Islam
Religion is central in Egypt, playing a fundamental role in the construction of individual and collective identities. Article 2 of the Constitution enshrines Islam as the state religion, while Article 46 authorizes freedom of worship. Figures concerning the number of followers in Egypt are the subject of intense political debate and are hotly contested. Muslims account for 90-95% of the population, Christians for 5-10% and other religions (Jews, Buddhists and others) for less than 1%.
Islam was born on the Arabian Peninsula, in Mecca, after the Prophet Mohamed received revelation from the Archangel Gabriel. He then collected the word of God in the sacred book, the Koran. Rejected by the pagan Meccan elite, Mohamed and his followers fled and settled in Medina. The Hegira, in 622, marks the beginning of the Muslim calendar. Mohamed's four successors all came from his direct entourage: the "rightly guided" caliphs Abu Bakr, Omar, Osman and Ali. They extended the reign of Islam from the Indus to the Iberian Peninsula. Under Caliph Omar, Egypt was conquered and the first mosque on the African continent was built, the 'Amr Ibn El 'As mosque.
Islam is based on the oneness of God, and Muhammad is only his messenger. The most orthodox Islam, therefore, does not recognize the existence of saints, even though many are revered in certain countries. God is also unimaginable and cannot be represented. The practice of the believer is organized around five main pillars: the attestation of faith and recognition of the oneness of God(Shahada); the five daily prayers(Salât); almsgiving(Sadaqa); fasting(Sawn) during the month of Ramadan and the pilgrimage to Mecca(Hajj). Islam is made up of many currents, and practices vary widely from region to region. However, two main currents can generally be identified: Sunnism and Shiism.
Islam became established in 642 with the conquest of the country by Arab armies led by Amr Ibn al-As. From then on, it was the religion of the rulers; however, it would take two centuries for it to become the majority religion among the population. The Islam practiced by the majority of Egyptians today is Sunni, and belongs to the Malekite or Shafiite schools. But Egypt was long ruled by Shiite dynasties such as the Fatimids, who founded the Al-Azhar mosque-university in 970. It is now one of the most important intellectual institutions in the Sunni world. Many Egyptians practice Sufism, an esoteric and mystical branch of Islam, popular particularly in the Persian and Turkish worlds. In addition to the traditional major feasts ('eid al-fitr and 'eid al-adha, also known as Little and Big Eid), Egypt also hosts mouled, celebrations of saints' birthdays. In Cairo, the Prophet's grandson, Hussein, and his sister, Zeinab, are celebrated each year. These celebrations, which closely resemble Shiite rites, illustrate the permeability that exists between practices. The mosque is not only a place of worship, but also an important social space. In the past, it was also a place of study, when a madrasa was attached to it. Here, young boys learned to read Arabic, recite the Koran and learn the precepts of religion. Cairo is home to countless mosques, and Islamic Cairo boasts examples of the finest architecture from the Fatimid, Mamluk and Ottoman eras, among others. Islam is an essential cog in Egyptian society, structuring family relationships, marriages and divorces, inheritance and part of economic relations.
In the early 20th century, Egypt became the intellectual and political center of political Islam, with the creation in 1928 of the Muslim Brotherhood by Hassan el Banna. Faced with the Westernization claimed by Egypt's leaders, this movement advocated a return to Islamic principles, which they wanted to be the basis of society and the state. This is the first time that a modern political organization has taken Islam as its ideological basis. The movement's success is often seen as a precursor to the upheavals that were to see Islamist movements take on an increasingly important political role in the second half of the 20th century.
Christianity
According to tradition, Mark the Evangelist founded the Church of Alexandria in the year 40. It formed part of the original pentarchy with the churches of Rome, Constantinople, Antioch and Jerusalem. Following the various schisms that fractured the Christian religion in its early centuries, the Church of Alexandria distanced itself from the rest of Christianity and divided itself into the Coptic Orthodox Church, the Greek Orthodox Church of Alexandria and the Coptic Catholic Church. For Christians, Egypt is also the place where Jesus, Mary and Joseph were exiled when they fled from King Herod. With the arrival of Islam, the majority of the country's inhabitants gradually converted, but a sizeable minority persisted, especially within the Coptic Orthodox Church. Relations with Muslims were generally peaceful, with Copts involved in commercial activities vital to the country's prosperity. Christians and Jews living in Muslim lands are subject to the status of dhimmi : a special tax is levied in exchange for freedom of worship and the protection of the caliph or sultan. They were also excluded from certain professions, notably the military. However, certain periods were marked by intense discrimination against them. Such was the case during the reign of the Fatimid caliph Al-Hakim (996-1021), who destroyed numerous monasteries and churches, multiplied discriminatory measures and stepped up repression of alcohol production and consumption. The period of the Crusades, followed by the Mongol invasions, further undermined this special relationship. Indeed, the support of the Christians of Iraq and Syria for the invaders led to increased mistrust on the part of the caliphs of Egypt and Syria.
Mohammed Ali, the founder of modern Egypt, gave Christians access to the army and abolished the jizya tax, a major symbol of dhimmi status. Today, Copts are integrated into Egyptian society, but still face discrimination. The authorities often make it difficult to build new churches by imposing considerable delays in issuing permits. It is also almost impossible for them to make a career in the army. Copts have also been the victims of repeated attacks by Islamist extremist groups, especially since the late 1990s. The end of 2016 and 2017 were particularly deadly, with the attack on the Church of St Peter and St Paul in Cairo in December 2016, then the Palm Sunday attacks in April 2017, followed by the attack on pilgrim buses in Minya in May 2017.
The Coptic Church has its own liturgical language, Coptic, inherited from the language of the ancient Egyptians. As the Copts do not recognize the Pope of Rome, they are led by the Pope - or Patriarch - of the Coptic Church. The Coptic community is highly religious, and religious prescriptions are strongly adhered to by all members of the community. The lives of the faithful are punctuated by festivals and fasting. Important feasts such as Easter and Christmas are of course closely followed. They give rise to huge masses and are followed by periods of fasting. Fasting is not a total deprivation of food, but rather the removal of certain foods from the diet: meat, milk, eggs, cheese, etc. Coptic Christmas is celebrated on January 7, as in other Orthodox churches, and was recognized as a public holiday in 2002.
During the 20th century, several prime ministers and ministers belonged to the Coptic minority, and recent governments have often included Christians in their ranks. Egypt's richest man, Naguib Sawiris, is also Coptic. His family is one of the most powerful in the country.
Judaism
Even more than for Islam or Christianity, Egypt is at the centre of the founding narrative of Judaism, the oldest of the monotheisms. In the book of Genesis, it is stated that the Hebrews, following Joseph, settled in Egypt where they prospered. In the book of Exodus, the situation changed dramatically and the Hebrews were enslaved by Pharaoh. Guided by Moses, they freed themselves from tyranny and fled the country through the Sinai Desert where they received the Tables of the Law from God. This age-old founding myth is one of the foundations of the three monotheisms and still continues to inspire believers and artists.
According to archaeological evidence, more down-to-earth, the presence of Jews in Egypt dates back to biblical times. They took refuge there to avoid reprisals from the Babylonians during a conflict with the kingdom of Judah. If traces of Jewish settlements have been discovered on Elephantine Island, Alexandria is the center of the community. It was crushed by Trajan after a major revolt in 115 - 117. The life of the Jews improved considerably during the reign of the Muslim dynasties where the status of dhimmi guaranteed them a protection that did not exist under the Byzantines. Apart from the rigorist periods, they participated in the life of the country and sometimes reached high administrative posts, particularly under the Ottoman Empire. At the turn of the 20th century, Jews were well established in Egypt and several Jewish personalities, such as Yaqub Sanu, were among the first Egyptian nationalists who fought against British rule. The deterioration of the situation in Mandate Palestine did not spare Egypt, where tensions were high. Israel's independence in 1948 was a major fracture in relations between Egyptian Jews and the rest of society. The Jewish community is now perceived as a fifth column and mistrust is mixed with resentment. Many Jews then leave the country for Europe, the United States or Israel. The military intervention of France, the United Kingdom and Israel against Egypt following the nationalization of the Suez Canal in 1956 sealed the fate of the tens of thousands of Jews still living in the country. They are now all considered Zionists and enemies of the state and are almost all expelled and have their property confiscated, as are the majority of Europeans still living in the country. Today the Jewish community in Egypt consists of about 100 people and an association is still trying to keep alive the heritage of this disappeared community.
