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Naguib Mahfouz

Egyptian writer (1911–2006)

Naguib Mahfouz (Arabic: نجيب محفوظ‎ Nagīb Maḥfūẓ, IPA: [næˈɡiːb mɑħˈfuːzˤ]; December 11, 1911 – August 30, 2006) was an Egyptian writer, who won the 1988 Nobel Prize for Literature.

Naguib Mahfouz, 1990s

Quotes

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  • Voices were blended and intermingled in a tumultuous swirl around which eddied laughter, shouts, the squeaking of doors and windows, piano and accordion music, rollicking handclaps, a policeman's bark, braying, grunts, coughs of hashish addicts and screams of drunkards, anonymous calls for help, raps of a stick, and singing by individuals and groups.
  • You can tell whether a man is clever by his answers. You can tell whether a man is wise by his questions.
    • Cited in: Michael J. Gelb (1996) Thinking for a change: discovering the power to create, communicate and lead. p. 96
  • God did not intend religion to be an exercise club.
    • Attributed to Naguib Mahfouz in: Thorntize (2009) The Handbook of Wisdom and Delight. p. 121
  • According to Islamic principles, when a man is accused of heresy, he is given the choice between repentance and punishment.
    • Naguib Mahfouz in: Gary Dexter (2010) Poisoned Pens: Literary Invective Form Amis to Zola. p. 226
  • It was amazing that in this country where people allowed emotion to guide their politics they approached love with the precision of accountants.
    • Mahfouz (1957) Sugar Street
  • It is something worth picking from the thrash-can the alluring experience of the working days.
    • Quoted in: Kabir, Hajara Muhammad (2010). Northern women development. [Nigeria]. ISBN 978-978-906-469-4. OCLC 890820657.

Khufu's Wisdom (1939)

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  • Monra recited this prayer with an unsteady voice. His eyes flowed with hot tears that trickled down his thin and drawn cheeks. They wet his hoary beard, as he raised his aged head, looking with emotion upon the pallid face of his wife, confined to her childbed.
  • My lord, our immortal philosopher Kagemni, vizier to King Huni, says that patience is man's refuge in times of despair, and his armor against misfortunes.
  • Patience allows ministers and obedient subjects to bear great tribulations-but the greatness of kings is in overcoming calamities, not enduring them. For this reason, the gods have compensated them for their want of patience with an abundance of power.
  • My lord, Your Divine Majesty! Why differentiate your lofty self from the people of Egypt, as one would the head from the heart or the soul from the body? You are, my lord, the token of their honor, the mark of their eminence, the citadel of their strength, and the inspiration for their power. You have endowed them with life, glory, might, and happiness. In their affection there is neither humiliation nor enslavement; but rather, a beautiful loyalty and venerable love for you, and for the homeland.
  • And of what value is the life of an individual? It equals not a single dry tear to one who looks to the far future and the grand plan. For this I would be cruel without any qualms. I would strike with an iron hand, and drive hundreds of thousands through hardships-not from stupidity of character or despotic egotism.

Rhadopis of Nubia (1943)

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  • She is beauty herself, Your Majesty. She is an irresistible temptation, a desire that cannot be controlled. The philosopher Hof, who is one of her closest friends, has remarked quite correctly that the most dangerous things a man can do in his life is to set eyes upon the face of Rhadopis.
  • A look of vehemence appeared on the king's face. "Is it right that Pharao should yield to the will of the people?

Midaq Alley (1947)

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  • Abbas now marveled at the strength of love, its power and its strange magic. He thought it right that God had created mankind capable of love and then left the task of developing life to the fertility of love.
    • Page 37
  • He [Kirsha] was a narcotics peddler and accustomed to doing his business under a veil of darkness. Normal life had eluded him and he had become a prey to perversions.
    • Page 45
  • He was, in fact, a veritable crouching tiger, willing to cringe and fawn until he mastered his adversary, and woe to anyone he did master! Experience had taught him that this gentleman and others like him were enemies with whom must be friendly. They were, as he put it, useful devils.
    • Page 66
  • Satan finds the doors of youth an easy entrance and he slips in both secretly and openly to spread his havoc. We should do all we can do to prevent the doors of youth opening to him and keep them tightly closed. Just think of elderly men to whom age has given the keys of respectability. What would be the situation if we were to see them deliberately opening these doors and calling out in invitation to the devil?
    • Page 94
  • It's fantastic the way these young men act. Why, they scarcely have a penny to their names, yet they see no reason why they shouldn't get married and populate the whole alley with children who get their food from garbage carts.
    • Page 139
  • The barber is young and Mr. Alwan is old; the barber is of the same class as Hamida and Mr. Alwan is not. The marriage of a man like Alwan to a girl like your daughter is bound to bring problems which will make her unhappy.
    • Page 149
  • If money is the aim and object of those who squabble for power, then there is clearly no harm in money being the objective of the poor voters.
    • Page 151
  • Kirsha thought of Hitler as the world's greatest bully; indeed his admiration for him stemmed from what he heard of his cruelty and barbarity. He wished him success, viewing him like those mythical bravados of literature Antar and Abu Zaid.
    • Page 152
  • What hopeless wretches we are. Our country is pitiful and so are the people. Why is it that the only time we find a little happiness is when the world is involved in a bloody war? Surely it's only the devil who has pity on us in this world.
    • Page 247
  • Some consider that such tragedies afflicting apparently blameless people are signs of revengeful justice, the wisdom of which is beyond the understanding of most people. So you will hear them say that if the bereaved father, for example, thought deeply, he would realize his loss was just a punishment for some sin either he or his forebears committed. Yet surely God is more just and merciful than to treat the innocent as the guilty...
    • Page 272

The Harafish (1977)

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  • He and Raifa each lived in hell, in a world of tedium.
    • p. 29
  • Why do people laugh, dance in triumph, feel recklessly secure in positions of power? Why do they not remember the true place in the scheme of things and their inevitable end?
    • p. 272
  • [....] was struck by the idea of a woman's weakness is her emotions, and that her relationships with men should be rational and calculated. Life is precious, with vast possibilities, limitless horizons. Love is nothing more than a blind beggar, creeping around the alleyways.
    • p. 236
  • In the Harafish, dreams are carried on the shoulders of ordinary people.
  • The Harafish is a reflection of the eternal struggle between good and evil.
  • The Harafish is a labyrinth where the paths of the lowly and the noble intertwine.

Akhenaten, Dweller in Truth (1985)

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  • You will never accuse me of meekness hereafter, Father, for I am swept by a sacred desire, strong as the northern winds, a desire to know the truth and record it, as you did in the prime of your youth.
  • [...Life] is a sky laden with clouds of contradictions.
    • pg. 27
  • the priests are swindlers” and the “temples are brothels, and there is nothing they hold sacred but their carnal desires.
    • pg. 107
  • They think my God and I are defeated. But he never betrays not does he accept defeat.
    • pg.142

The Thief and the Dogs(1961)

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  • Listen, Said. Things are no longer what they used to be. In the past, you were both a thief and my friend, for reasons you well know. Now the situation has changed. If you go back to a burglary you'll be a thief and nothing else."
  • (Rauf, p. 44)
  • She's forgotten too, that woman who sprang from filth, from vermin, from treachery and infidelity.
  • (Said, p. 14)
  • If there was a dog in the house—other than its owner, of course—it would now fill the universe with barking.
  • (Narrator, p. 49)
  • You always act impulsively, Said, without thinking, but you mustn't rush this time; you must wait until you've arranged things, then swoop like an eagle.
  • (Said, p. 69)
  • With this revolver I can awake those who are asleep. They're the root of the trouble. They're the ones who've made creatures like Nabawiyya, Ilish, and Rauf Ilwan possible.
  • (Said, p. 84)
  • A city of silence and truth, where success and failure, murderer and victim, come together, where thieves and policemen lie side by side in peace for the first and last time.
  • (Narrator, p. 89)
  • The silence of the graves is more intense, but you can't switch on the light...Your eyes will get used to the dark.
  • (Said, p. 95)
  • There's a lot of intelligence in his eyes. His heart is as spotless as yours. You'll find he'll turn out, with God's will, a truly good man."
  • (Said, quoting the Sheikh, p. 102)
  • he silently acknowledged he did love her and that he would not hesitate to give his own life to bring her safely back.
  • (Narrator, p. 141)
  • "It was that dog who betrayed me, in collusion with her. Then disaster followed disaster until finally my daughter rejected me"
  • (Page 32).
  • "He walked on until he reached the Zahra offices in Maarif Square, an enormous building, where his first thought was that it would be very difficult to break into
  • (Page 35).
  • Things are no longer what they used to be. In the past you were both a thief and my friend, for reasons you well know. Now the situation has changed. If you go back to burglary you'll be a thief and nothing else"
  • (Page 44).
  • Your envy and arrogance were aroused, so you rushed in headlong, as always, like a madman"
  • (Page 53).
  • Didn't Rauf Ilwan used to say that our intentions were good but lacked order or discipline?"
  • (Page 63).
  • You are now one of those who commit murder; you have a new identity now and a new destiny! You used to take precious goods-now you take worthless lives!"
  • (Page 72).
  • the eyes of their hearts are open, but those in their heads are closed!"
  • (Page 75).
  • She ran up the rest of the way up and stopped in front of him out of breath[...] 'It's you!' she said, breathless and happy, seizing his arm"
  • (Page 84-85).
  • the death blocking his path, all the things that made Rauf's death an absolute necessity"
  • (Page 124).
  • Why, you're capable of miracles,' he told himself. 'You'll get away all right'"
  • (Page 126).

Zaabalawi(1988)

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  • Finally I became convinced that I had to find Sheikh Zaabalawi.

The first time I had heard his name had been in a song.”

  • (Page 1)
  • Who is Zaabalawi?’ He had looked at me hesitantly as though doubting my ability to understand the answer. However, he had replied, ‘May his blessing descend upon you, he’s a true saint of God, a remover of worries and troubles. Were it not for him I would have died miserably—’”
  • (Page 1)
  • The days passed and brought with them many illnesses, for each one of which I was able, without too much trouble and at a cost I could afford, to find a cure, until I became afflicted with that illness for which no one possesses a remedy.”
  • (Page 1)

Palace Walk(1956)

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  • She wanted to disguise her embarrassment with irony as usual, even if it was at her own expense.”
  • (Chapters 5, Page 30)
  • She was thoroughly amazed that this sin made him more amiable.”
  • (Chapters 2, Page 10)

Half a Day (1991)

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  • I did not believe there was really any good to be had in tearing me away from the intimacy of my home”
  • (Paragraph 5)
  • And while the lady would sometimes smile, she would often scowl and scold”
  • (Paragraph 14).
  • School’s not a punishment. It’s the factory that makes useful men out of boys. Don’t you want to be like your father and brothers?”
  • (Paragraph 4)
  • We walked along a street lined with gardens; on both sides were extensive fields planted with crops, prickly pears, henna trees, and a few date palms.”
  • (Paragraph 2)

Palace of Desire (1957)

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  • Her anguish over the changes that had befallen her was considerable, although at first she had welcomed them as an expression of her grief. Then she had begun to wonder anxiously if she might not need her health to get through the remainder of her life."
  • (Mahfouz, 4)
  • It's inconceivable that there should ever be an appropriate atmosphere for me to hear talk like this. You have no respect for Fahmy's memory.'"
  • (Mahfouz 125)
  • Kamal felt like a man suddenly finds himself beneath a streetcar, after feeling completely satisfied about his safety and security.'"
  • (Mahfouz 273)
  • There was a change in his heart too. He felt aversion and repulsion."
  • (Mahfouz, 85)
  • Your rebellion against religion was a sudden leap I didn't expect.'"
  • (Mahfouz 366)

About Naguib Mahfouz

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  • He has this style that goes very quickly through generations, giving little cameo portraits of people and sort of bringing it all together in a very exciting way.
    • Rosario Ferré interview in Backtalk: Women Writers Speak Out by Donna Marie Perry (1993)
  • [Mahfouz's fiction allowed readers the] rare privilege of entering a national psychology, in a way that thousands of journalistic articles or television documentaries could not achieve.
  • Naguib Mahfouz, an Egyptian novelist who was the first Arabic writer to receive the Nobel Prize for literature and who was often considered the greatest writer in the Arab world... lived his entire life in Cairo, which provided the inspiration and backdrop for almost all of his writing... He set most of his works in the ancient Islamic quarter of Cairo, with its mosques and serpentine alleys teeming with shopkeepers, metalsmiths, government workers, peasants, prostitutes and thieves. His vibrant novels portraying life at every level of society were often likened to those of such other writers of urban social realism as Charles Dickens, Honore de Balzac and Emile Zola.
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