In many respects, Sheik al Junaydi can seen as the
deuterogamist of The Thief and the Dogs, the Jiminy Cricket to Said’s
Pinocchio. Just like his Disney counterpart, Sheik al Junaydi represents that
still small voice in the life of us all; he repeatedly calls upon Said to “wash”
himself, take up the Koran, and “read” it. Despite the seemingly peripheral
nature of this detail, in the wider scheme of the novella, it can be interpreted
as a desperate appeal, on the Sheik’s behalf, for Said to turn from his
destructive and vengeful ways.
One could also argue, that as the oldest character in the
story, Sheik al Junaydi is representative of the older generation of Egyptians,
who had lived through the nations many years of civil unrest. As such Sheik al
Junaydi would serve as the conduit, through which Mahfouz could relay the
strategy and coping mechanism, they had used to deal with all the change,
seeking refuge in God.
Alike many of the other character’s in the novella, the
Sheik does not reject Said on the account of his former actions, regarding both
the righteous and sinful man as alike. Despite the many moral conundrums, Said
foists upon the Sheik, his manner and demeanor in never once compromised, and
there is never a moment in the narrative when Said is too far-gone for the him.
Building on this point, one might view Sheik al Junaydi as a
foil to Said’s character; despite being brought up in the same environment and
exposed to the same chain of events as
Said, the Sheik never succumbed to his inner demons. In keeping with this train
of thought, Said’s story become all the more tragic, as Sheik al Junaydi’s life
bears testament to the view, that a peaceful and fulfilling life were
still attainable in post revolutionary
Egypt. What’s more Sheik al Junaydi yearned this life for Said but in his
attempt to vindicate himself, by means of vigilante justice, Said spurned the
opportunity.
The most prominent theme in the novella, would be that of
fate vs. freewill. By engaging with this age-old enigma, Mahfouz brings into
question the very nature of man’s existence, whether our lives follow a
predestined track, or whether we are truly the authors of our own fate. Unlike Said, who entertains these thoughts
--believing his future to be controlled by good fortune and luck -- Sheik al
Junaydi does not give the light of day to such reasoning, going as far to
state… "I do not concern myself with shadows," Sheik al Junaydi
provides readers an alternate outlook on destiny, that it is never too late too
alter the course on which we are set and that all this requires, is a
consciousness decision on our part, to not heed the shadows that may be
prevalent in our lives, but look to “heaven,” so that we might be transfigured,
in the sight of our Maker.
