Saladin's Library: The Books That Fueled a Jihad

In this episode, we explore the intellectual side of Salah ad-Din Yusuf ibn Ayyub — Saladin as a patron of books and libraries. Drawing on accounts from Baha ad-Din ibn Shaddad and Imad ad-Din al-Isfahani, we uncover how the sultan built a vast collection of manuscripts, from Qur'anic commentaries to poetry and military manuals. We discuss his personal love of reading, the famous library he established in Cairo, and how books were used to unite scholars and justify jihad. The episode also touches on the destruction of libraries during the Crusades and how Saladin's library at the citadel of Damascus became a center of learning. This is a side of Saladin rarely covered — not just a warrior, but a man of letters. #Saladin #AyyubidLibrary #IslamicManuscripts #Cairo #Damascus #BahaAdDin #ImadAdDin #Crusades #MedievalLibraries #Jihad #Quran #Poetry #PatronOfLearning #DamascusCitadel #ManuscriptCulture #History #FexingoHistory #MiddleEast Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo