Sheik al Junaydi

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.