Bohra Calendar: Comprehensive Hijri Calendar with 225+ Fatemi Events

The Origin Story

Bohra Calendar grew out of the Namaz Awqaat Android app, which included a basic Hijri calendar with Fatemi events. Users wanted a dedicated calendar experience accessible on any device, not just Android. Instead of building another native app, I chose to build a Progressive Web App with React 19, making it instantly accessible to anyone with a browser. The goal was simple: create the most comprehensive Fatemi event listing available online, wrapped in a fast, offline-capable calendar that works on every device. The app launched at bohracalendar.com and serves the global Dawoodi Bohra community.

Building for the Community

"The best tools are the ones people can access without barriers. No app store, no downloads, no platform restrictions. Just open the browser and it works."

The Challenge

The Dawoodi Bohra community needed a reliable, accessible way to track Hijri dates and Fatemi occasions. Existing Islamic calendar apps lack coverage of community-specific events, and no single source provided a comprehensive listing of all Fatemi occasions.

Critical Pain Points

The miqaat calendar and Fatemi events from the Namaz Awqaat Android app were only accessible to Android users, leaving iOS, desktop, and other platform users without access
Existing Islamic calendars cover standard events but lack up-to-date, comprehensive Fatemi occasion listings specific to the Dawoodi Bohra community
Accurate Hijri-to-Gregorian date conversion requires complex algorithmic calculations with a 30-year leap cycle
Dynamic events like Akhri Jumoa (last Friday of Ramadan) change each year and cannot be hardcoded
Users need offline access for areas with limited connectivity, requiring a full PWA architecture
Location-aware sunrise and sunset times needed for each user without external API dependency for calculations

The community deserved a single, authoritative source for Fatemi occasions that works on any device, loads instantly, and functions without an internet connection.

The Solution

Built a modern Progressive Web App with React 19 and TypeScript that serves as the most comprehensive Fatemi event resource available online.

Accurate Hijri Calendar Engine

Implemented the Kuwaiti tabular algorithm with a 30-year leap cycle for precise Hijri-Gregorian bidirectional conversion. All date math routes through Julian Day intermediary for accuracy.

225+ Fatemi Events Database

Curated the most comprehensive collection of Fatemi occasions: Eid, milad, urs, shahadat, wafaat, salgira, chehlum, ashura, takbira, rozu, miqaat, and washek events, each with location and priority metadata.

Installable PWA with Offline Support

Service worker with Workbox caching ensures the entire app works offline. Installable on any device through the browser, with auto-update checks every 15 minutes.

Location-Aware Sun Times

Automatic geolocation detection with local sunrise and sunset calculations. Reverse geocoding via BigDataCloud API displays the user's city, with 24-hour localStorage caching to minimize API calls.

Results & Business Impact

Most Comprehensive Fatemi Event Listing Online

225+ curated Fatemi events across all 12 Hijri months, covering eid, milad, urs, shahadat, wafaat, salgira, chehlum, ashura, takbira, rozu, miqaat, and washek occasions.

Works on Any Device, Even Offline

PWA architecture enables installation on iOS, Android, and desktop. Full offline functionality ensures access to calendar and events without internet connectivity.

Instant Performance with Modern Stack

React 19 with Vite 7, route-based code splitting, inline CSS, and WebP images deliver sub-second load times. Static assets cached for one year with immutable headers.

SEO-Optimized with 50+ Crawlable Pages

Dynamic meta tags, structured data (WebApplication, FAQPage), and auto-generated sitemap ensure discoverability for users searching for Bohra calendar and Fatemi event information.

Lessons Learned

PWAs Can Replace Native Apps for Content-Driven Use Cases

For a calendar and event listing app, a PWA delivers the same installable, offline-capable experience as a native app without the friction of app store distribution. Users bookmark or install from the browser and get automatic updates.

Custom Routing Beats Framework Overhead for Simple Apps

Instead of adding React Router as a dependency, a lightweight custom router using History.pushState and popState kept the bundle small while supporting clean URLs like /calendar/rajab-1448.

Curated Data Is a Product in Itself

The 225+ Fatemi events database required extensive research and community knowledge. No API or public dataset contained this information. The curated dataset became the app's core differentiator.

Seasonal Imagery Creates Emotional Connection

Adding month-specific background images in WebP format with Arabic typography using the AlFatemi font transformed a utilitarian calendar into something the community feels connected to.