Every morning, 91-year-old Abd takes his place among the books in his small antiquarian bookshop in Aleppo’s Tilel neighborhood, preserving pieces of the city’s cultural memory through the extensive collection he has built over the years.
The shop, located beside a narrow sidewalk, contains books that are no longer found in modern libraries. Some of the works are more than a century old and attract students, researchers and book lovers.
Books from different languages and periods
Alongside Arabic books, Abd’s collection includes works in French, English and German. Manuscripts and books produced using different printing techniques are also among the shop’s most notable items.
Abd said his collection includes lithographed works more than 100 years old, adding that he preserves some books despite their missing and worn pages because of their historical value.
For me, saving rare works from disappearing is a responsibility.
Bringing books to future generations
Abd said the collection he has expanded over time has become an important resource for Aleppo. He noted that some books people have been searching for a long time can be found in his shop.
Abd said he does not view antiquarian bookselling solely as a commercial activity. He explained that he collects and preserves books that people have overlooked, abandoned or allowed to approach extinction, and makes them available to those who wish to benefit from them.
Abd emphasized that his attachment to books is his greatest motivation for continuing to work despite his advanced age, and said his collection contains 1 million books. He wished for the strength to continue collecting and preserving new books.
For Abd, books are not merely objects standing on shelves; they carry traces of the past to future generations. As he continues trying to find the books his customers are seeking in his small shop, he also keeps expanding his collection.
He has had no news of his son since 2012
One of the greatest sorrows in Abd’s life concerns his son. Abd said one of his sons was forcibly disappeared in 2012 and that he has heard nothing from him since then.
Abd said news from his son remains one of his greatest hopes and that he is waiting for information from anyone who may be able to help him.
