In the calculus of good deeds you have the most to gain.

Today's interpretations of religion are often backward and contradict the needs of civilization.

One effect that the Nobel Prize seems to have had is that more Arabic literary works have been translated into other languages.

An allegory is not meant to be taken literally. There is a great lack of comprehension on the part of some readers.

I started writing while I was a little boy. Maybe it's because I was reading a lot of books I admired, and thought that I would like to write something like that someday. Also, my love for good writing pushed me.

At my age it is unseemly to be pessimistic.

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.