Naguib Mahfouz Quotes

God did not intend religion to be an exercise club.
Naguib Mahfouz

Funny, Religion, God

If you want to move people, you look for a point of sensitivity, and in Egypt nothing moves people as much as religion.
Naguib Mahfouz

Religion, Nothing, Point

I love Sufism as I love beautiful poetry, but it is not the answer. Sufism is like a mirage in the desert. It says to you, come and sit, relax and enjoy yourself for a while.
Naguib Mahfouz

Love, Poetry, Beautiful

According to Islamic principles, when a man is accused of heresy, he is given the choice between repentance and punishment.
Naguib Mahfouz

Between, Choice, Principles

I started writing while I was a little boy. Maybe it's because I was reading a lot of books I admired, and thought that I would like to write something like that someday. Also, my love for good writing pushed me.
Naguib Mahfouz

Love, Good, Writing

In Egypt today most people are concerned with getting bread to eat. Only some of the educated understand how democracy works.
Naguib Mahfouz

Today, Democracy, Understand

You can tell whether a man is clever by his answers. You can tell whether a man is wise by his questions.
Naguib Mahfouz

Wise, Tell, Whether

We are like a woman with a difficult pregnancy. We have to rebuild the social classes in Egypt, and we must change the way things were.
Naguib Mahfouz

Change, Woman, Difficult

As the tension eases, we must look in the direction of agriculture, industry and education as our final goals, and toward democracy under Mr Mubarak.
Naguib Mahfouz

Education, Democracy, Direction

At my age it is unseemly to be pessimistic.
Naguib Mahfouz

Events at home, at work, in the street - these are the bases for a story.
Naguib Mahfouz

Work, Home, Story

History is full of people who went to prison or were burned at the stake for proclaiming their ideas. Society has always defended itself.
Naguib Mahfouz

History, Society, Ideas

I believe society has a right to defend itself, just as the individual has the right to attack that with which he disagrees.
Naguib Mahfouz

Society, Individual, Attack

I defend both the freedom of expression and society's right to counter it. I must pay the price for differing. It is the natural way of things.
Naguib Mahfouz

Freedom, Society, Both

I reject any path which rejects life, but I can't help loving Sufism because it sounds so beautiful. It gives relief in the midst of battle.
Naguib Mahfouz

Life, Beautiful, Help

My wife thought I deserved it, but I always thought the Nobel a Western prize.
Naguib Mahfouz

Wife, Thought, Western

The Arab world also won the Nobel with me. I believe that international doors have opened, and that from now on, literate people will consider Arab literature also. We deserve that recognition.
Naguib Mahfouz

Won, Deserve, Literature

An allegory is not meant to be taken literally. There is a great lack of comprehension on the part of some readers.
Naguib Mahfouz

Great, Taken, Lack

Hosni Mubarak... his constitution is not democratic, but he is democratic. We can voice our opinions now. The press is free.
Naguib Mahfouz

Free, Opinions, Voice

I accepted the interviews and encounters that had to be held with the media, but I would have preferred to work in peace.
Naguib Mahfouz

Work, Peace, Media

I am practically in the employ of Mr. Nobel. I have to meet everyone he sends my way.
Naguib Mahfouz

Everyone, Meet, Nobel

I consider Khomeini's position dangerous. He does not have the right to pass judgment-that is not the Islamic way.
Naguib Mahfouz

Dangerous, Islamic, Position

I didn't make any money from my writing until much later. I published about 80 stories for nothing. I spent on literature.
Naguib Mahfouz

Money, Nothing, Writing

I thought they would never select an Eastern writer for the Nobel. I was surprised.
Naguib Mahfouz

Thought, Writer, Surprised

I wake up early in the morning and walk for an hour. If I have something to write, I prefer to write in the morning until midday, and in the afternoon, I eat.
Naguib Mahfouz

Morning, Write, Until

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Biography

Nationality: Egyptian

Born: December 11, 1911

Died: August 30, 2006

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