He lowered his thick eyelids, contemplating. He felt that the emptiness was devouring things, and that he wanted to climb the sunbeam, or dissolve in a drop of dew, or ride the roaring wind in the basement, but a voice rising from the depths of his heart told him that when the emptiness came to the earth, it would be filled with the flows of the Most Merciful, the Most Majestic.
In this passage from Naguib Mahfouz's "The Harafish," the protagonist experiences a deep sense of emptiness that seems to consume his surroundings. As he contemplates, he wishes to escape this feeling through vivid imagery of climbing sunbeams, dissolving in dew, or riding the wind, highlighting his desire for transcendence and liberation from his current state. This longing reflects a universal quest for meaning and connection in life.
However, amidst this sense of void, the character hears a reassuring voice from within, suggesting that even in times of emptiness, one can find solace in the presence of a benevolent force. This voice conveys hope, indicating that the void will eventually be filled with grace and generosity, symbolized by "the flows of the Most Merciful, the Most Majestic." This duality captures the struggle between despair and the possibility of divine intervention that brings comfort and fulfillment.
