دعوة عامة: مناظرة عن أسباب غياب التسامح الديني في مصر

دعوة عامة

تقيم مبادرة محاربون من أجل حرية العقيدة التابعة لمنظمة المؤتمر الإسلامي الأمريكي بالتعاون مع راديو حريتنا مناظرة عامة عن أسباب غياب التسامح الديني في مصر وذلك يوم الخميس 1 يوليو 2010 من الساعة 6:30 إلى 8:30 مساءاً بمقر راديو حريتنا 24 شارع حسين حجازي من شارع القصر العيني، القاهرة

ويتحدث فيها كل من:

أ. أيمن عبد الرسول – كاتب وباحث في مجال الحريات الدينية

أ. أحمد أبو المجد – محامي وناشط في مجال حقوق الإنسان

ويدير الجلسة:

أ. داليا زيادة - مدير مكتب شمال أفريقيا لمنظمة المؤتمر الإسلامي الأمريكي

برجاء الإجابة على الإستطلاع التالي قبل الحضور للجلسة:

لتأكيد الحضور

26706303

0173179806

0145040646

i.saber@aicongress.org

Weekly Review

The Personal Status law storyline continues to develop. Despite many adverse forces, including from members of the Coptic Church themselves, the movement to pass a personal status law that would protect the rights of religious minorities continues to gain force. While members of the drafting committee have been ordered to avoid speaking to the press, statements from members of the Churches in Egypt are optimistic. In fact there was a meeting in Alexandria between representatives of various Churches wherein Christian leaders were able to come to an agreement in support of the personal status law proposal, and its guidelines. Additionally, groups that hadn’t originally been included, pushed to be protected under the eventual law.

In other news, nearly 20% of President Mubarak’s appointees to the Shura Council were Coptic Christians, showing support for the group despite the recent tensions between the Egyptian government and Coptic Church. 

A number of noteworthy international conferences also occurred in the past week. Egyptian Mufti Ali Jummah hosted scholars and leaders from Afghanistan’s Islamic courts (Bayt Al-Kada) at a conference against the use of Islam for extremism. 

The Future of The Islamic Nation Conference, in London, called for social change and human rights reforms within dictatorial Arab and Muslim regimes. Ayatolla Muazi, President of the Islamic Center of England and Ireland, stressed the need for cooperation amongst Muslim groups to promote positive change within the Muslim and Arab countries, many of whom he described as a giant prison due to their negative human rights standing. 

The Organization of Islamic Council (OIC) held a conference in Geneva Switzerland in which they spoke out against the branding of Islam as a religion of extremism, criticizing the portrayal of Islam as a religion of violence and extremism in the media. The United Nations Human Rights Council adopted a draft resolution on freedom of religion and belief after pressure from Egyptian representatives to protect the rights of Muslims in Europe more.

مصرنا المصرية

داليا زيادة

نشرت لأول مرة عام 2006

منذ وجدت الأديان على الأرض وجد أعداؤها، أولئك الذين احترفوا لعبة استفزاز مشاعر الآخرين من خلال التهكم على دينهم و معتقدهم، لكن يبدو الأمر أكثر غرابة عندما نرى جماعات كتلك التي ظهرت مؤخراً تحفز كل أصحاب دين للانتقام من أصحاب الدين الآخر وتحفز مشاعر الكراهية لديهم على أساس الاختلاف الديني لا أكثر و حتى أحيانا تحل مقاطعة وإهدار دماء من يؤمنون بمذاهب غير مذاهبهم، متناسين أننا جميعا ننتمي لأرض واحدة أو فلنقل أم واحدة هي مصرنا وأب واحد أيضاً هو تاريخنا المشترك. ويؤسفني أكثر من ذلك أن أرى مثل هذه التصرفات لا تحدث في مكان غير أرض أختارها الله لنشر رسالته والوحي إلى أنبياءه الكرام (عليهم جميعا السلام).

ولعل ما أثير من شغب وآراء واهية حول الرغبة المشروعة لإخواننا المصريين البهائيين في إعلان ديانتهم في بطاقات الهوية الخاصة بهم قد سبب لي أرق شخصي، و لكنها أيضا فتحت أعيني وأعيننا جميعاً على تعنت بعض الذين يدعون كونهم محبي مصر، أي مصر التي يتحدثون عنها؟ مصر المسيحية أم مصر الإسلامية أم مصر البهائية، فأنا لم أعرف أن أي من هذه هي مصر، لأن الأرض التي أحتضنتي و تربيت في كنفها هي أرض مصر "المصرية" مصر التي يعيش فيها كل المصريين بغض النظر عن الديانة أو العرق. مصر التي يكون فيها الجميع متساو في الحقوق و الواجبات.

أعتقد أني – ومثلي كثيرون - نموذجا مثاليا أفرزته مصر المصرية التي أعرفها، فأنا من أسرة متوسطة أعتنق الدين الإسلامي و فخورة به، مثلي مثل جيران لي يعتنقون الدين المسيحي و فخورين به أيضا، تشكلت أفكاري و مبادئي في الحياة من شيخي المسلم وأستاذي المسيحي معا، والطريف أني توحدت أكثر مع الأخير (أستاذي المسيحي) حتى صرت أفكر بطريقته و استشهد بنصوص من كلماته واحتفظ بكتبه وكتاباته هكذا ببساطة دون أن أؤثر على معتقده الديني أو العكس، هذه هي الحياة في مصر “المصرية” و هذا ما دفعني لأن أندهش حين أثيرت قضية البهائيين في مصر، منذ متى و نحن نحدد طريقة معاملتنا مع الأخر على أساس الدين الذي يعتنقه؟ منذ متى و نحن – معشر المسلمين – نحل إهدار دماء من يخالفوننا في العقيدة؟

أذكر أني تعرفت طوال حياتي على زميلات كثيرات طوال سنوات الدراسة وفي العمل. ولم يحدث في مرة أن سألت إحدانا الأخرى عن ديانتها لتقرر إذا ما كانت تستحق أن تصاحبها أم لا، وأذكر أيضا أني ساعدت كثيرين و طلبت المساعدة من كثيرين دون أن أفكر ودون أن يفكروا هم أيضا إن كنت أنتمي لنفس الطائفة التي ينتمون إليها أم لا! وأذكر أيضا جدتي وجارتها المسيحية، امرأتان عظيمتان، أعطونا دروسا في التسامح الديني دون أن يشعرا، فكعادة أهل المناطق الشعبية كانا يتشاركان في كل شيء (كعك العيد: عيدنا و عيدهم، تربية الأولاد، دردشات أخر الليل، الساعات المحببة أمام التلفاز، النزهات،الأفراح، المأتم، كل شيء حتى أدق تفاصيل الحياة اليومية).

و كلما تذكرت أأسف كل الأسف على ما آل له الحال اليوم. فمنذ فترة لا بأس بها وأنا أرى الجميع قد أعلن الحرب على الجميع، بعض محترفي استفزاز المشاعر من المسيحيين أسسوا قناة فضائية كل همها سب المسلمين و الإسلام، و أمثالهم من مشيعي الكراهية من المسلمين راحوا يكفرون المسيحيين و يلقنون أبناءهم دروسا في كيفية تحاشي التعامل مع المسيحيين، و المؤسف أن يصل الأمر إلى منابر المساجد والكنائس، فبدلا من أن تصبح أماكن للوعظ وإرشاد الناس إلى طريق ربهم، صارت أماكن لتعليم الناس الكيفية التي يكرهون بها بعضهم البعض و تمنيهم بأحلام الخلاص والنجاة والفوز بالجنة الموعودة في نفس اللحظة!

قال لي زميل مؤمن جدا بأفكار الإخوان الـمسلمين أن مصر لن ينصلح حالها قبل أن نطهرها – نحن المسلمون – ممن دنسوها وكان يقصد هنا أصحاب الديانات الأخرى بوجه عام و أصحاب الدين المسيحي على وجه الخصوص، ثم تقمص شخصية أفلاطون وأستطرد في حديث طويل حول صورة مصر الإسلامية، شيء أشبه بأسطورة المدينة الفاضلة التي حلم بها أفلاطون في يوم من الأيام و لم تتعدى كونها مجرد حلم مستحيل، هي فقط أسطورة ولن تتحقق وليس لنا حتى الحق في التفكير فيها، نسي زميلي أن "المدنسين" الذين يتحدث عنهم هم أيضا مصريين مثله، وجميعهم أتوا إلى أرض مصر قبله، أي أن مصر كانت في يوما من الأيام أرضا لليهود ومن بعدهم المسيحين ثم المسلمين. قلت له هذه الكلمات فاتهمني بعدم الأيمان و الوفاء لديني و مداهنة "الكفار"!!!

أنا لا أكتب لأشكو حالة صارت واضحة كوضوح الشمس و لكني أكتب كمن يفكر مع نفسه بصوت عال، أكتب لأبحث مع قلمي عن بعض الأفكار التي كنت قد تناقشت فيها مع أستاذي المسيحي بينما كنا نتحدث بالأمس عن نفس المشكلة، وكعادته دفعني للتفكير بشكل عملي، فأنا وهو نكره كثرة الكلمات ونحب الأفعال. قال لي أستاذي جملة عبقرية أعتقد أنها هي الحل الأمثل لما نعانيه الآن. قال لي: "من منا – نحن البشر – قادر على تحديد من هو على صواب ومن هو على خطأ؟ فقط في الآخرة (يوم الحساب) سنتقابل لنعرف من كان على صواب ومن كان على خطأ والله وحده هو من سيحاسبنا. أحب هذا الرجل و شبه مغرمة بأفكاره، و لم أشعر يوما في أي حرج في التعامل معه بسبب اختلاف عقائدنا الدينية، لم أفكر يوماً قبل أن أتلقى العلم على يده إن كان مسلما أم مسيحيا، كل ما يحكم علاقتنا هو أنه إنسان و أني إنسان، وفي رأيي أن هذا هو الحل، أي أن نتعامل جميعا مع بعضنا البعض من منطلق أن كل منا إنسان، له مطلق الحرية في أن يحيا حياته كما يحب هو و ليس كما أحب أنا، هذا هو الحال الذي يجب أن تكون عليه مصر "المصرية" مصر أم المصريين و ليست أم المسلمين فقط أو المسيحيين فقط أو اليهود فقط أو البهائيين فقط أو ….. أو …… أو……. اختلافنا و تنوعنا نعمة من الله فرجاءا ألا نضيعها حتى لا تلاحقنا اللعنات.

Book Review on Egyptian Bahai's Citizenship Rights

"The Baha'is in Egypt, Fighting for Their Identity" is a 45 page report written by Professor Deena Hurwitz and Daniel Perell for the Cowan Fellows Human Rights Study Project. The report, dated May 15, 2010, traces the story of the Baha'is in Egypt from their arrival in the 1860s to their achievement of partial recognition under Article 33 of the Civil Service Law in April 2009. In addition to this Perell delves into the more nuanced background behind the Baha'i struggle. He includes comprehensive explanations of the relevant Egyptian laws and the roles played by the media, NGO's, and International community while exploring the Baha'i's significance on a broader scale. All in all the article is a succinct wealth of knowledge on a subject far too many know far too little about: the systematic civic repression of a minority based on their religious beliefs.

Too few in number to garner popular support, too morally inflexible to break the law, and too spiritually steadfast to renounce their faith, the Baha'i have been slandered by the media, denied citizens' basic rights, and coerced into making false proclamations of their faith until as recently as 2009. However, their struggle is not over. Even now they are still not completely recognized and continue to be the victims of economic, political, and social misconceptions, stereotypes, and isolation. Despite this their situation remains practically unknown even to many Egyptians - remarkable when one considers that Baha'i, only founded in the 19th century, is the fastest growing religion on the planet.

I encourage you to take this opportunity to educate yourself on history as it unfolds: 'The Baha'is in Egypt, Fighting for Their Identity'.

Weekly Review

The biggest news story in Egypt, this week, continues to be the rift between the Coptic Church and the Egyptian Government regarding remarriage. Copts and representatives from a number of organizations demonstrated in front of the Parliament earlier this week, calling for the passing of a personal status law that would protect individual distinctions based on religious law. In addition the issue spread to become an international one, as activists abroad raised support for Egyptian Copts.

The pressure seems to have been effective, as a committee from the Justice Ministry met to discuss the drafting of the aforementioned personal status law. On Thursday, Legal Affairs Minister Mufid Shehab met with Pope Shenouda III to discuss the progress on the proposed law. Church and government representatives seem to be cooperating on the project and hoped to complete the law within two months, as per President Mubarak’s instructions.

The other significant news was the release of the six Ahmadi Egyptians who’d been held in jail for more than 80 days. The Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights (EIPR) was instrumental in supporting their legal rights and securing their release.

Both stories highlight the problems facing religious freedom in Egypt, as well as the hope that a movement towards greater governmental protection of religious diversity may arise from these conflicts.

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The weekly coverage on religious freedom status in Egypt is written by Steven Aiello

Part of the problem, part of the solution

If you believe that Egypt enjoys complete and transparent religious freedom and tolerance than stop reading here. If you don’t, and you’re asking the question “who’s responsible”, perhaps this will be of some interest. I would like to preface this by saying these are my impressions of the state of religious tolerance in Cairo after living here for five months as a student and NGO employee. I do not intend to pass judgment or offer my opinion, merely to relate observations.

If you ask, most Egyptians will not openly admit to religious prejudice (perhaps this is because I’m white). If you do a little research you’ll see the Egyptian constitution guarantees the right of free religious practice to all of its citizens. On the surface it would seem that Egypt is free of religious intolerance, yet the past 40 years of Muslim-Copt violence, Baha’i marginalization, and ostracizing of the Jews tell a different story. The history is unappetizing at best, however any religious tension one perceives in Cairo today seems benign.

The question then is where and how does this notorious religious intolerance manifest itself? It’s both private and public, individual and collective, and in the actions of a church and state that are as at odds with one another as they are in cahoots. Speaking to Mohammad today on the bus I learned that religious intolerance does indeed exist in Egypt, but it should not be mislabeled as religious inequality: all represented religions are victims of each other’s stereotyping, but moreover, they are all suffering under the government’s intolerance for religion in general.

Assuming religious tolerance and freedom are desirable, I asked Muhammad who he thought was responsible for the current tension. His response: we are all to blame, but no one is to blame anyone before he or she blames him or herself first. The responsibility falls both on Egypt’s people who profess aspirations of tolerance which they could do more to realize, and on Egypt’s laws, lawmakers, and enforcers who exacerbate the cycle of unfairness with bias legislation, corruption, and negligence.

Essentially, if you’re not doing your part to support the development of a tolerant society, then you are among those responsible for the tension.

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Daniel Bennet is an American student of International Relations; currently interning at the Egypt bureau of the American Islamic Congress.

Weekly Review on Religious Freedom in Egypt

Weekly Review of News Highlights Relevant to Religious Freedom in Egypt

Niqab Banned

On Monday Egyptian Administration Courts upheld the announced decision by Ain Shams, Cairo and Helwan Universities to ban the wearing of the niqab by students taking their final exams. The decision, disappointing on the level of personal freedom and civil rights, unfortunately follows what seems to be a growing trend in Egyptian courts of allowing bans on the niqab in academic environments.

Ahmediyans Arrested

Earlier this week a group of Ahmadiyans were arrested in Cairo for allegedly violating Islam by performing rituals associated with the hajj to Mecca. The Ahmediyans believe that the prophet Gabriel revealed himself to Ghulam Ahmed Qadiani and many of them try to perform a hajj to Qadiani’s burial site, in Qadian, India. Because their beliefs are at odds with the mainstream view that Muhammad was the last prophet, Ahmadiyans are treated as pariahs by many Muslims. Apparently this view has carried over into Egyptian executive decisions as well.

Tolerance within the same religion can often be the most difficult challenge for those seeking reform. Ahmediyans, who consider themselves to be good Muslims, are especially vulnerable to mistreatment in Egypt. It is crucial to appeal these arrests in the courts and in the press, and to make abundantly clear that targeting differing views of Islam is a dangerous practice, one that leaves only the majority view safe and presents a threat to any member of a minority sect within Islam.

Court Ordered to Allow Remarriage

The biggest news regarding religious freedom in Egypt over the past week was the pronouncement by Egyptian Courts that the Coptic Church of Egypt must allow Copts to remarry, in direct contradiction to the established position of the Church. This raises many issues, foremost amongst them the issue of government involvement with religion and specifically the relationship between the Egyptian government and the Coptic Church. That relationship has been seriously strained by the announcement. Pope Shenouda III, the head of the Coptic Church has announced his refusal to follow the decision, saying that although the Church respects Egyptian law, this constitutes excessive involvement of the Egyptian government in Church affairs, in a way that violates the freedom of religion. In showing a willingness to interfere in Church affairs, the decision has hurt the relationship between the Church and the government. Another side effect has been the creation of a rift within the Coptic community itself, as there are many divorced Copts who stand to benefit from the decision and don’t necessarily agree with the Church’s position.

The issue of remarriage within the Coptic Church, while worthy of review, is an internal Church matter. The Egyptian government and courts should avoid at all costs deciding matters of Christian theology, particularly in light of Christianity’s status as the most prominent of the minority religions in Egypt. We can hope that raising this issue to the public light will allow the Church to reconcile the differences of opinion within its own contingency. As for the tension between the government and the Church, this can be seen as an opportunity to reestablish the role of the government in religious affairs in Egypt. If the decision can be successfully appealed, then Pope Shenouda and his supporters can set a precedent for religious sovereignty.

Tension between Academia and Religion

Foreign Policy magazine has reported on the intimidation of Egyptian intellectuals and academics. Citing a history of legal and political attacks by Islamic extremists acting in the name of protecting Islam, the article focuses on the recent legal action taken by lawyers against the well-known author Gamal el-Ghitany, over his work in reprinting the classic One Thousand and One Arabian Nights. His critics claim that the novel depicts Islam in a poor light and attempt to claim that the availability of the collection of stories will lead to social afflictions such as rape or drug addiction.

The threat to academia by religious extremists represents a danger to all education, as educators whose resources are limited will only be able to provide a partial or subjective education. It is especially sad that something that is widely recognized as one of the greatest works to be translated from Arabic would be challenged in the Middle East. Perhaps the reason for the attack on Gamal el-Ghitany is precisely because his antagonists fear the inherent potential of his work. Foreign Policy reported that the first printing of the new edition under Gamal had sold out in 48 hours, a sure sign of overwhelming public support for his work, and against the censorship of important literature. Hopefully Gamal and his allies can succeed in harnessing that public support in their battle against religious extremists.

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The weekly coverage on religious freedom status in Egypt is written by Steven Aiello.

Meet Steven Aiello, the inspiring young co-editor of 5F

A brief introduction of the person who will be the principal author for the initial few months of the 5F blog: Steven Aiello.

I grew up in Brooklyn, NY, in a fairly homogenous Jewish community within a heterogeneous neighborhood. My exposure to other religions was fairly limited until 9/11. After 9/11 attacks, there were a few involving Jewish and Muslim youth. As a result, my dad and some partners at the NYPD and an organization called COPO (Council of Pakistan Organization) started a Jewish-Muslim basketball league. My job was to recruit friends to come play ball. My dad got the less envious task of convincing my friends' parents to let them come play with us.

After graduating high school I spent a gap year abroad in the Middle East. From that point on I became interested in the political situation in the Middle East, and as a religious student, I became especially interested in the status of religions. Upon graduating from NYU (where I studied Economics and Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies) I came back to the Middle East. Coming from a religious and democratic upbringing, I am especially interested in the interplay between religion and politics in the Middle East and the level of religious freedom. I am especially excited to learn more about the religious freedom situation in Egypt as part of the 5F project, and I look forward to the interaction and participation of our readers.

I have my own personal experiences involving religion and Egypt. Last summer I spent about 9 days traveling around Cairo and the Sinai. It was an incredible experience. Everyone was very friendly and as it was Ramadan, I would walk down the street as the sun set and get invited by store owners to share their Iftar dinners with them. I also visited the main Knis (synagogue) in Cairo, praying there on two weekday mornings. The Egyptian police stationed there to protect the knis got to know me, but they were uncertain over whether there were prayer services on Shabbat (the Sabbath).

I ended up spending Shabbat in Cairo, purchasing food beforehand; on Shabbat observant Jews don’t use money or make purchases. I had two very memorable experiences on Shabbat. First, on Friday afternoon as I walked back to my hostel room, I stopped in a store to get a gift for my brother. After bargaining with the owner and getting a ‘Ramadan discount’, I was once again invited to share an Iftar dinner. I explained that I was Jewish and had to pray first but that I would come back. I don’t know whether he expected to see me again, but I did return about 30 minutes later. Although they had finished eating, he called over some of his cousins and nephews, who brought more bread and salad for me. Some of the younger cousins spoke fairly fluent English, and they were incredibly hospitable. It was my first Shabbat Iftar dinner, and I think it’s likely that I was their first Jewish Iftar guest.

The second memorable thing occurred when I went to the Knis on Saturday morning to pray. There I was surprised to see an old woman sitting at the desk. Apparently she was one of the few Jews still living in Cairo and she came to the Synagogue occasionally. Unfortunately for me she was also there to make sure that everyone coming into the synagogue had paid the entrance fee. I did my best to explain that I couldn’t pay because it was the Sabbath, but she wouldn’t hear it. Eventually she refused to talk to me, and insisted that the Muslim police officers deal with me. They understood me, and they tried to explain it to her, but she was still upset, walking off to complain on her cell phone. The guards let me finish praying and then as I left one of them came up to shake my hand and tell me that I was a ‘good man’.

The irony of having someone from another faith respect me for my religious commitment while a fellow member of my own faith only got upset about it was not lost on me.

Both these experiences showed me that there is more than meets the eye in the socio-religious scene in Egypt. Most importantly, they showed me that there is a lot of respect held by the average Egyptian. Improvements can and should be made to protect religious freedom on the governmental and societal levels, but the basis for such reforms - a population of people who generally respect ‘others’ religious convictions, certainly exist. It is this that we at the 5F initiative hope to build upon.

إعلان ورشة عمل عن مهارات المناظرة للشباب في القاهرة

هل لديك وجهة نظر وتريد أن تتعلم كيف تطرحها وتدافع عنها؟ إنضم إلينا في ورشة عمل تتضمن تدريب عملي على مهارات المناظرة ترعاها مبادرة محاربون من أجل حرية العقيدة التابعة لمنظمة المؤتمر الإسلامي الأمريكي.

إن كنت طالب، أو ناشط سياسي، أو ناشط حقوقي، أو باحث، أو حتى شخص عادي مهتم بتعلم مهارات التفاوض والمناظرة ليستفيد منها في عمله أو حياته اليومية، فلا تفوت الفرصة. حيث سيعقد مكتب شمال أفريقيا لمنظمة المؤتمر الإسلامي الأمريكي، ومقره القاهرة، ورشة عمل لمدة يوم واحد على مهارات المناظرة، في 27 يونيو 2010، وسوف يسمح للمتدربين بالمشاركة في جلسة مناظرة سيتم عقدها في مطلع شهر يوليو 2010 لتبادل الأفكار والآراء مع متخصيين حول حرية العقيدة والتسامح الديني في مصر.

تفاصيل أكثر عن ورشة العمل:

ماذا؟

تعلم مهارات التفاوض والمناظرة

متى؟

27 يونيو 2010 من 9 إلى 5 مساءاً

أين؟

في القاهرة – سيتم إخبار المتدربين الذين يقع عليهم الإختيار بالمكان النهائي وجدول التدريب فيما بعد

الموعد النهائي لتقديم الإستمارة: 20 يونيو 2010 – سيتم إختيار المتدربين بناءاً على المعلومات المذكورة في استمارة التقديم ومقابلة شخصية سيتم تحديدها مع كل متقدم على حدى. مع العلم أن الأولوية لمن يتقدم أولاً.

التكاليف: مجانية بالكامل – سيحصل المتدربين على شهادة من المنظمة تفيد باكتساب المهارات الواردة في منهج التدريب. كما سيسمح للمتدربين بالمشاركة في جلسة مناظرة سيتم عقدها في مطلع شهر يوليو 2010 لتبادل الأفكار والآراء مع متخصيين حول حرية العقيدة والتسامح الديني في مصر.

للمشاركة في ورشة العمل، برجاء تحميل هذه الإستمارة وتكملتها وإرسالها مع السيرة الذاتية إلى:

dalia@aicongress.org

samar.hadid@gmail.com

سنقوم بالتواصل مع أصحاب الإستمارات الناجحة لعمل مقابلة شخصية.

إن منظمة المؤتمر الإسلامي الأمريكي هي منظمة غير حكومية مهتمة بنشر الحقوق المدنية في العالم الإسلامي من خلال الدعوة إلى التسامح وتبادل الأفكار بين المسلمين وبعضهم البعض وبين المسلمين وغير المسلمين في جميع أنحاء العالم.

تابعنا على تويتر

تابعنا على الفيس بوك

Ana Masry (I am Egyptian): Fighting Intolerance with Music

English Translation Below

أنا مصرى

(كلمات وألحان إيهاب عبده)

مسلم مسيحى

أنا مصرى

فلاح صعيدى

أنا مصرى

نوبى أو سيوى

أنا مصرى

عند الضريح للأوليا ضويت شموع

أنا مصرى

و ف الميلاد كان السبوع

أنا مصرى

وربيعى جابه شم نسميى

أنا مصرى

و مماتى كان للأربعينى

أنا مصرى

لما يوم مرضي جهلي وفقري جم بالاذية

ما فرقوش

ولما نيلى جف ف نهار وخيره عليّا ما فرقهوش

ندرت ندرى

ولما جالى الخير فى يوم كنت ضاوي له شمعتين

ف مارى جرجس وسيدنا الحسين

مانا مصرى

___________________________-

I am Egyptian

(Ana Masry)

(Music and lyrics: Ehaab Abdou)

I am Egyptian

Muslim or Christian

I am Egyptian

Farmer or from the South

I am Egyptian

Nubian or Siwan

I am Egyptian

From Sinai or Arish

I am Egyptian

If I have or have not

I am Egyptian

For the Sufi Saints I light candles

I am Egyptian

At my birth, a Saboua celebration

I am Egyptian

In spring, Sham El Nessim

I am Egyptian

At my death, fourty days

I am Egyptian

When poverty, ignorance and disease attacked

They did not discriminate

When the Nile was dry, all suffered

So I made a vow and lit two candles

One at Mar Girgis

One at Sidna El Hussein

Because I am Egyptian

____________________________

Interpretation: Peter Paproski

Welcome to the Fearless Fighters For Faith Freedom (5F) blog!

The 5F Initiative is working to promote religious understanding, acceptance and cooperation, on the individual, societal, and governmental levels. As such, this blog will explore the topic of religious freedom and tolerance in Egypt. We will do our best to expose critical and relevant issues that many Egyptians (and certainly those outside Egypt) may not be aware of.

The Middle East and Africa represent areas with tremendous potential for improvement in human rights, areas that NGOs typically focus their humanitarian efforts on. Egypt, as the link between the two regions, has the potential to become an important catalyst for crucial reforms. The 5F movement and this blog are acting to promote a grass-roots movement to bring about such reforms in Egypt and throughout the Middle East.

Our focus on Egypt will address the rights of religious minorities in Egypt: Christians, Baha’is, and Jews. We will examine their legal and political rights and the enforcement of them, as a means of evaluating the governmental commitment to religious freedom of expression. We will also look on a societal level to gauge the perspective of the average Egyptian, as well as to give a voice to members of the country’s minority religions. Other topics to be addressed include tensions involving Sunna-Shi’a differences, the influence of the Muslim Brotherhood, and the treatment of non-Muslim tourists.

The main focus of the blog will be to provide a platform to those voices that aren’t usually heard, such as those belonging to members of the minority religions. Personal stories and views are thus extremely valuable, and anyone wishing to share is encouraged to email nomadictribe13@gmail.com, with the header ‘AIC 5F Project’.

In the upcoming post, I will introduce myself briefly as the new writer for this groundbreaking program. I will share a few personal stories from my own experiences in Egypt as a Jewish-American traveler, such as praying in the Knis (synagogue) in Cairo and being invited to numerous Iftaar dinners.

For now, I look forward to hearing from readers and I hope that you will look forward to hearing more from me in the coming days.