Sheikh Al Junaydi

The Thief and the Dogs is filled with various contrasting characters, all of which support the protagonist. These secondary characters allow us to further understand the protagonist, as they assist in building up Said's persona. One could say that each character played a role in shaping Said into the man that he was, whether it be through playing the role of his mentor or his good friend. Through Said's internal interior monologues, we are provided with a glimpse into how Said perceives each individual in his life. Through analysis of his character, we are able to put the puzzle pieces together and create an assumption of the importance of each characters role has in Said's life. However, due to such characterisations coming from a man consumed by vengeance, anger and hate, one must question whether or not the character is being presented in their true light.

The novel has such an array of characters, some are presented as either trustworthy and reliable, where as others are depicted as unreliable and untrustworthy. One the most influential characters in the novel would have to be Sheikh Al Junaydi. We are first introduced to the Sheikh in the second chapter when Said goes to him to seek refuge and food. We learn that the Sheikh was Said's fathers spiritual advisor, throughout the novel we are presented with flashbacks of when Said was a child visiting the Sheikh with his late father. We learn that the Said not only seeks the Sheikh for refuge and food but he also seeks guidance. Prior to visiting the Sheikh, Said had payed a visit to his ex- wife Nabawiyya ( who married his ex-friend Ilish)and his daughter Sana. In an attempt to salvage whatever was left of his relationship with his daughter, Said was visiting with good intentions. However, when his daughter rejects him, Said is filled with the feeling of rejection and anger. Later on, he seeks the Sheikh's guidance he is told “Take a copy of the Koran and read. . . . Also repeat the words: ‘Love is acceptance, which means obeying His commands and refraining from what He has prohibited and contentment with what He decrees and ordains.’”, knowing that Said is obviously not in the best place, the Sheikh attempts to direct Said in the path of religion in attempts to allow him to find peace with god. Sheikh Al Junaydi is not only a religious symbol, but he also symbolises prosperity, forgiveness, wisdom and compassion. All traits in which Said does not present, as the story plot evolves we begin to see that Said seek's the Sheikh more than once for guidance, especially after his commitment of crimes. Through having the Sheikh as one of the secondary characters, we are able to see just how much he plays an important role in Said's life. Although Said does not accept the guidance provided by the Sheikh, he always goes back to him almost like it's where he feels the most safe. This is portrayed when Said accidentally murdered an innocent man outside of Ilish's old apartment ( he intended to kill Ilish for betraying him).

In the end, it is evident that not only does Said not want to listen to the Sheikh, he also doesn't take his advice. Through his actions of kindness and good will, the Sheikh somewhat attempts to provide Said with a second chance, sort of like a redemption through religion, after all the bad that he had done. Unfortunately Said refuses to accept this religious redemption, and so he continues to lead himself down a dark and undesired path.