From the heights of legendary heroism to the depths of decadence, can a family that has lost its soul ever find its way back to the light?

In The Harafish (ملحمة الحرافيش), Naguib Mahfouz returns to the sweeping narrative style of his greatest epics to chronicle the dramatic history of the Nagi family. The saga begins with Ashur al-Nagi, a humble man who rises to become a legend and a protector of the harafish, the common people. Yet, as generations pass, his descendants stray far from his noble example, spiraling into a cycle of greed, lust, and violence. They amass fortunes only to squander them, forgetting their origins until the family name sinks into disgrace. A mythic tale of human weakness and redemption, this novel explores whether greatness can be recovered once it has been squandered by pride and dishonesty.