Al-Ansaar Book & Media Centre – A Hub of Knowledge and Activity

The humble beginnings of the Al-Ansaar Book & Media Centre (previously Tape & Bookshop) in 1995, as a mobile entity, every Friday, in the car park of the Mohamediya Masjid in Sparks (Moses Kotane) Road, Overport, Durban, never foretold that this project would grow to the proportions it has in the last fifteen years.

The Al-Ansaar Book & Media Centre has developed into one of the largest fund-generating projects of the Foundation. The bookshop carries a diverse range of Islamic literature for all age groups, comprising of the very latest Islamic tapes and CDs of nasheeds, naaths and qasidas (Islamic devotional songs) of contemporary local and international reciters.

The Al-Ansaar Book & Media Centre has gained tremendous popularity through its participation in exhibitions, community and school fairs, and at all public gatherings, seminars and lectures hosted by the Al-Ansaar Foundation. The bookshop also promotes CDs and publications through advertisements in the Al-Ummah newspaper, which is advantageous since the newspaper reaches the niche market of the bookshop’s clientele.

The bookshop also participates in launching new CDs and reciters, providing them with exposure and a platform to promote their material. These events also provide the local Muslim community with the option of Islamically acceptable social gatherings. The quest of the bookshop is to make available material, which will provide an alternative to the Western pop music syndrome that seems to totally captivate our youth.

The Al-Ansaar Book & Media Centre will be opening a second branch at its new premises at the corner of West and Sheringham Roads, shortly. The new store will offer a one-stop Islamic shopping experience to the local Muslim community, and the range of goods promises to be exclusive and extensive.

In the long term, the Al-Ansaar Book & Media Centre hopes to open stores nationally. This vision has been encouraged by the popularity of the bookshop to visitors from other provinces who do not have the benefit of the facilities we offer. All profits gained from this venture are re-injected into Al-Ansaar projects, thus ensuring sustainability, growth and expansion.