Who’s Afraid of Lebanon’s ‘al-Sa`eh Library’?
On Friday night, a historic bookshop in Lebanon’s northern city of Tripoli was burned, destroying thousands or perhaps tens of thousands of books and manuscripts. Today, salvage efforts have begun:
Although several news outlets were quoting an AFP report that “a pamphlet was discovered inside one of the books at the library that was insulting to Islam and the prophet Mohammad,” there was no apparent claim of responsibility and numerous denunciations.
According to NaharNet, this wasn’t the first time the place was targeted. The day before, “Bashir Hazzouri, an employee at the library, was shot and wounded on Thursday in the old souks of Tripoli.”
The library is run by the Greek Orthodox priest Father Ibrahim Srouj, and is apparently the largest in Tripoli and second-largest in Lebanon. According to library supporter Natheer Halawani, “The library has over 80,000 titles, not copies. The total amount of books exceeds this figure by far.”
According to Blog Baladi, Al Sa’eh Library was founded in 1970 by the Orthodox Youth movement and consisted of a single room. Now, it has more than 80,000 books, of which 400 are rare.
Numerous book-lovers expressed sorrow and dismay:
Much like with Cairo’s Institut d’Egypte, now the difficult work of preserving books and manuscripts begins.
More:
Photos and commentary on A Separate State of Mind: Lebanon Loses 78000 Books To Terrorism: Tripoli’s “Al Sa’eh” Library Burned
On Naharnet: Tripoli Figures Condemn Torching Famed Library as Father Sarrouj ‘Forgives Attackers’
LBC: Rifi to LBCI: Tripoli will rebuild al-Saeh Library
Photos and commentary from Natheer Halawani’s Dusty Window blog: The Tourist That Shall Never Leave
Blog Baladi: 20 Pictures Of Al Sa’eh Library in Tripoli Before It Got Torched
Daily Star: History Library Torched in N. Lebanon
January 4, 2014 @ 10:11 pm
Is it possible to know what was the offending book allegedly promoted by the library?
January 5, 2014 @ 12:20 am
That said pamphlet, elsewhere it says article:
http://stateofmind13.com/2014/01/04/lebanon-loses-78000-books-to-terrorism-tripolis-infamous-al-saeh-library-burned/
Back to the dark ages… | Brain Vomit
January 5, 2014 @ 12:48 am
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Donations to Burnt al-Sa’eh Library « Arabic Literature (in English)
January 6, 2014 @ 5:40 am
[…] volunteers work to rescue the damanged books at Tripoli, Lebanon’s historic al-Sa’eh Library, several organizations have stepped forward to gather donations to proprietor Father Srouj to help […]
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January 10, 2014 @ 2:11 pm
[…] לזרם היווני-אורתודוכסי של הנצרות). באתר Arablit תוהים מי מפחד מהספריה הזו ומביאים ציוצי טוויטר של אוהבי ספרים שהכירו את […]
January 12, 2014 @ 8:02 pm
Reblogged this on Vintage Book Fairy and commented:
A sad state of affairs in Tripoli…
January 2014: Arab and Arabic Literary Events Around the World « Arabic Literature (in English)
January 14, 2014 @ 6:18 am
[…] More about the crowdfunding campaign. More about the burning of Al-Saeh Library. […]
Fund-raising for Burnt ‘Al-Saeh Library’ Expands to Cities in US, Crowd-funding Campaign « Arabic Literature (in English)
January 15, 2014 @ 6:38 am
[…] Jan. 3 arson attack on the historic al-Saeh Library bookshop in Lebanon’s northern city of Tripoli — which destroyed thousands or perhaps tens of thousands of books and manuscripts — has […]