Religion in Egypt 3377964 225774856 2008-07-15T10:04:17Z VolkovBot 3035831 robot Adding: [[cs:Náboženství v Egyptě]] {{Life in Egypt}} '''Religion in Egypt ''' are many aspects of social life and is endorsed by law. [[Egypt]] is predominantly Muslim, with [[Muslim]]s comprising about 80-90% of a population of 80 million Egyptians. Almost the entirety of Egypt's Muslims are [[Sunni Islam|Sunnis]]. Most of the non-Muslims in Egypt are [[Christianity|Christians]], of whom 92-92% belong to the native Egyptian [[Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria]]. Although there are no up-to-date figures on the number of Christians in Egypt, due to the fact that last census did not obligate citizens to write their religion, <ref> Article in the local Al Dustur Newspaper dated Wednesday 12th March 2008.</ref> [[Copt]]ic sources say that Christians represent at least 10% if not 20% of the Egyptian population.<ref>http://www.washingtoninstitute.org/templateC05.php?CID=2386</ref> There is also a small, but nonetheless historically significant, non-immigrant [[Bahá'í Faith|Bahá'í]] population, and an even smaller community of [[Judaism|Jews]]. The non-Sunni, non-Coptic communities range in size from several thousand to hundreds of thousands. The original [[Ancient Egyptian religion]] has all but disappeared. The [[Adhan]] (Islamic call to prayer) that is heard five times a day has the informal effect of regulating the pace of everything from business to entertainment. [[Cairo]] is famous for its numerous [[mosque]] [[minaret]]s and [[Steeple (architecture)|church towers]]. This religious landscape has been marred by a history of religious extremism,<ref name="us_dos_egypt">{{cite web | title = Egypt: International Religious Freedom Report | date = 2004-09-15 | author = U.S. Department of State | publisher = Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor | url=http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2004/35496.htm | accessdate = 2006-10-20}}</ref> recently witnessing a 2006 judgement of Egypt's [[Egyptian Judicial System|Supreme Administrative Court]], which made a clear legal distinction between "recognized religions" (i.e., [[Islam]], [[Christianity]], and [[Judaism]]) and all other religious beliefs. This ruling effectively delegitimizes and forbids practice of all but the three [[Abrahamic religion]]s.<ref name="eipr2">{{cite web | title = Government Must Find Solution for Baha'i Egyptians | date = 2006-12-16 | accessdate = 2006-12-16 | author = Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights | publisher = eipr.org | url = http://www.eipr.org/en/press/06/1612.htm}}</ref> This judgement had made it necessary for non-Abrahamic religious communities to either commit perjury or be denied Egyptian identification cards (see [[Egyptian identification card controversy]]), until a 2008 Cairo court case ruled that unrecognized religious minorities may obtain birth certificates and identification documents, so long as they omit their religion on court documents.<ref name="reuters">{{cite news |first= Cynthia |last= Johnston |title= Egypt Baha'is win court fight over identity papers|url=http://africa.reuters.com/wire/news/usnL29677385.html |publisher=Reuters |date=2008-01-29 |accessdate=2008-01-30 }}</ref> ==Religions in Egypt== ===Recognized religions=== ====Islam==== {{main|Islam in Egypt}} [[Image:Cairo mosques.jpg|thumb|Cairo's unique cityscape with its ancient mosques]] Islam has been the [[state religion]] in Egypt since the amendment of the second article of the Egyptian constitution in the year 1980, before which Egypt was recognized as a secular country. The exact number of muslims is not known because the last census did not obligate the citizens to mention their religions like previously. It is estimated that muslims make up anywhere from 80-90% of the population. The vast majority of Egyptian Muslims are Sunni, with a small [[Shia Islam|Shi'ite]] community making up the remainder.<ref name="Factbook">{{cite web|url=https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/eg.html#People|title=Egyptian people section from the World Factbook|work=[[World Fact Book]]|accessdate=2007-01-29}}</ref> A significant number of Sunni Egyptians also follow native [[Sufism|Sufi]] [[Tariqah|orders]]. <ref>Hoffman, Valerie J. ''Sufism, Mystics, and Saints in Modern Egypt''. University of South Carolina Press, 1995.</ref> Egypt hosts the most important Sunni institution in the world, [[Al-Azhar University]]. It is the oldest Islamic institution of higher studies (founded around 970 [[Common Era|C.E.]]), and is considered by many to be the oldest extant university in the world. Egypt's various social groups and classes apply Islam differently in their daily lives. The literate theologians of Al-Azhar generally reject the popular version of Islam practised by religious preachers and peasants in the countryside, which is heavily Sufi-influenced. Sufism has flourished in Egypt since Islam was first adopted. Most upper- and middle-class Muslims believed either that religious expression is a private matter for each individual or that Islam should play a more dominant role in public life. Islamic religious revival movements, whose appeal cuts across class lines, have been present in most cities and in many villages for a long time. According to the [[constitution of Egypt]], any new legislation must at least implicitly agree with [[Sharia|Islamic law]]. The mainstream [[Hanafi]] school of Sunni Islam is largely controlled by the state, through ''Wizaret Al-Awkaf'' (Ministry of Religious Affairs). ''Al-Awkaf'' controls all mosques and supervises Muslim clerics. [[Imam]]s are trained in Imam vocational schools and at Al-Azhar. The ministry supports Sunni Islam and has commissions authorised to give ''[[Fatwā]]'' judgements on Islamic issues. ====Christianity==== {{Main|Christianity in Egypt}} [[Image:monastry3.jpg|thumb|right|About 13% to 14% of 80 million Egyptians are Christianity|Christian]] More than 95% of Egypt's Christians are members of the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria, an [[Oriental Orthodoxy|Oriental Orthodox]] Church, established in the 1st century C.E. by [[Mark the Evangelist|Saint Mark]]. The Coptic Orthodox Church claims a membership of about 11.4 million in Egypt and another 4 million in the [[diaspora]]. Significant minorities within Egypt's Christian community include the following denominations: *Apostolic Catholic and Orthodox Churches: **The [[Coptic Catholic Church]] (an [[Eastern Catholic Churches|Eastern Catholic]] Church) has between 162,000 and 243,000 members in Egypt and roughly 50,000 adherents abroad. It is in union with the [[Pope]] in Rome. It is headed by the [[List of Coptic Catholic Patriarchs of Alexandria|Coptic Catholic Patriarch of Alexandria]], currently [[Antonios Naguib]]. **The [[Greek Orthodox Church of Alexandria]] (an [[Eastern Orthodox Church]]) has between 250,000 and 300,000 adherents in Egypt, out of whom approximately 45,000 are of [[Greeks|Greek]] (Hellenic) descent. The Church has another 1.5 million adherents in [[Africa]] and between 10,000 and 15,000 ex-patriates in [[Europe]], [[North America|North]] and [[South America]]. The current [[List of Greek Orthodox Patriarchs of Alexandria|Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Alexandria]] is [[Patriarch Theodore II of Alexandria|Pope Theodoros II]].<ref>[http://www.greekorthodox-alexandria.org/main.htm Pope Theodoros II]</ref> **The [[Melkite Greek Catholic Church]] (an Eastern Catholic Church) has about 125,000 members in Egypt. The eparchy of Egypt is looked after by a [[Protosyncellus]], and has between 35,000 and 50,000 ex-patriates in Europe, North and South America, and [[Australia]]. **The [[Armenian Apostolic Church]] (an Oriental Orthodox Church) has between 45,000 and 50,000 adherents in Egypt. Most of them follow the Holy See of [[Echmiadzin]] in [[Armenia]], rather than the [[Holy See of Cilicia]] in [[Lebanon]]. **The [[Roman Catholic Church]] has between 15,000 and 18,000 adherents in Egypt. Most are citizens born in Egypt but of foreign descent, like [[Italians]], [[Maltese people|Maltese]] and [[French people|French]], or members of the foreign [[diplomatic corps]] in Egypt. There are very few native Christian Egyptians who adhere to the Roman Catholic Church, and those who do (several hundreds) do so mainly through marriage. **The [[Episcopal Church in Jerusalem and the Middle East]] (a Protestant Church known in Egypt as the [[Anglican Communion|Anglican Church]]) has between 10,000 and 15,000 members in Egypt. **The [[Maronite Church]] (an Eastern Catholic Church) has between 9,000 and 11,000 adherents in Egypt. **The [[Armenian Catholic Church]] (an Eastern Catholic Church) has about 6,500 adherents in Egypt. **The [[Chaldean Catholic Church]] (an Eastern Catholic Church) has about 4,500 members in Egypt. **The [[Syriac Catholic Church]] (an Eastern Catholic Church) has about 1,500 adherents in Egypt. **The [[Syriac Orthodox Church]] (an Oriental Orthodox Church) has a very small population in Egypt, numbering between 450 and 500. Most are students of the [[Catechetical School of Alexandria]], or foreign students studying in [[Egyptian universities]]. * The Protestant churches also exist in Egypt, bringing the total number of Protestant denominations in Egypt to 8. they are: **The [[Evangelical Church of Egypt (Synod of the Nile)|Coptic Evangelical Church]] (a [[Protestantism|Protestant]] Church) has between 250,000 and 300,000 members in Egypt. **The [[Assemblies of God]] Church, which has 75,000 adherents in Egypt. **The [[Free Methodist]] Church, which has 120 churches and 20,000 adherents in Egypt. **The [[Christian Brethren]] Church, which has 15,000 adherents in Egypt. **The [[Pentecostal Church of God]], which has Church 3,775 adherents in Egypt. **The [[Pentecostal Holiness Church]], which has 1,400 adherents in Egypt. **The [[Church of God of Prophecy]], which has 1,100 adherents in Egypt. **The [[Seventh-day Adventist Church]] has 852 adherents in Egypt. [[Image:The church is hugging the mosque.JPG|thumb|right|A common religious scene in Egypt: a [[mosque]] next to a [[church]]; Christians are not permitted to build churches next to existing mosques, but the reverse is a common practice.]] ====Judaism==== {{main|History of the Jews in Egypt}} Egypt was once home to one of the oldest Jewish communities in the world. Egyptian Jews, who were mostly [[Karaite Judaism|Karaites]], participated in all aspects of Egypt's social, economic, and political life; one of the most ardent Egyptian nationalists, [[Yaqub Sanu]]' (Abu Naddara), was Jewish, as were the famous musician Dawoud Husni, popular singer [[Leila Mourad]], and prominent filmmaker Togo Mizrahi. For a while, Jews from across the [[Ottoman Empire]] and Europe were attracted to Egypt due to the relative harmony that characterized the local religious landscape in the 19th and early 20th centuries. After the 1956 [[Suez Crisis]], a great number of Jews were expelled by [[Gamal Abdel Nasser]]. Their Egyptian citizenship was revoked and their properties were confiscated. A steady stream of emigration of Egyptian Jews followed, reaching a peak after the [[Six-Day War]] with [[Israel]] in 1967. Today, Jews in Egypt number fewer than 200.<ref>Jewish Community Council (JCC) of Cairo. [http://www.geocities.com/RainForest/Vines/5855/bassa20.htm Bassatine News]. 2006.</ref> ===Unrecognised beliefs and religions=== ====Bahá'í Faith==== :''Main articles: [[Persecution of Bahá'ís#Egypt|Persecution of Bahá'ís in Egypt]] and [[Egyptian identification card controversy]]'' The number of Bahá'ís in Egypt is estimated to be between several hundred and a few thousand. They have been traditionally marginalized as a religious community in Egypt, and recently found themselves in court battling for the right to indicate their faith on their [[Egyptian identification card controversy|identification cards]]. On [[6 April]] [[2006]], however, "a landmark ruling by the Administrative Court recognis[ed] the right of Egyptian Baha'is to have their religion acknowledged on official documents."<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.irinnews.org/report.aspx?reportid=26887 | title = EGYPT: Court suspends ruling recognising Bahai rights | date = 2006-05-16 | publisher = Reuters | author = IRIN | accessdate = 2008-03-28}}</ref> On [[3 May]] [[2006]], the ''[[Khaleej Times]]'' reported that "[t]he Egyptian government will appeal against a court ruling in favour of the rights of the country’s small Baha’i minority." <ref>[http://www.khaleejtimes.com/DisplayArticle.asp?xfile=data/middleeast/2006/May/middleeast_May69.xml&section=middleeast&col= Khaleej Times Online - State to appeal ruling that favours Egypt’s Baha’is<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> Notable quotations from ministers in the Egyptian government and [[Muslim Brotherhood]] parliamentarians taken from the article include: :Religious Endowments Minister Mahmoud Hamdi Zakzouk told parliament the government would base its appeal on the opinion of the :country’s leading Muslim cleric, the Sheikh of al-Azhar, that Baha’ism [sic] is not a “revealed religion” recognised by Muslims. :One member of parliament, Gamal Akl of the opposition Muslim Brotherhood, said the Baha’is were infidels who should be killed on the grounds that they had changed their religion. :“The problem with the Baha’is they are moved by Israeli fingers. We wish the Ministry of the Interior would not yield to the cheap blackmail of this deviant group,” added another Muslim Brotherhood member, Mustafa Awadallah. :“there is an interest in them being known rather than unknown so that they do not succeed in infiltrating the ranks of society and spreading their extremist and deviant ideology.” According to [[Reuters]] Alertnet, the judgement of [[6 April]] was suspended on [[15 May]]: "Egypt's Supreme Administrative Court decided on 15 May to suspend the implementation of an earlier lower court ruling that allowed Bahais to have their religion recognised on official documents."<ref>[http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/IRIN/00d003de7250ad6560e7b65ceae6fd20.htm]{{Dead link|date=March 2008}}</ref> On [[16 December]] [[2006]], after only one hearing, the High Court of Egypt ruled against the Bahá'ís, stating that the government would not recognize their Faith in official identification cards.<ref name="eipr2" /> The ruling left Bahá'ís unable to obtain ID cards, birth certificates, or death certificates.<ref name="eipr2" /> They cannot get marriage or divorce certificates or passports, nor can they be employed, educated, treated in hospitals, or vote.<ref name="ahram">{{cite web | title = Rendered faithless and stateless | first = Gamal | last = Nkrumah | url = http://weekly.ahram.org.eg/2006/825/eg5.htm | publisher = Al-Ahram weekly | date = 2006-12-21 | accessdate = 2007-10-18}}</ref><ref name="middle_east_times">{{cite web | url = http://www.metimes.com/storyview.php?StoryID=20061220-033209-2100r | title = Egypt's Bahais denied citizenship rights | first = Joseph | last = Mayton| publisher = Middle East Times | date = 2006-12-19 | accessdate = 2006-12-28}}</ref><ref name="middle_east_times2">{{cite web | url = http://www.metimes.com/storyview.php?StoryID=20061215-092826-3132r | publisher = Middle East Times | title = Test for Egypt religious freedom in Bahai verdict | accessdate = 2007-10-18 | date = 2006-12-15 | first = Jailan | last = Zayan}}</ref> On [[January 29]], [[2008]] Cairo's court of Administrative Justice, ruling on [[Egyptian identification card controversy#Other court cases|two related court cases]], ruled in favour of the Bahá'ís, allowing them to obtain birth certificates and identification documents, so long as they omit their religion on court documents.<ref name="reuters" /> The ruling accepted the compromise solution offered by the Bahá'ís, allowing for them to obtain identification papers without the Bahá'í Faith being officially recognized.<ref name="AFP">{{cite news |author = AFP |title= Egypt's Bahais score breakthrough in religious freedom case |url=http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5gQ9bxTaqTTvqBMu-r5srjd5d1KBA|publisher=AFP |date=2008-01-30 |accessdate=2008-01-30 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news | title = Egypt court upholds Baha'i plea in religious freedom cases | date = 2008-01-29 | date = 2008-01-30 | publisher = Bahá'í World News Service | author = BWNS | url = http://news.bahai.org/story/600}}</ref> ====Atheism and agnosticism==== There are Egyptians who identify as [[atheism|atheist]] and [[agnosticism|agnostic]], but their numbers are unknown as openly advocating such positions risks legal sanction on the basis of [[apostasy]] (this occurs only if a citizen takes the step of suing the person engaging in apostasy, not automatically by the general prosecutor). In 2000, an openly atheist Egyptian writer, who called for the establishment of a local association for atheists, was tried on charges of insulting Islam in four of his books.<ref name="note6">{{cite news |first=Jailan |last=Halawi |pages= |title=Limits to expression |date=21-[[27 December]] [[2000]] |publisher=Al-Ahram Weekly |url=http://weekly.ahram.org.eg/2000/513/eg7.htm}}</ref> ==Religious freedom and human rights== While the Egyptian constitution guarantees freedom of belief and practicing of religion, the government places restrictions on these rights in practice.<ref name="us_dos_egypt2006">{{cite web | title = Egypt: International Religious Freedom Report | date = 2006-09-15 | author = U.S. Department of State | publisher = Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor | url=http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2006/71420.htm | accessdate = 2007-05-08}}</ref> Religious freedom in Egypt is hampered to varying degrees by extremist [[Islamism|Islamist]] groups and by discriminatory government policies. Copts are by far the largest religious minority in Egypt and thus the most negatively affected: until recently, Christians were required to obtain presidential approval for even minor repairs to churches. Although the law was recently eased, by handing down the authority of approval to the governorate level, Copts continue to face many obstacles in building new or repairing existing churches.<ref>WorldWide Religious News. [http://www.wwrn.org/article.php?idd=19813&sec=36&cont=3 Church Building Regulations Eased]. [[December 13]], [[2005]].</ref> Copts have faced increasing marginalization since the [[Egyptian Revolution of 1952]]. Prominent Copts in the cabinet presently include Finance Minister [[Youssef Boutros Ghali]] and Environment Minister Magued George. In addition, [[Naguib Sawiris]], an extremely successful businessman and one of the world's wealthiest 100 people, is a Copt. In 2002, the [[Coptic calendar|Coptic]] [[Christmas]] (January 7) was recognized as an official holiday.<ref>ArabicNews.com. [http://www.arabicnews.com/ansub/Daily/Day/021220/2002122025.html Copts welcome Presidential announcement on Eastern Christmas Holiday]. [[December 20]], [[2002]].</ref> Nevertheless, the Coptic community has occasionally been the victim of [[hate crime]]s and physical assaults. The most significant was the 2000-2001 El Kosheh attacks, in which 21 Copts and one Muslim were killed. In 2006 three simultaneous attacks on three churches in [[Alexandria]] left one dead, and were allegedly perpetrated by a mentally disturbed Muslim.<ref>BBC [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/4911346.stm Egypt church attacks spark anger]</ref> In addition, many Copts continue to complain of minimal representation in law enforcement, the state security services, and public office, and of being discriminated against in employment on the basis of their religion.<ref>Freedom House. [http://www.freedomhouse.org/religion/publications/endangered Egypt's Endangered Christians.]</ref> Bahá'ís also face discrimination and hardship; the government denies them civil documents displaying their religion. Without valid identity cards Bahá'ís encounter difficulty registering their children in school, opening bank accounts, and establishing businesses.<ref name="us_dos_egypt2006" /> Police also regularly detain those without correct documentation and thus some Bahá'ís frequently stay home to avoid possible arrest.<ref name="us_dos_egypt2006" /> Egyptians who [[Religious conversion|convert]] to Islam face no complications, but those converting from Islam to another religion face great trouble with the government. Public officials, being conservative themselves, intensify the complexity of the legal procedures required to recognize the religion change as required by law. Security agencies claim that conversions from Islam to Christianity may stir up social unrest and they therefore take steps to prevent it from occurring, sometimes by detaining the subject.<ref>[http://www.comeandsee.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=502 Egypt: Egypt Arrests 22 Muslim converts to Christianity]. 03 November, 2003</ref><ref>[http://www.ahram.org.eg/acpss/eng/ahram/2004/7/5/ARAB43.HTM EGYPT: NATIONAL UNITY AND THE COPTIC ISSUE. 2004]</ref> ==References== {{reflist|2}} {{Africa in topic|Religion in}} {{Asia in topic|Religion in}} [[Category:Religion in Egypt| ]] [[cs:Náboženství v Egyptě]] [[es:Religión en Egipto]] [[fr:Religion en Égypte]]