Zaabalawi

The meaning of the story Zaabalawi can feel as elusive as the character about whom the story is named. It appears that many characters within the story have heard about, or have talked with Zaabalawi, yet he is nowhere these days to be found, except with a drunk some nights of the week. As readers, in order to figure out who, or what, or why, Zaabalawi is, we need to piece together various clues layered throughout. By examining how different characters address the existence and importance of Zaabalawi, we can come to a clearer-- although perhaps not perfectly clear-- understanding of Zaabalawi's relevance to the world Mahfouz describes.

Is Mahfouz indicating that the world has become less spiritual? Is Mahfouz intimating that the magical force of divine inspiration is not something we can search out and find, but rather something (or someone) that finds us? Is Mahfouz pointing to the impossible nature of us fully realizing the Answer to the Question within us?