I wake up early in the morning and walk for an hour. If I have something to write, I prefer to write in the morning until midday, and in the afternoon, I eat.

You can tell whether a man is clever by his answers. You can tell whether a man is wise by his questions.

I love Sufism as I love beautiful poetry, but it is not the answer. Sufism is like a mirage in the desert. It says to you, come and sit, relax and enjoy yourself for a while.

Winning Nobel imposed on me a lifestyle to which I am not used and which I would not have preferred.

We wont develop until we accept that reading is a vital necessity.

I accepted the interviews and encounters that had to be held with the media, but I would have preferred to work in peace.

I consider Khomeini's position dangerous. He does not have the right to pass judgment-that is not the Islamic way.