Sheikhs Al-Junaydi's Character in The Thief and the Dogs.

In the Thief and the Dogs Sheikh al Junaydi is the one person that is constantly trying to persuade Said to wash himself of his sins and change the whole nature of his character altogether. The main influence that the Sheikh has on Said is that, although Said may not have listened to him completely, the only thoughts that Said had throughout the story to better himself and become a nicer more religious person was due to the advice and words of the Sheikh.
Sheikh Junaydi also acts as a soother for Said throughout the Thief and the Dogs. When he is turned away by his wife, and best friend, and when he has killed someone and become a threat the society around him, Sheikh Junaydi takes him in, comforts him and gives him shelter and food. This could have him being the "hero" in the Thief and the dogs. Sheikh Junaydi is a constant reminder to Said and to the reader that there was another possible path that he could have taken that did not involve violence or anyone getting hurt, and every time that Said went to the sheikh he was offered this path, in fact he was encouraged to take that path. The sheikh also took part in a lot of the characterization of Said Mahran, and he did this by bringing out his flaws to the reader and continuing to show the dark side of Said.
Although Sheikh was able to see all along that Said was earning for a better life and to be a better man, sheikh junaydi also knew that it wasn't going to happen directly because of his quest for revenge on those who had done him wrong in the past. Without this revenge Said mahran wouldn't stop at anything to get it. The overarching theme of fate vs free will is very much so implemented in the character of Sheikh Junaydi as you see directly by their first meeting in the story when Said has just left prison and is given the option by Sheikh for the new path he is able to take, the one that isnt hate filled and revenge seeking, that is his free will option but he chooses his own fate by going after Illish and Nabawilla to get his revenge, which would eventually be the death of him. 

Thesis

Naguib Mahfouz uses Said's character as a representation of the arising violent conflict in Egypt at the time. 

Chapter 17 Analysis - The Thief and the Dogs

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In chapter 17, Said arrives at the Sheikhs house, seeking refuge, only to realise that he left his uniform in Nur's house. He also realises that the police are closing in on his whereabouts. He is scared because the uniform that has been left at Nur's house will have traces of him, and will therefore lead the police straight to Said. This chapter as a whole is a sign of Said's stupid decisions finally coming back to haunt him as he will soon be captured. In chapter 17 for the first time really Said is beginning to be seen as helpless and close to giving up. He has still not taken any responsibility for his actions and continues to blame other people and talk endlessly about revenge on Illish and Nabawiyya, however.  The theme of the passage that is a constant throughout the story is fate. Said is constantly running and hiding throughout the story and was always bound to be caught up with, in this passage you see the police and everything that Said has done wrong eventually catching up to him. Said also knows it and that is the reason that he is becoming so helpless and weak. The conversation with the Sheikh that Said found tough and annoying also played a part in pushing Said over the edge.