Waṭanī

Yūsuf Sidhum tackles the issue of women’s inheritances in traditional modern day Egyptian society. He argues that contemporary Egyptians should revere women, as did their ancient Egyptian ancestors. Specifically, Sidhum argues that women should have equal rights to inheritances.

The author illustrates the effects of the Egyptian Revolution of 1952 on Muslim-Coptic relations. Eva states that the Egyptian revolution had a negative effect on Copts, who lost major sources of income to the ensuing nationalization movement. Copts also lost many posts as ambassadors. The author states that the revolution allowed the Ikhwan party to work freely, which damaged the relationship between Copts and Muslims.

Keywords: Muslim Brotherhood - Egyptian Revolution of 1952

The death of Muslim thinker Dr. Nasr Hāmid Abū Zayd has gained attention, being a figure widely characterized as an apostate. The author considers his death a tragedy, provoking the Egyptian public to criticize, judge, and evaluate a dead man – something Fawzī believes to be uncharacteristic of Egyptians.

Keywords: Nasr Hāmid Abū Zayd

The author presents Dr. Safwat al-Bayādī's musings concerning the Coptic Orthodox Church’s position on marriage. Al-Bayādī states that marriage is a spiritual work and that the administrative court cannot force the church to do something that does not match biblical instruction. He also confirms that he has a healthy relationship with the Coptic Orthodox Church and Pope Shenouda III.

Keywords: Dr. Safwat al-Bayādī - Remmariage debate

Nūrā says that, in a meeting with a number of priests last Tuesday, Giza Governor Sayyid ‘Abd al-‘Azīz said that he would have been willing to provide them with a new permit that would allow them to legally turn the service center into a church. But after Wednesday’s riots, says Nūrā, the governor announced in an interview that he is putting the new permit on hold indefinitely.

Key Words: ‘Umrāniyyah riots – Sayyid ‘Abd al-‘Azīz

Yūsuf asks why it is always the Copts who are in violation of laws when attempting to build churches without permits. The answer, he says, lies in the extreme difficulty to obtain permits for building churches. Furthermore, he says that it is not a violation to attempt to turn the service center in ‘Umrāniyyah into a church. 

Key Words: ‘Umrāniyyah riots – Giza

Sāmīyah ‘Ayyād interviews the al-Wafd Party Secretary General Munīr Fakhrī ‘Abd al-Nūr. ‘Abd al-Nūr blames the current sectarian tension on extremism and the Islamification of all aspects of Egyptian life, from television to school curricula; from dress code to trade. He agreed that certain hidden forces benefit from fitnah tā’ifīyah in Egypt and criticized “reconciliation sessions,” saying that they have been proved not to work. They also talked about the long-awaited unified law for places of worship, the religion box on identity papers, and the National Democratic Party.

Key Words: Munīr Fakhrī ‘Abd al-Nūr – Dr. Zaynab Radwān – Ahmad Zakī Badr – Husayn Kāmil Bahā’ al-Dīn – al-Sayyid al-Badawī

Sāmīyah talks about the history of the al-Wafd Party, which is the very first Egyptian political party. She talks about its formation after World War I, when Egyptians wanted to declare their independence from being a British protectorate. She also discussed how its founding members were both Muslims and Copts. She then talks about the ban of all political parties by President Jamāl ‘Abd al-Nāsir and how al-Wafd subsequently returned during Anwar al-Sadāt’s rule, becoming a major opposition party.

Key Words: al-Wafd Party – Colonel Ahmad ‘Urābī – Khidīvī Tawfīq – Sa‘d Zaghlūl – ‘Abd al-‘Azīz Fahmī – ‘Alī Sharqāwī – Wīsā Wāsif – Tawfīq Andrāwis – Fakhrī ‘Abd al-Nūr – Reginald Wingate – Lloyd George – Woodrow Wilson – Jamāl ‘Abd al-Nāsir – Anwar al-Sadāt – President Husnī Mubārak – Munīr Fakhrī ‘Abd al-Nūr – al-Sayyid al-Badawī

The National Democratic Party announced its list of candidates for the upcoming parliamentary elections. The list consists of 770 names, including only ten Copts. Although this is an all time high for the NDP, it is considered by many as unacceptable. Dr. ‘Imād Jād criticized the party, saying that it only chooses candidates who are not leading Coptic figures and less likely to shine.

Key Words: Dr. Yūsuf Butrus Ghālī – Munīr Fakhrī ‘Abd al-Nūr – Dr. Muná Makram ‘Ubayd – Sulaymān Subhī – Wadī‘ Bishāy – Georgette Bishārah – Rāmī Lakah – Su‘ād Israel

Sāmih says that something is not clear about the Qena incident in which Coptic homes were burned down because of an alleged relationship between a Coptic boy and Muslim girl. Different versions of the rumor exist--some say the two met at a graveyard; others allege that they only had a simple conversation outside a bakery. Either way, Sāmih says, Copts who are not even related to the boy should not be targeted just because they share the same religion. He blames the incident on the rise of religious extremism in Egypt.

Key Words: Qena – sectarian violence