For Sadeq, an Egyptian collector living in the UAE, the pursuit of history is more than just a job—it is a deeply personal mission. His commitment to preserving the heritage of the Arab world is so profound that he has sold his wife’s gold jewelry twice just to secure rare books and vintage publications. Now a fixture at the Sharjah International Book Fair, Sadeq views these artifacts as tangible evidence of cultural evolution, ranging from pre-union accounts of the Emirates to international perspectives from across the globe. He believes that by archiving how people lived and what they read, he is helping to ensure that the foundational stories of the region are never lost to time.

Beyond the formal historical texts, Sadeq finds particular importance in the ephemeral nature of children’s magazines like Majid and Sindbad. For him, these publications serve as a bridge between generations, allowing parents to share the stories of their own childhoods with their children. This dedication extends to his own home, where he is actively training his son to carry on the family legacy of archiving. For Sadeq, collecting is not about commerce; it is a sacred responsibility to document the transformation of the Arab world, ensuring that the people and efforts of the past remain accessible to those living in the present.