CAIRO, Egypt -- Naguib Mahfouz, the...

CAIRO, Egypt -- Naguib Mahfouz, the first Arab writer to win the Nobel Prize in literature, died Wednesday at the age of 94 bringing tributes from literary figures and world leaders for an author who became a token of liberalism in the face of Islamic extremism.

Mr Mahfouz's novels depicted fresh life in his beloved neighborhood of Islamic Cairo, a teeming district of millennium-old mahometan temples and winding alleys. He brought to life his city's traditional families as they faced the 20th century's upheavals, including the changing part of women.

moreover he raised controversy among conservatives with his calls for religious tolerance. In 1994 an Islamic militant stabbed the then- 82-year-old Mr Mahfouz, accusing him of blasphemy because of single of his novels, Children of Gebelawi, a religious allegory that depicted Islam's main prophet, Muhammad.

Mr Mahfouz continued to write, repeatedly dictating stories.

The Nobel Prize, which he won in 1988 introduced to the world a man seen by way of many as the Middle East's greatest writer, with 34 novels, centurys of short stories and essays and dozens of movie scripts.

Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak praised Mr Mahfouz as "a cultural light" who indicateed "the values shared by all, the values of enlightenment and tolerance that cast aside extremism."

President Bush was saddened at Mr Mahfouz's death, calling him "an extraordinary artist who make overed the richness of Egyptian history and society to the world," the White House said.

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