The bazaar surrounding the Fatimah al-Masumah Shrine is a working religious market rather than a tourist attraction, and all the more interesting for it. The covered lanes are stocked with prayer rugs, rosaries, religious texts, incense, chador fabric, and devotional images — the full material culture of Shia pilgrimage.
The food stalls sell sohan, Qom's famous brittle toffee made with saffron, rosewater, and pistachios. It is the standard gift to bring home from Qom and comes in dozens of varieties; the better shops will let you taste before you buy. The bazaar is most atmospheric during pilgrimage peaks — particularly the months of Muharram and Ramadan — when the crowds and the ceremony around the shrine intensify everything.