Khan Al-Khalili is a classic novel by the renowned Egyptian Nobel laureate Naguib Mahfouz, published in 1945. The novel is set in the bustling Khan Al-Khalili market in Cairo, Egypt, and follows the lives of several characters who work and live in the market.
The novel’s main character, Abbas, is a clerk in one of the shops in Khan Al-Khalili and is in love with a dancer named Hamida. However, Hamida is also courted by a wealthy businessman named Ibrahim Faraj, leading to a complex and riveting exploration of love, class, and tradition in Egyptian society.
Mahfouz’s masterful use of the setting of Khan Al-Khalili brings the market to life and immerses the reader in the vibrant atmosphere of Cairo. The novel has been translated into several languages and is considered a timeless classic of Egyptian literature.