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- calendar_today October 26, 2026
Introducing Khalifah: A Faith-Based Minecraft-Style Game
Five-year-old Roman Matin is among the first players to dive into Khalifah, a Minecraft-inspired video game crafted by his father, Afridi Matin, in Saskatchewan. Designed with children learning about Islam in mind, Khalifah seeks to educate young players on community values, life skills, and the tenets of the Islamic faith through interactive play.
A Safe and Ad-Free Space for Muslim Children
Afridi Matin, a computer science student at the University of Regina, was inspired to develop Khalifah after watching Roman play similar games online—many of which he found to have distracting ads and potentially unsafe content. Wanting a safer alternative, Afridi designed his game without advertisements, account requirements, or unsafe features. "I wanted to hand my son something that I can trust, that I know that's gonna benefit him and that's productive," Afridi shared.
Gameplay Highlights: Building, Praying, and Learning
Within the game’s open-world village, players like Roman can build structures, explore the landscape, and interact with fellow villagers. The absence of threats such as monsters or zombies distinguishes Khalifah from mainstream games in the genre. One feature Roman particularly enjoys is praying at the mosque alongside other characters when the adhan, or call to prayer, sounds.
The in-game madrasah (school) further supports arabic alphabet learning and introduces foundational concepts of the Islamic faith, such as performing wudu (the ritual washing before prayer).
Expanding Horizons: From Family Project to Community Game
Launched online on October 13, Khalifah is available for free and, according to Afridi, has attracted nearly 150 players so far. The game is intended for muslim kids aged five to twelve and can be played solo or with friends via a code-based multiplayer option. A more advanced mode offers older children the chance to manage the village and develop projects such as water infrastructure with the villagers, enhancing the game’s educational potential.
Afridi explained, "As a father, I believe that I need to teach my sons the values that I have, the values of Islam. So I figured if he's already playing something, why not just get him to play something that he can learn from?"
Expert Insight on Educational Video Games
Alec Couros, professor of educational technology at the University of Regina, acknowledged the longstanding connection between gaming and learning within educational settings. According to Couros, immersive and interactive experiences—like those offered in Khalifah—can actively engage students and provide incentives for learning that differ from traditional worksheets. He commented, "Being able to be immersed in those particular worlds... just allows kids to imagine and to learn in different ways that they don't have to be restricted by their actual physical location."
Looking Ahead: Plans for Further Development
Afridi Matin has aspirations to expand Khalifah even further, aiming to introduce more languages so children worldwide can access the faith-based game. As Khalifah continues to grow, Afridi is hopeful that other Muslim families will find it a productive and safe online game for islamic faith education. He said, "For kids to have something like that, a game where they can learn those values from, I think that's important."
Source: cbc.ca.
