[5] Legendary Arab explorer Ahmad ibn Mājid wrote of the archipelago and a few other notable landmarks and ports of the northern Somali coast, including Zeila, Berbera, Xiis, Alula, Ruguuda, Maydh, Ceel-Sheekh, Siyara and El-Darad.

[13] The Sa'ad ad-Din Islands are well known for their splendid coral reefs similar to those found on the southern coast of Oman.

[16] The island of Sa'ad ad-Din and Aibat (called Ceebaad in Somali)[17] both are sites of major bird colonies.

[7] Following the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and other NGO worked with local authorities to establish protected areas and monitor fishers on the islands.

[19] The archipelago currently has no permanent residents and is uninhabited, though it is still occasionally visited by tourists, local fishermen, and those who wish to honor Sa'ad ad-Din II.