Visit me once each year, for it's wrong to abandon people forever.
Naguib MahfouzRead
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.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Sufism offers enjoyment but doesn't provide concrete answers to deeper questions.
In this quote, Naguib Mahfouz illustrates Sufism's allure and beauty, akin to that of poetry. However, he emphasizes that while Sufism invites contemplation and relaxation, it ultimately remains a temporary escape rather than a definitive solution to life's profound mysteries.
Themes
SufismPoetryMirageLifeAnswers
In practice
Example use cases
During a discussion on spirituality, this quote can highlight the allure of mystical practices.
More from Naguib Mahfouz
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As for life's tragedies, our love will defeat them. Love is the most effective cure. In the crevices of disasters, happiness lies like a diamond in a mind, so let us instill in ourselves the wisdom of love.
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If the urge to write should ever leave me, I want that day to be my last.
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I believe in life and in people. I feel obliged to advocate their highest ideals as long as I believe them to be true. I also see myself compelled to revolt against ideals I believe to be false, since recoiling from rebellion would be a form of treason
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I found myself in a sea in which the waves of joy and sorrow were clashing against each other.
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