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.