Syrian man finds hidden Islamist library after Assad's fall

Mustafa Khaled Alwan, a 72-year-old Syrian in Homs, has recovered a concealed library of mainly Islamist books after more than a decade away from the city.

Alwan said he hid the collection behind a wall in 2011, when protests against Bashar al-Assad were spreading and he feared the books could put him at risk under Assad's rule. He said more than 90% of the collection was intact when he returned after Assad's ouster in December 2024.

The library numbers in the hundreds and includes works by Muslim Brotherhood founder Hassan al-Banna and Sayyid Qutb, as well as Islamic teachings, poems and books on science and social topics. Alwan is a sympathiser of the Muslim Brotherhood, which long opposed the Assad dynasty.

Alwan said his home in Homs was severely damaged and burned inside when he returned. He said finding the library in excellent condition was the sweetest moment of his life.

Previously banned works, including books about torture in Syrian prisons and texts on radical Islamic theology, have appeared openly in bookstores since Assad's fall. Homs remains heavily damaged after years of war, while Syria's new Islamist authorities under President Ahmed al-Sharaa face the task of trying to reunify the country.