Social Critique and the Importance of Forward-Focused Journey in Zaabalawi

Naguib Mahfouz (1911-2006), in his short story “Zaabalawi,” depicts the eponymous sheikh as a spiritual entity. Along his journey to find Zaabalawi, the main character, who remains unnamed throughout, notices many of modern Egyptian society’s flaws. Mahfouz’s main statement is that because religion is no longer held in importance to the point where it is absent in Egypt, such corruptions in the social and political spheres have taken place. The main journey also indicates that, in order to better society and move forward, the people must undergo a similar search for God. Nostalgic views of the past will only affect this progress in a paralytic manner.

In 1952, Gamal Abdel Nasser and Muhammed Naguib led the Free Officers Movement, a group of officers from the Egyptian and Sudanese armies, in a coup d’état. This became known as Black Saturday, a day characterized by massive riots and numerous fires in Cairo. Although the uprising initially sought to overthrow King Farouk, the revolution ultimately led to the abolition of a constitutional monarchy and the establishment of the Egyptian-Sudanese kingdom as a republic. The movement also saw the end of British colonization in Egypt and the independence of Sudan from the kingdom. Although initially Mahfouz was optimistic of the regime shift, he found that little improvement had actually taken place in the lives of the people. He began publishing works that were considered highly radical, including those that openly criticized the Nasser regime and personified God as a social reformer. From this point on, Mahfouz usually included social and political themes in his writings.

First, a few things that carry significance must be noted. The word Sheikh possesses a double meaning, the first...

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... who has not lost Zaabalawi, does not show nostalgic thoughts. This may indicate the needlessness of nostalgia for a person who has not lost Allah. In other words, Wanas does not feel a sense of regret.

Throughout the story, the narrator observes many shortcomings of society. Mahfouz depicts these flaws as stemming from the absence of religion. In order to improve the condition of society, he urges people to begin a similar journey to the narrator’s. Sheikh Gad states, “It is therefore no longer an easy matter to reach him, but have patience and be sure that you will do so,” reflecting Mahfouz’s emphasis on hope and spiritual sanctity rather than actually finding God (Mahfouz 1602). Though it is a feat to have find Allah once again, it is more significant to learn lessons about oneself and of God through the journey. This is Mahfouz’s central claim in “Zaabalawi.”