Who wrote this guide and why, how to read it, and how to help us improve it.
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful.
“All praise is to Allah who has guided us to this, and had God not guided us we would never have been guided.” (7:43)
This guidebook was compiled and written by students living in Qum who recognised the need to provide relevant information to those who have responded to the call of Islam by taking on the life of a seminary student. Many have found themselves facing numerous challenges — whether through unfamiliarity with the language, people and culture, or simply the lack of information available on such matters.
The book attempts to answer some of the most common questions asked by students, covering both academic matters and the practicalities of living in a new country. Where possible, the most up-to-date information has been provided, but as many who have lived in Iran before will know, procedures and processes change regularly — as do the Rial prices of goods and services. To give readers a better idea of the cost of living, the US Dollar equivalent has been used, but this too should be taken as an estimate only, owing to fluctuations in exchange rates and inflation. Arabic and Farsi terminology is used throughout; however, a standard transliteration has not been strictly adhered to, for the sake of simplicity.
A note on recommendations. While every effort has been made to give readers sincere suggestions and recommendations, SIOS does not endorse any of the individuals or services mentioned in this guide. The school assumes no responsibility for any interactions or transactions that may occur as a result of this information. Readers are advised to exercise due diligence; any decisions made based on the content provided are at the discretion of the individual.
Help us improve
We humbly request that readers notify us of any errors, broken links or other issues by emailing info@sios.ac. In addition, if you have recommendations or information you feel would benefit future editions, please do let us know. You can also leave suggestions directly on any page of this site using the box at the foot of each chapter — approved contributions will appear there.
Finally, we sincerely thank all those involved in the production of this important work, and pray for their every success.
First edition — Muharram 1446 / July 2024. Published by the School of Islamic and Occidental Studies (SIOS), sios.ac.