.
* We do not use cookies (the App is not a web browser).

3. How your information is used
We use the information described above only to:
1. Authenticate your account.
2. Sync your personal devotional data between your devices.
3. Provide location-based features (prayer times, Qibla) — on-device only.
4. Send notifications you have opted in to.
5. Respond to your support requests.
6. Comply with our legal obligations.
We do not use your data to train AI models, sell to brokers, or build advertising profiles.

4. Streamed and downloaded content
Recitations of the Qur'an, duas, and ziyarat, along with optional downloadable content such as translations and calendar data, are served from our content-delivery servers. The underlying infrastructure is provided by a reputable cloud hosting provider, acting as a sub-processor for storage and content delivery.
When your device requests a file, the following technical information is necessarily processed in order to deliver the file to you:
* Your IP address (used by the network to route the response back to you).
* The request line (the file you asked for and the response status).
* A timestamp and standard request headers (e.g., User-Agent).
This information is not linked to your ShiaNūr account, email, or any other identifier we hold about you. We do not use it for advertising, profiling, or analytics.
* We configure access logs with a retention period of at most 30 days, after which they are automatically deleted.
* Our hosting provider is contractually bound to process this information only on our instructions, in accordance with its data-processing terms and (where applicable) the European Commission's Standard Contractual Clauses.
* No third-party CDN, ad network, or analytics provider receives your request during playback or download.
If you would prefer not to share this information, you can avoid streaming or downloading by simply not tapping the audio playback or download buttons; the rest of the App (Qur'an text, duas/ziyarat text, prayer times, Qibla, calendar) works without contacting our content servers.

5. Sharing of Information

We share personal information only with the following categories of service providers (processors and sub-processors), who are contractually required to process your information solely on our behalf and in accordance with our instructions:

* Google Firebase Authentication – Used for user authentication and account management. Information shared may include your email address, account identifier (UID), and authentication credentials managed by Firebase.
* Google Cloud Firestore – Used to securely store and synchronize your devotional data associated with your account (see §2.3).
* Cloud hosting and content delivery provider – Used to store and deliver audio files and optional downloadable content. Information processed may include your IP address, the requested file, timestamps, and standard HTTP request headers, solely as required to deliver the requested content (see §4).
* Sign in with Apple – If you choose to sign in with Apple, we receive the email address (which may be a private relay address) and display name that Apple provides to us.
* Sign in with Google – If you choose to sign in with Google, we receive the email address and display name associated with your Google account.

We do not sell, rent, or share your personal information with advertisers, data brokers, or other third parties for advertising or marketing purposes.

We may disclose personal information without your consent only when required to do so by law (for example, in response to a valid court order or other legal process), or when necessary to protect the rights, safety, or security of our users, the public, or ShiaNūr.

6. Where your data is stored
* Account and synced data are stored in our cloud database provider's data centers in the United States (or other regions, as configured for performance or regulatory reasons).
* Audio and downloadable content, along with their access logs, are stored with our cloud hosting provider, currently in the European Union (Ireland); regions may change for performance or regulatory reasons.
* Most devotional content (Qur'an text, duas, ziyarat, calendar) is bundled inside the App and never leaves your device.
If you are in the European Economic Area, the United Kingdom, or Switzerland, your data may be transferred to and processed in the United States or other countries that may not provide the same level of data protection. Where applicable, transfers rely on the European Commission's Standard Contractual Clauses and the GDPR's appropriate safeguards mechanism.

7. Data retention
* Bundled content stays on your device until you uninstall the App.
* Device-only data (reading progress, qaḍāʾ history, favorites) stays on your device until you uninstall the App or clear its storage.
* Account data is retained until you delete your account.
* After account deletion, your data is removed from our active database within 24 hours and from operational backups within 30 days.
* Server access logs are retained for up to 30 days.

8. Your rights and choices
Regardless of where you live, you can:
* Access the personal information we hold about you.
* Correct inaccurate information (via the App's profile screen or by emailing us).
* Delete your account and the data associated with it (Me → Account → Delete account, or by emailing privacy@shianur.com).
* Export a copy of your synced data (email us, and we will provide a copy).
* Withdraw consent for optional permissions at any time through your device Settings.
* Object to processing or restrict processing where the law allows.
If you are in the EEA, UK or Switzerland, you have rights under the GDPR. If you are in California, you have rights under the CCPA / CPRA. We do not "sell" or "share" personal information for cross-context behavioral advertising as those terms are defined under California law.
To exercise any right, email privacy@shianur.com from the address associated with your account. We will respond within 30 days.
If you believe we have not addressed your concern, you may file a complaint with your local data protection authority. In the EEA, you can find your authority at https://edpb.europa.eu/about-edpb/about-edpb/members_en.

9. Children's privacy
ShiaNūr is rated for ages 4+ on the App Store and Everyone on Google Play. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under the age of 13 (or under 16 where required by local law) without verified parental consent. If you believe a child has provided us with personal information, please email privacy@shianur.com, and we will delete it.

10. Security
We use industry-standard safeguards to protect your information:
* All network traffic between the App and our servers is encrypted using HTTPS/TLS.
* Authentication credentials are managed by our authentication provider and are never stored in plain text by us.
* Stored data is protected by access controls that restrict each account's data so it is readable and writable only by that account.
* We do not store payment information (the App is free and does not contain in-app purchases).
No security measure is perfect. If you discover a vulnerability, please contact security@shianur.com before publicly disclosing it.

11. Third-party services
The App may include links to external websites or content (e.g., references to scholarly works). Those external sites have their own privacy policies and are not governed by this policy. We are not responsible for the practices of those third parties.

12. Changes to this Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. If we make a material change, we will:
* Update the "Last updated" date at the top of this page.
* Show an in-App notice the next time you open the App, where required.
By continuing to use the App after changes take effect, you acknowledge and accept the updated Privacy Policy.

13. Contact
ShiaNūr — Privacy Team
Email: privacy@shianur.com
Account-deletion requests: delete@shianur.com (or use Me → Account → Delete account inside the App)
Security disclosures: security@shianur.com
General support: support@shianur.com

ShiaNūr is an independent project. The scholarly works, marājiʿ, and reciters referenced in the App are included solely for attribution. Their inclusion does not imply endorsement, sponsorship, or affiliation.