Noor Software

The digital backbone of modern hawzah research — Noor's software, cloud apps and online libraries, and how to get hold of them affordably.

The Computer Research Centre of Islamic Sciences (CRCIS), commonly referred to as Noor, was established in 1989 with the goal of digitising Islamic sources and texts, making this rich heritage easier to access and speeding up research through information and communication technology. Alongside its computer software, the project now runs several subscription-based subsidiaries and plays a crucial role in supporting the academic journey of any genuine seminary student.

Noor lets you research and study efficiently, with easy access to a multitude of books, articles and manuscripts that might otherwise be difficult — or impossible — to obtain physically. It also offers portability: you can reach resources from anywhere, at any time, without needing to be physically present in a traditional library. This is especially valuable when time is short, or when travel keeps you away from the libraries. Advanced search functions help you navigate extensive collections, journals and articles to find exactly what you need, and tools such as bookmarking, highlighting and note-taking help you organise your research and build personalised study materials.

Their main services include the following.

Noorsoft

The original computer software programs were created and sold on DVD for Windows PCs. There are now over 400 DVD collections across 20 categories, which can be bought online or at the CRCIS main office on Jumhuri Islami Boulevard. Unfortunately the programs are still designed only for Windows, though unofficial workarounds for other operating systems exist. DVD prices are extremely affordable — roughly $0.50–$2 each, depending on the title. Noor also sells a package of over 100 of its most popular programs on a single external hard drive for about $75 (drive included), and the support team can install individual programs onto your own external drive or laptop. Recently the centre has also introduced Android apps, many of them completely free.

Abrenoor

Abrenoor, or “Noor cloud”, is a subscription-based, cloud-computing application that lets you access and run over 250 Noor programs on any operating system without installation. It is a great alternative to buying and installing multiple DVDs, and works from anywhere, on any computer. Yearly subscriptions start from just $3. Setting up an account is easy, and a single account works across all of Noor’s online services.

Noorlib

An extensive online digital library of over 90,000 volumes of both classical and contemporary books across a wide range of topics. Features include a personalised online library, the ability to download selected pages from a book, and a “research desk” for taking notes on a particular page, highlighting text and adding bookmarks. As with Narges Library and Shiabooks, most books are images of the original printed editions, though there is a function to read in text format too.

Noormags

Noormags is the largest digital library of academic articles and journals in the fields of Islamic sciences and the humanities. With a wide range of scholarly content in multiple languages, drawn from an extensive network of authors and publishers, it gives subscribers access to this wealth of knowledge through one user-friendly, fully searchable platform.

Noordoc

Noordoc is a digital library of theses and dissertations by hawzah students and those from various Iranian universities, including Tehran University and Imam Sadiq (a) University. It is dedicated to promoting the creation, use, dissemination and preservation of electronic theses and dissertations across all levels of higher education, with the aim of enhancing the sharing of knowledge worldwide.