Talk:Naguib Mahfouz

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Start	This article has been rated as Start-Class on the project's quality scale. [FAQ]

In Mahfouz's book Miramar, what do you think of the relationship between the men and the ladies? I, personally think that the ladies were being treated as objects that could be won and discarded. So, what do you think?

The subject of the believability of Mahfouz's female characters in some books is discussed at length by academics.Angrynight 01:42, 25 March 2006 (UTC)

Contents 1 The Harafish 2 Use of the word "fatwa".. 3 Date of death 4 Adrift on the Nile 5 Complete Works 6 Assessment

[edit] The Harafish

I'm new to this (no account yet). I noticed The Harafish seems to be missing from the list of works, but perhaps it is known under a different title.

The Harafish means 'The Have-nots' in English. The full Arabic title is Malhamat al-Harafish - The Epic of the Have-nots. The Doubleday translation rather unimaginatively called it 'The Harafish'; it appears to be still in print.

I'm using this page to answer Gren's question about why I altered the entries on Mahfouz and Gebelawi (I don't know how to answer a query through Wikipedia pages). It is wrong to suggest that Sheikh Omar talked in 1959 of punishing Mahfouz; I know, because I was there, translating Children of Gebelawi in 1962 and there was certainly no threat; Omar is my age and was a student at the time. It is wrong (and dangerous to Mahfouz and his associates) to claim that what the Sheikh said in 1989 was a 'fatwa'; he himself has always said that it was an opinion given to a journalist, not a formal legal utterance. All this can be verified in Mary Anne Weaver's book A Portrait of Egypt, 2nd edition 2000 as well as a book called 'the stories of Nagiub' writtem by Karim Swelim and Ismail Bassam.

Thanks for those comments and for setting the record straight; I've just added The Harafish (the only Mahfouz I've actually given up on halfway through) and a couple of other titles to the list. –Hajor 01:19, 23 Jun 2005 (UTC)

Does anyone think ALOT more should be added to this Mahfouz article? I think Mahfouz should have a stronger and more detailed biographical sketch than what wikipedia has provided.

-Big Mahfouz Fan

[edit] Use of the word "fatwa"..

The use of the word "fatwa' is misleading. Fatwa has a specific meaning, fatwas are generatated to condemn actions and not individuals (though the individuals that commit the actions...) - separate from the doctrine of takfeer. I'm adjusting the wording of the article to use accurate terminology. Angrynight 01:36, 1 March 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Date of death

All the articles I read say that Naguib Mahfouz died today, Wednesday 30 August. This was the date added by Capitalistroadster, who first updated the article with news of the death. The date was changed to Tuesday 29 August by 213.164.6.19 without explanation. This was reverted by 213.152.66.197, and then reverted back by the original anon. Everyone seems to be acting in good faith. Of course, Cairo is currently three hours ahead of UTC, and we should date his death by the calendar date in Cairo. In England, I'm two hours behind Cairo time, and the papers here say he died on the 30th. Does anyone know at what time Naguib Mahfouz died? — Gareth Hughes 11:26, 30 August 2006 (UTC)

8:05 am Cairo time on 30 august 2006 --Tarawneh 21:41, 31 August 2006 (UTC)

Thank you. The user who edited it to 29 August must have been an American! — Gareth Hughes 23:30, 31 August 2006 (UTC)

He died on the 30th morning in Cairo time, may be late evening in the USA Elximo 01:19, 1 September 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Adrift on the Nile

I note that the list of works originally translated Tharthara foq al-Nil (1966) as "Chatting on the Nile". Although this is a literal translation of the Arabic title, the book has always been known and published in English as "Adrift on the Nile". I have edited accordingly.

[edit] Complete Works

I am working on the list of complete works and I guess some pages has to be created for them most of them has been made into movies and soap operas with some variations. Also a disabmiguation page may have to be created for some of the titles or some sort of that. The American University in Cairo currently has the only right to publish his translated novels in English so it is better to stick to their translated titles like Children of Gabalwy for Awalad Haretna. Elximo 01:23, 1 September 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Assessment

The relevance of Jacques Chirac's (not to mention George Bush's) literary opinions is, at best, dubious.202.175.209.177 07:30, 1 September 2006 (UTC)

I agree, although I think you give Chirac and Bush too much credit by implying that these press statements represent their own thoughts. I am removing them. Flauto Dolce 12:21, 1 September 2006 (UTC)