Az-Zahiriyah Library

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name = Az-Zahiriyah library

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caption = Entrance to Az-Zahiriyah Library
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established = 1277
type = Public library, Madrassah
affiliation = Islamic
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founder = Sultan Baibars
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location = Damascus, Syria
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The Az-Zahiriyah library in Damascus, Syria dates back to 1277, taking its name from its founder Sultan Baibars (1223 - 1277). Building this library was his father’s idea but he died before he could achieve it. Initially Az-Zahiriah was a public school in charge of teaching Quranic sciences. The decorations, carvings, and writing on the building walls, in addition to the gate which bears geometric designs and patterns, make the library one of the most important buildings in Damascus.

The mosaics of the Umayyad Mosque gave inspiration to the decoration of the main prayer hall where a band of lavish golden floral and architectural mosaics is running around. [ [http://www.archnet.org/library/sites/one-site.jsp?site_id=2777 Zahiriyya Madrasa and Mausoleum of Sultan al-Zahir Baybars ] ]

The manuscript department includes over 13,000 classical Islamic manuscripts, the oldest being Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal’s "Kitab al-zuhd" and "Kitab al-fada'il". Other notable manuscripits include "Ta'rikh Dimashq" by Ibn 'Asakir (1105-1175), "al-Jam bayn al-gharibayn" by Abu `Ubaydah Ahmad ibn Muhammad Al-Harawi (d. 1010), and "Gharib al-hadith" by Ibn Qutaybah al-Dinawari (d. 889). [ Bibliography for Alternative Sources of Nahj al-Balagha]

The library was nationally recognized by the Syrian state in 1880, and in 1949 a legal deposit law decreed that two copies of every work published in Syria be deposited in al-Zahiriyah National Library. The law was not enforced until July 1983, when a presidential decree required the deposit of 5 copies of each work published by a Syrian author in the Al-Assad Library. The Al-Assad Library became the National Library of Syria, replacing al-Zahiriyah Library.

Sultan Al-Zahir Baibars, also known as Rukn Uddin Baybrus (full name, al-Malik al-Zahir Rukn al-Din Baibars al-Bunduqdari) was buried in Damascus in 1277 under the dome of the Az-Zahiriyah library, established by him.

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