About Iqraa Bookshop

Why I Founded Iqraa Bookshop

Growing up in America, access to Arabic or Islamic education was nearly nonexistent. Arabic books were rare, and Islamic schools were few and far between. Like many, I didn’t have the privilege of learning the Arabic language in my youth. But the longing was always there — a deep, quiet ache to understand the language of the Qur’an.

I vividly remember listening to Surah Al-Kahf being recited on Fridays, wishing I could read it with understanding, not just hear it. That desire — to connect with the words of Allah in their original form — never left me.

Years later, after raising a large family and devoting myself to others, I finally took a moment for myself. I enrolled in Qur’an classes with tajweed, and for the first time, I began to read — not just recite — the words that had once felt out of reach. That journey reignited a passion that had lived inside me all along.

It was never just about language. It was about access. The ability to connect with the Qur’an, to understand our worship, to teach our children what we never had — this is what fuels Iqraa Bookshop.

Iqraa is not just a store. It’s a mission — to make Arabic learning tools available to anyone, anywhere in the world. Whether you’re a parent, a student, a teacher, or someone simply starting late like I did, you deserve the resources to learn the most beautiful and sacred language on earth — not just for this life, but for the Hereafter.

Arabic is more than vocabulary. For me, it became the pathway to understanding my faith, enriching my heart, and elevating my ibadah. Iqraa exists so that no one — young or old — is left unable to read and understand the words that matter most, the way I once was.

With sincerity and purpose,
Rema Nasir
Founder of Iqraa Bookshop