Quotes by Naguib Mahfouz

There are no heroes in most of my stories. I look at our society with a critical eye and find nothing extraordinary in the people I see.

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.

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

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

If we reject science, we reject the common man.

Today’s interpretations of religion are often backward and contradict the needs of civilization.

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

God did not intend religion to be an exercise club.

I’ve never worked in politics, never been a member of an official committee or a political party.

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.