A religious goods store, also known as a religious bookstore, religious gifts store or religious supplies shop, is a store specializing in supplying materials used in the practice of a particular religious tradition, such as Buddhism, Taoism, Chinese folk religion, Christianity and Islam among other religions.[1] [2]
These shops are abundant across the Greater Chinese region as well as Overseas Chinese communities around the world.[3]
In Iran, religious goods stores are usually visited to buy the Quran, Al Mafatih-Al Jinan, goods like the tasbīḥ, and many other things. One of the services related to this is to add a page to Mafatih al-Jinan book for a deceased loved one.
In Christendom, religious goods stores are often visited to purchase Christian art, books and devotional material for the home, as well as gifts such as a Bible, daily devotional or cross necklace for occasions such as Baptism, Confirmation and Holy Matrimony.[4]
In Buddhist bookshops, a variety of Buddhist books and chanting CDs are usually available for sales. There is also wide range of other products which includes Buddha statues, Buddhist pendants, incense, candles, chanting beads, instruments, Buddhist monastics' robes, meditation cushions and other Buddhist accessories.[5]
In Christendom, "religious goods stores", also known as "Christian bookstores", have Family Bibles, Christian art, daily devotional books, breviaries, catechisms, cross necklaces, Christian music albums, holy cards, home altars, prie-dieus, and prayer beads (such as the Dominican Rosary of Catholicism, the Wreath of Christ of Lutheranism, the Anglican Rosary of Anglicanism, and the Chotki of Eastern Orthodoxy), among other sacramentals.[6] [7]