Figure 1.-- Over 90 percent, probably close to 95 percent, of the Egyptian population is Muslim. Almost all are Sunni Muslims. This raises an interesting question. Just why soes a country have little religious diversity and how does that affect society, Many Nuslims would see this as heality indicator. Many in the West would see this as an indicator of intolerance and a represive culture, a factor in the country's intelectual and economic failure. This photo was taken in the great mosque of Al-Azhar in Cairo.

Egypt over milenia developed one of the most significant and enduring religious systems in history. It did not, however, spread outside the Nile valley. Egyptian religion continues to fascinate historians more than any other religious system. Egypt was conquered by many foreign armies, but the traditional religion enfured into the modern era. It did not begin to disappear until after the Roman conquest when Christianity became the religion of the Empire. Christian religious concepts began widely accepted in Egypt as the Coptic Church formed. The Copts were at odds with Byzantine orthodixy. Byzantine religious and civil authorities attempted to stamp out what was seen as heresy. This is one reason why Arab armies were able to defeat the Byzantines in Egypt (640-42 AD). At the time, the Coptic Church was very widespread. Over time Egypt became Islamicized. Over 90 percent of the Egyptian population is Muslim. There is a Christian minority of about 5 percent of the population. There was also a small Jewish population, but since the Isreael-Palestine wars, the Egyptians expelled the Jewish population, first stripping them of their property and valuables. The dominant strain of Islam is Sunni.

Traditional Religion

Egypt over milenia developed one of the most significant and enduring religious systems in history. The sun was ancient Egypt's principal deity. The sun's passage daily across the sky from sunrise to sunset represented the eternal cycle of birth, death and rebirth. The kings or pharaohs were seen as gods by the common people. The pharoh was in fact the god's representatives on earth. It was the rituals and religious ceremonies overseen by pharaoh that guaranteed the continuation of Egyptian civilization and indeed life itself. A pharaoh at death became importal joining the gods after a journey through the afterworld. The ancient Egyptians believed that both the body and soul were essential aspects of human existence, during life and after death. Their Egyptian funerary ceremonies which so fascinate the modern mind, especially mummification and burial in tombs with valuable artifacts, servedc thev purposecof assist the deceased pharaoh find his way in the afterworld. It is of course thec gold and other precious artifacts that capture the imagination, but a pharaoh's tombs were filled primarily with more mundane items such as food, tools, domestic wares, and other necessities of life so that the pharaoh soul's could naviagte the many dangers of the afterworld. The outward form of Egyptian religion seems exotic to the Western mind. In fact there are many aspects which were first adopted by the Hebrews and through the Hebrews modern Christianity. Egyptian religion did not, however, spread outside the Nile valley. Egyptian religion continues to fascinate historians more than any other religious system. Egypt was conquered by many foreign armies, but the traditional religion enfured into the modern era.

Classical Era

Alexander conquered Egypt (332 BC), but his focus lay in the east. Ptolemy subsequently took over Egypt and Hellenism was introduced to Egypt (323 BC). Egyptian polytheism could accompdate foreign gods. Some Egyptians began to worship some Greek gods. This did not prevent them from worshiping the traditional Egyptian gods. And Greeks in Alexandria as well as Greece itself began to worship Egyptian gods, especially Isis. The cult of Isis was spread by merchants and traders. The Romans conquered Egypt (30 BC). Egyptians continued worshipping their own gods while at the same time continuing to worship the Greek gods as well as new Roman gods. Sacrificing to the emperor became a civic duty.

Chritianity

Traditional Egyptian religion did not begin to disappear until after the Roman conquest when Christianity began to spread. Not a great deal is known about the early Christian Church in Egypt. It does not seem to have been greatly influenced by the Jesus movenent in Palestine, but more by Christian churches founded by St. Paul and St. Peter that spread throughout the Empire. Gradually Egyptians began to convert to Christianity. Accounts of the Great Persecution (303 AD) report large numbers of Christians in Egypt. When Christisanity was afopted by Constantine, the persecutions ended. Christianity became the state religion of the Empire. There was a wide range of Christian beliefs. And emperors wanted religious orthodoxy. Christian religious concepts began widely accepted in Egypt as the Coptic Church formed. The Copts were, however, at odds with Byzantine orthodixy. One of the main issues in the early church was the conflict between Arius and Athanasius. The monastic movement was born in Egypt. It began with early hermits. Holy men would leave their families and go out into the desert beyond the Nile. They would live in the desert or other remote locations and contemplate their relation with Christ. Over time as the number of hermits increased, they began to band together for pratical matters. These bands became the first monasteries. Byzantine religious and civil authorities attempted to stamp out the Coptic church was seen as heresy. The Arabs in contrast who conquered Egypt (640-42 AD) did not interfere with Church doctrine. They did promote the conversions of Christians to Islam, although the economic advantsages were a powerful factor.

Islam

Islam in its earliest phase was strongly expansionist. Several fsactors were involved here. Religious fervor was undountedly a major factor. There were other fsctors, including economic and social factors. Arab armies bitst out of the Arabian Peninsula and defeated Byzantine armies in the Levant and Persian armies further east. Arab armies also trned west toward Egypt. An Arab army invaded Egypt (640) Amr ibn al As conquered strongly fortified Cairo (then known as Babylon) and renamed the city Al Fustat (641). After the surrender of Alexandria, Egypt was under Muslim rule. The Byzantinr assault on the Coptic church is one reason why Arab armies were able to defeat the Byzantines in Egypt (640-42 AD). At the time, the Coptic Church was very widespread. Amr became Egypt's first Muslim ruler. Mohammed had advised that Muslims should be kind to the Egyptians. There were legendary kinship ties to the Arabs through Ismail's mother, Hagar, whon is believed toi have been of Egyptian origin. (Ishmael was the son of the patriarch Abraham by the Egyptian handmaiden Hagar. [Genesis 16] After Abraham's supposedly barren wife Sarah bore Isaac, a rivalry developed between Sarah and Hagar and thus between the two half brothers, Isaac and Ishmael. Ishmael was the ancestor of the nomadic Arabian Ishmaelites. They were organized like the Israelites, into twelve tribes. Islam and the Arabs thus trace their origins from Abraham through Ishmael. Jews and Christianity trace their lineages through Isaac. Thus Muslims, Jews, and Christians are all spiritual "children of Abraham.") Amr's decesion to treat Christian Egyptians moderately was also indluenced from the Koranic provisions concerning "people of the book". Amr thus allowed the Copts to choose between converting to Islam or retaining their beliefs as a protected people. Amr and other early Islanic figures Jews and Christians as people who had approached, but not yet achieved the Islamic perfection. Thus they were not treated as pagans who hsad to chose between between Islam and death. The attitude toward Chritisans and Jews shold not be thought of in purely religious terms. Many early Muslim rulers were not commited to widespread conversion for economic reasons. Jews and Christians were allowed to live according to their own religious laws and in their own communities as long as they accepted dhimmis status--tolerated subject peoples. Dhimmis were required to recognize Muslim authority, pay additional taxes, avoid proselytism among Muslims, and give up most political rights. The taxes involved were a major source of revenue. Over time Egypt became Islamicized. Most Egyptians had converted to Islam (by the 9th century). By this time the financial incentives were of less importance and some rulers used more force to incourage conversion. Over 90 percent, probably close to 95 percent, of the Egyptian population is Muslim. Almost all are Sunni Muslims. This raises an interesting question. Just why soes a country have little religious diversity and how does that affect society, Many Nuslims would see this as heality indicator. Many in the West would see this as an indicator of intolerance and a represive culture, a factor in the country's intelectual and economic failure.

Judaism

Egypt was a major refuge for the Jews of the Dispora following the revolt against Rome (1st century AD). Egypt had one of the most dynamic Jewish communities in the Diaspora. Jews living in Egypt remained Jewish after the Islanic conquest. After the Arab conquest Jews were tolerated to a varying degree. During the Caliphate Jews were subjected to major periods of persecution by different caliphs (9th-11th centuries). Finally the large Jewish quater in Cairo was destoyed and the Jews there murrdered in mass (1012). Conditions in Egypt varied at thewhim of local rules after the destruction of the Caliphate. There were periods of relative tollerance and periods pf percecution. The Ottomans seized Egypt (1517). Again treatment of the Jews varied depending on the attitude of the various sultans. Ottoman rule weakened in the 19th century and local rulers began to exert indepedence. The French and British took an increasing interest in Egypt at mis-century with the construction of the Suez Canal. During the late 19th century there were at least six blood libel persecutions in Egyptian cities (1870-92). Egypt was affected by European anti-Semtism. The Tsarist secret police published the Protocols of the Elders of Zion. It was a forgery, but widely deseminated. Most Egytians to this day regard it as a historical document. Egyptians nationalists were influenced by the anti-British and anti-Semetic writings and broadcasts of the Grand Mufti of Jeursalem in Palestine. Both the Free Officers movement and the Muslim Broytherhood were heavily influenced by anti-Semitism. At the end if World War II (1945), there were about 75,000 Jews in Egypt. Most lived in Alexandria and Cairo. Unlike the other Jews in North Africa, the Fascists in never occupied Egypt, exceot for the Western Desert. Thus Egyption Jews did not experience the NAZI Holocaust. After Israel declared independence and Arab armies attacked, Jews in Egypt were targeted (1948). Arabs carried out bomb attacks in Cairo, killing about 70 Jews. Authorities arrested prominent Jews and confiscated their property. They then expelled Egyptian Jews.

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Created: 8:25 PM 1/28/2010
Last updated: 8:25 PM 1/28/2010