Al-‘Arabī

The article discusses the Coptic Orthodox Church’s disagreements with Waṭanī newspaper and its intention to issue several newspapers that address church’s issues.

The recently announced introspections of the Jihād Islamic group revived discussions about the 10-year old revisions of al-Jamā‘ah al-Islāmīyah. On the tenth birthday of the group’s inspections, Muntasir al-Zayyāt announced the establishment of a new political party. Al-Jamā‘ah al-Islāmīyah rejected the party and accused al-Zayyāt of using its name to “promote” his own party.

Ṭal‘at Jār Allāh believes the state’s rejection of Pope Shenouda nominations for the Shūrá Council’s elections was a letter to the Copts who wish to integrate into political life to stay away from the church and to separate religion and politics.

The article discusses the platform of the long-awaited Muslim Brotherhood party. When Dr. ‘Abd al-Mu‘tī Bayyūmī rejects the idea of establishing the Islamic Ummah, Sāmiḥ Fawzī refers to their trend to turn the basis of the political process from patriotic into sectarian.

The relationship between the ruling party presided by President Mubārak and Pope Shenouda reached an impasse after Mubārak ignored a request submitted by Pope Shenouda to appoint three Copts in al-Shūrá Council.

Dr. Ḥusām ‘Īssá re-interprets Pope Benedict’s lecture delivered in Germany from an Orientalists’ point of view.

The article is based on a review of a newly published Arabic translation of the famous Jewish book the Talmud entitled, ‘Qasas al-Yahūd’ [Stories of Jews]. It discusses the traditions, both oral and written, that make up the stories of the Talmud.

The article talks about the heated electoral campaigns that characterize the struggle between Muslim Brotherhood’s candidates and those of the ruling National Democratic Party to win the race of the Shūrá Council elections.

A few weeks ago, sectarian strife erupted when some Muslim residents of the village of Bimhā in al-‘Ayyāṭ in Giza attacked their Coptic neighbours. Consequently, Copts houses were burnt and their property was stolen. The spark was a call by an extremist shaykh who incited Muslims after Friday prayer. Intellectuals believe that removing restrictions on building churches and issuing a unified law for houses of worship will help in decreasing the sectarian oppression in society.

The Ibn Khaldun Center for Development Studies is quite busy gathering one million signatures to request a change in the Egyptian constitution. The request will be submitted to the People’s Assembly thus seeking to provide an opportunity for those who wish to run for the presidency.