Create Apps Success Stories: How UAE-Based Rūhi Is Redefining Wellness for a Faith Driven Generation

This article is part of Entrepreneur Middle East’s Create Apps Success Stories series, which highlights some of the most prominent mobile apps that have been born out of the Create Apps Championship – Dubai Chamber of Digital Economy‘s flagship program.

With the advent of more, and better, mental health tools, a quieter, more nuanced discourse has emerged: the need for culturally sensitive and faith diverse options. Zahra Salah and Noor Salih decided to tackle this gap from a Muslim perspective when they co-created Rūhi, an Islamic meditation app. “Rūhi was born out of a need for a mindfulness tool that speaks our language,” Salah explains. “We felt that the dominant narrative on wellbeing didn’t align with our values and culture. It felt borrowed from a heritage that isn’t ours. The generic mindfulness apps  present a one-size-fits-all approach rooted in Western interpretations of Eastern practices, leaving many communities feeling disconnected from tools that are proven to be beneficial. For wellbeing practices to truly deliver impact, it needs to resonate with us on a deeper level.”

Salah explains the complexity of the situation with a simple analogy. “It’s like when everyone is offered coffee, but some of us actually prefer tea or Karak. Real inclusivity isn’t about providing one option for all; it’s about honoring different tastes and traditions. Rūhi bridges that gap between modern mental health practices and cultural authenticity. We center the practices, language, and wisdom to reflect our culture and values. We believe everyone deserves access to wellbeing resources that honor their identity and heritage, not ones that ask them to adapt to someone else’s framework.”

Rūhi was thus built as a meditation app that integrates spirituality into modern wellness, but with an aim to blend heritage with neuroscience. “It’s for anyone with a God-centric worldview who is tired of mentally translating phrases like “the Universe” to make meditations resonate with their heart,” Salah elaborates. “As Muslims ourselves, we created something that speaks directly to our faith and values—no adaptation required. Now Rūhi is doing for wellness what milk alternatives did for coffee shops: finally creating a solution for an audience that has been overlooked for far too long.”

Soon after its inception, Rūhi found support in building its base when the application got accepted into the Create Apps Championship. While it notably emerged as one of the finalists of the second edition, Salah notes that the benefits of the program extended beyond its six-month window. “The Championship forced us to fine-tune every aspect of our journey,” she says. “Taught by experts in the industry, it feels like a mini marathon training. With deadlines and submissions, you are slowly but surely guided toward a finish line. It’s important to understand that this is prep work for the actual job and that founders who understand their purpose will come out the strongest. We also used the mentor circle to build relationships we value and cherish. Some of our mentors are still offering support and guidance, which we are utterly grateful for (thank you, Weera!) Finding the right support is essential to succeed in any venture. The competition helped facilitate a beautiful network of impactful professionals in their fields.”

Having amassed beneficial knowledge and connections, the Rūhi team has successfully built on the momentum it gained as Championship finalists. “We’ve made significant progress on multiple fronts, both in B2B and B2C,” Salah shares. “You see, Rūhi is built as more than just a digital platform; it’s a community-centered brand. So through monthly events that combine meditation sessions with expert-led workshops, we’ve created meaningful connections with our audience, fostering belonging and ambassadorship. We’ve also held regular in-person meditation sessions for employees of ICD Brookfield Place, offering people from diverse backgrounds, in the heart of Dubai’s buzzing financial district, a space to experience authentic wellness rooted in spirituality. Furthermore, we are part of the Dubai Founder HQ platform, which positions us within Dubai’s innovation ecosystem and provides access to resources that accelerate our growth.”

Such meaningful initiatives have also opened doors for some strategic collaborations along the way. “Mental health clinics have integrated Rūhi subscriptions into their packages to offer Muslim clients an after-care tool that integrates easily into their daily lives,” Salah adds. “We’ve also secured a corporate pilot contract with Emirates Airlines, delivering a hybrid wellness solution that includes on-site sessions and premium app subscriptions for their staff. A partnership with an iconic corporation that values its employees’ well-being and understands that wellness is not a tick-box solution.”

While thus remarking upon Rūhi’s milestones so far, Salah notes that her app’s journey is in many ways reflective of the Emirate it is based out of. “Dubai has always led the way in innovation and progress, and we’re building in line with the vision of Sheikh Hamdan’s Mental Wealth strategy to promote mental wellbeing,” she says. “This is a UAE-born innovation addressing a gap that exists globally: wellness tools have largely ignored the spiritual foundations that guide daily life for so many, both here and around the world. Rūhi fills that gap by honoring faith as a core component of mental and emotional well-being, not as an afterthought or something to be secularized. Where other apps strip away spiritual elements in pursuit of universal appeal, we embrace them. Much like Dubai strategically rebranded to become a destination people travel across the world to experience, Rūhi is rebranding wellness, making faith-based mental health something people actively seek, not settle for translated alternatives. This region has proven it can set global standards, and we’re positioned to do exactly that. Because what we build today, our future generation will rely on tomorrow.”

With a clear vision in mind, Salah remains optimistic about her venture’s road ahead. “Rūhi’s roadmap is buzzing, both internally with new features rolling out in phases, as well as externally penetrating the market space,” she shares. “We have been in meeting rooms with both big and small corporations, resulting in several upcoming partnerships. First off has been a collaboration with Noon, where Rūhi vouchers were included with their deliveries leading up to Ramadan, leveraging one of the region’s largest e-commerce platforms to expand our user base in the peak spiritual season. We also have a line-up of bespoke activations and collaborations with international luxury brand names, offering wellness with cultural intelligence. As for corporate memberships, we are in the process of signing another leading institution known for its innovative employee wellness strategy that focuses on a culture of belonging. Being a homegrown startup in Dubai means we move at the city’s pace, adapting rapidly to client needs and evolving alongside them. This makes us more than a service provider; we’re co-creating the future of wellness in the region!”

‘TREP TALK: Zahra Salah, co-founder of Rūhi, shares advice to founders considering joining future editions of the Create Apps Championship

“Understand that the journey is more important than the result. This applies to both the competition and to startup life in general. Use all the tools you are provided with to enhance your skills. We highly recommend building a network of people who share your values and believe in your product. This can only be achieved through meaningful connections, because beyond any venture, the most important aspect of a company is the people behind it.”