University of Religions and Denominations

In 1995[1] a group of scholars from Hawza of Qom interested in and concerned with religious and cultural matters decided to pioneer a movement towards the study of various religions and other Islamic sects and denominations. This resulted in the establishment of a research institute that became the University of Religions and Denominations. This was the first specialized university in the field of religions and denominations in Iran.

The institute began its activities with a group of students from Qom Seminary in a small building with minimal resources and facilities. At first, there was a special four-year academic course in three fields: Abrahamic Religions, Non-Abrahamic Religions, and Islamic Sects. During their studies, the students also learned English, Sanskrit, and Hebrew languages. After about ten years the institute met the legal requirements governing the universities in Iran and legally became a university.

A view of the campus of the University of Religions and Denominations

University of Religions and Denominations - Faculty of Religions

The university currently has twelve faculties with various departments under them:[2]

1. Faculty of History
   • Department of History of Iran
2. Faculty of Islamic Denominations
   • Department of Comparative Jurisprudention and Law
   • Department of Islamic Denominations
3. Faculty of Law
   • Department of Law
4. Faculty of Media and Communications
   • Department of Media Management
5. Faculty of Mysticism
   • Department of Religions and Mysticism
   • Department of Islamic Mysticism
6. Faculty of Nations, Cultures, and Languages
   • Department of Arabic Language
7. Faculty of Philosophy
   • Department of Contemporary Philosophy
   • Department of Islamic Philosophy and Kalām
8. Faculty of Quranic Studies
   • Department of Quranic Studies
9. Faculty of Religion and Art
   • Department of Art
10. Faculty of Religions
    • Department of Abrahamic Religions
    • Department of Non-Abrahamic Religions
    • Department of Iranian Religions
    • Department of the Study of Religion
11. Faculty of Shi'i Studies
    • Department of Shi'i kalam
    • Department of Shi'i Denominations
12. Faculty of Woman and Family
    • Department of Studies of Women

According to the 2023 rankings of the best universities given by the Round University Ranking (RUR), University of Religions and Denominations has gained a country rank of 14 among 24 universities in Iran and a world rank of 705 among 1217 universities from a wide range of geographical locations, representing more than 80 nations

The group is engaged in researching the Philosophy, Psychology, and Sociology of Religion. It also holds scientific and research seminars on various associated subjects.

The university has a dedicated research centre which has five research groups and corresponding work-groups. All research undertaken by the members is carried out under the supervision of this centre. These groups include:

1. Abrahamic Religions: this group carries out research on history and theories, philosophy and theology, ethics and spirituality, sacred scriptures and the laws and rituals of Christian and Jewish religions.
2. Non-Abrahamic Religions: this group is concerned with the study of Eastern, The Far East and Persian Religions.
3. Sufism and Islamic Spirituality: This group works on the history of Sufism, theoretical spirituality, Sufi sects and the comparative study of the mysticism of different religions. Islamic Sects: This group carries out research on Shia, Sunni and Jurisprudential Sects

The University’s Publishing House is under the supervision of the president. It is responsible for printing and publishing titles containing the outputs of scholars and researchers. There are two separate entities:

1. University of Religions Publications: Publishes books written or translated by researchers at the university and its various departments as well as works by other researchers in the field of religions and sects
2. Adyan Publications: Publishes books mainly written or translated by scholars from other universities

The Haft Aseman (Seven Heavens) Quarterly, is the quarterly publication of scholarly research. More than 60 issues have been published. The magazine concerns itself with results, learning about the discoveries, doctrines and experiences of the followers of other religions and appreciating, restudying, and renewing one’s own religious beliefs. Its purpose is to lead to productive interaction and dialogue between different religions and sects. Each issue contains dialogues between scholars from Iran and around the world on the subject of religions and sects.

The Office of International Relations and Co-operation of the university is active in establishing dialogues between followers of various religions and denominations as well as development of relations with universities abroad. The Office does this by hosting short-term language courses taught by native speakers from outside Iran, inviting ambassadors and embassy officials to visit the university, organizing academic-cultural tours of other countries, sending professors to teach in Europe and America, and signing more than 150 memoranda of understanding with academic institutes and universities in Iran and abroad. The Office has arranged collaborative academic projects with more than fifty international universities, including the University of Paderborn, Goethe University Frankfurt, University of Potsdam, the Free University of Berlin, the University of West Bohemia in Czech Republic, the University of Vienna and the University of Graz in Austria, Wasit University, the University of Kufa, and University of Warith Al-Anbiyaa in Iraq, Luke 10 Institute in the US, the University of the Punjab and Aligarh Muslim University in India.

Library of the University of Religions and Denominations

The university contains a specialized library of religions and denominations. The library contains a large supply of books and periodicals in Persian, Arabic and English. Resources are mainly on Islamic denominations, Christianity, eastern religions and interdisciplinary studies.[4]

The library has around 56,000 titles in Persian and Arabic languages and about 16,000 in Latin and English.[5]

The office was established in order to examine the meeting points of universally accepted moral values of human rights and religions, to discover the positions of different religions, and to promote the religious approach to Human Rights. This office is also responsible for translating and writing books and articles. It began its work in May 2008 and researchers hold regular seminars.

This Institute was created as a response to Iranian society's need for scientific knowledge of women and families and the need to make families efficient in Islamic society.

The Open Education Center was established in 2016 with the aim of short-term education through workshops, skills, lectures, and scientific travel. This center organizes educational courses and scientific trips around the world within the framework of memorandums of understanding. It has organized collaborations between this university and leading universities in European, Asian, and Arab countries.