Zaabalawi is a novel by Naguib Mahfouz, originally published in Arabic in 1963. The novel tells the story of a man’s search for Zaabalawi, a Sufi saint who he believes can cure his illness. Along the way, he meets a number of different people who teach him about existence, God, and Christianity. Ultimately, the novel is about the narrator’s journey to find meaning in his life.
The narrator in Nagub Mahfouz’s “Zaabalwi” quest for Zaabalwi. The story follows the narrator as he searches throughout Cairo for the enigmatic character Zaabalwi. The protagonist is searching for Zaabalwi because he has a sickness that no doctor can cure, and he thinks she might be able to heal him. People of Cairo regard Zaabalwi as a holy man who has physical healing and spiritual salvation.
Zaabalwi is also known to bring people back to the right path, if they have lost their way. The narrator finally finds Zaabalwi, but he is not what the narrator expected. Zaabalwi is a poor man, who lives in a rundown house.
Zaabalwi tells the narrator that he cannot help him, because his disease is not physical, but spiritual. Zaabalwi tells the narrator that he must first find God, before he can be healed. This story raises questions about existence and religion. It also shows how Christianity views physical healing and salvation.
The narrator first hears about Zaabalwi from his father. His father says “he’s a true saint of God, a remover of worries and troubles, were it not for him I would have died miserably. This remarks makes the narrator refer to Zaabalwi as person who posses healing powers and he goes on a mission to find this person.
The narrator is not successful in his first attempt to find Zaabalwi but he meets a man who tells him that Zaabalwi is not a physical person but rather an idea of perfection.
The second time the narrator meets someone who claims to have seen Zaabalwi, he is told that Zaabalwi is a Christian. This makes the narrator even more determined to find Zaabalwi and he finally meets him on a rooftop. Zaabalwi tells the narrator that he cannot heal him because he does not believe in God. The narrator is disappointed but he continues to search for Zaabalwi.
In the end, the narrator comes to realize that Zaabalawi is not a physical person but rather an idea or concept of perfection. Zaabalawi represents the ideal of what a person can be and the narrator’s journey to find him is really a journey to find himself.
The narrator goes on a journey to find Zaabalwi because this character is seldom seen and hard to locate. Along the way, the narrator meets a religious lawyer, bookseller, government officer, calligrapher, musician and drunken man; all of whom have met Zaabalwi before but don’t exactly know his whereabouts.
The narrator is told that Zaabalawi is a man who has special powers and can heal people. He is also a man who knows about existence, God and Christianity. The narrator finally meets Zaabalwi, but he is not what he expected. Zaabalawi tells the narrator that he cannot help him because he is not ready yet. The narrator doesn’t understand what this means, but he continues to search for answers.
The story concludes with the narrator still searching for Zaabalwi and his true meaning in life. It’s up to the reader to decide if the narrator ever finds what he’s looking for.
The people the narrator meets all believe Zaabalwi is still alive, which gives him hope that he will find him one day. Everyone he meets tells him great things about Zaabalwi – they say he inspired them and restored their health.
Zaabalwi is a man who has the power of God and can grant people’s wishes. The narrator goes on a journey to find Zaabalawi in order to ask him for help.
The story starts with the narrator meeting different people who all tell him about Zaabalawi. They tell him that Zaabalawi is a man who has the power of God and can grant people’s wishes. The narrator goes on a journey to find Zaabalawi in order to ask him for help.
The calligrapher tells the narrator how enigmatic Zaabalwi is, “He’d drop in on you so frequently that people would think he was your best friend, then vanish as if he never existed”. Many saints were known to do this. Zaabalwi’s ability to heal was considered a secret and only known by him. He also had an incredibly beautiful singing voice. After meeting all the other men, the narrator begins to doubt Zaabalwi exists but still has faith they will meet one day.
The meeting finally happens when Zaabalawi appears to the narrator in a dream. Zaabalwi tells the narrator that he is looking for God and has been searching for a long time. He also says that he has tried Christianity, but it has not worked for him. Zaabalwi asks the narrator to help him find God, and the narrator agrees.
The search proves to be difficult, and the two men never find God. However, their friendship grows stronger, and in the end, Zaabalawi dies contentedly in the narrator’s arms, knowing that at least he has found a true friend in his quest. Even though they never found God, the journey was worth it because of the companionship and understanding between them.