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INTERVIEWER
What about the role of religion in [your work]? Is faith in God the path to true happiness, as the sheikh suggests? Is Sufism the answer the criminal is looking for?
MAHFOUZ
The Sheikh rejects life as we know it. The criminal, on the other hand, is trying to solve his immediate problems. They are in two different worlds. 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. 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.
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