Books

Qum is renowned for its vast collection of religious texts and academic literature, specialising in Islamic theology, jurisprudence, philosophy, and other religious studies. In addition to these religious texts, Qum features several general bookstores that offer a diverse selection of books, including literature, history, science, and children’s books. Most of the books published and sold in Iran are in Farsi and Arabic, with only a few bookshops catering to English readers. Students often need to visit these bookshops to purchase textbooks, reference materials, or books on various topics of interest. The city offers an abundance of bookshops, ensuring that students can find the resources they need. Listing all the bookshops would be beyond the scope of this guide, but some notable places to visit include:

Publishers’ Complex (Mujtameh Nasheran)

Located conveniently near the shrine of Lady Masumah (a) on Moallem Street, it opened in 2013 as the first and only commercial and administrative complex for publishers and booksellers in Iran. This complex houses a variety of publishers and bookshops specialising in a range of fields, particularly Islamic studies. Many renowned publishers, such as Dar al-Hadith, have offices here, offering a wide array of religious texts and scholarly works. These publishers sell newly published works and older, hard-to-find texts, directly to the public. A notable feature of the complex is the ‘Find a Book’ service located on the ground floor. Here, visitors can inquire about specific books, and the assistant will guide them to the appropriate unit and publisher.

Passage Quds (Quds Arcade)

A bustling shopping centre located in a prime area of the city, just a 5-minute walk from the shrine of Lady Masuma (a). This small shopping centre, characterised by its narrow aisles, is renowned for its numerous bookstores that cater to a diverse range of literary needs. Here, one can find many of the classical religious texts, textbooks used in most of the hawzahs, commentaries and translations. Additionally, university books and children’s school textbooks and study aids are readily available. Walking through this arcade, one will notice that many of the bookshops are compact, with stacks of books piled up in every available space. This can make browsing somewhat challenging; however, despite the apparent disorder, the shopkeepers have phenomenal memories and can quickly inform customers about the availability of any book they inquire about and locate it immediately without the need of computer systems.

Kitabestan Razavi

A spacious bookstore spread over two floors in a prominent, central location. It primarily stocks books published by Astan Quds Razavi, the charitable foundation responsible for the administration of Imam al-Ridha’s (a) shrine. In addition to an impressive selection of books on religion, history, philosophy, social sciences, it sells various items such as frames, banners, ornaments and stationary.

Bustan Kitab

Located a few minutes walk away from Passage Quds, a renowned bookstore and publishing house specialising in religious and academic literature. It is a well-organised and well-stocked bookshop which serves as a vital resource for students, scholars, and researchers, offering a comprehensive collection of Islamic texts. Known for its high-quality publications, Bustan Kitab frequently updates its inventory to include the latest scholarly works.

Shahr Kitab, or ‘Bookcity’

A prominent chain of bookstores in Tehran with one branch located in Qum. Renowned for its extensive collection, Shahr Kitab offers a diverse range of books covering various genres, including literature, science, history, and children’s books. In addition to its comprehensive selection of Farsi titles, the store also stocks a variety of international publications, catering to a broad audience of readers.

Dunya Kitab (World of Books)

A well-organised bookshop located inside a shopping centre in Qum. Sections are clearly marked and books neatly displayed, making it easy for customers to browse and find what they are looking for. Like Shahr Kitab, it caters to a wide array of interests, offering titles in various fields including Islamic studies, literature, history, science, and more.

Ansariyan Publishers

Located in a small alley about a 10-minute walk from the shrine of Lady Masumah (a), Ansariyan Publishers was established in 1974 by the late author and translator, Muhammad Taqi Ansariyan. The publisher focuses on disseminating the teachings of the Ahlul Bayt (a) through publication, distribution and sale of Islamic books in multiple languages. Their commitment to translating classical and contemporary Islamic texts into English, Urdu, French, Turkish, Russian, and Spanish has made these works accessible to a global audience. Many foreigners will already be familiar with Ansariyan and likely have at least one of their publications in their personal library. While these books are invaluable for those unfamiliar with the Farsi and Arabic languages, the quality of translation could be improved. Additionally, the books sold here are significantly more expensive than the Farsi or Arabic originals.

Digital Bookshops

With the rise of digital technology, many bookstores in Qum now offer online shopping options. Websites like bookroom.ir and ketab.ir allow customers to browse and purchase books from the comfort of their homes, with delivery services available to various locations. The aforementioned bookshops (Kitabestan Razavi, Bustan Kitab, Shahr Kitab and Dunya Kitab) and most publishers, will also have their own websites for direct online orders.