When you spend time with your friends, what do you talk about? Those things which made an impression on you that day, that week ... I write stories the same way. Events at home, in school, at work, in the street, these are the bases for a story. Some experiences leave such a deep impression that instead of talking about them at the club I work them into a novel.

Excessive concern with religion seems to me a last resort for people who have been exhausted by life.

It's clearly more important to treat one's fellow man well than to be always praying and fasting and touching one's head to a prayer mat.

In Egypt today most people are concerned with getting bread to eat. Only some of the educated understand how democracy works.

As the tension eases, we must look in the direction of agriculture, industry and education as our final goals, and toward democracy under Mr Mubarak.

The Koran and the laws of all civilized nations legislate against the vilification of religions.

Events at home, at work, in the street - these are the bases for a story.