Unity despite diversity in Egypt's history

Attempts to divide Egyptians by sectarian affiliation will fail, if Egyptians recall their own long history of unity

Egypt will overcome strife and chaos as it has done in the past. Egyptians have crossed to safety at every turn that threatened their national unity, but there are two conditions if we want to avoid regrets: respect for the rights of citizenship without exception and in light of religious diversity; and that the nation stays on task in achieving a new order so that the 25 January Revolution concludes by achieving its goals.
Egypt will not forge ahead until it overcomes sectarian strife which is encouraged by those ignorant of the core of religion, manipulated by the victims of the revolution, and an ideal environment to reignite it: increasing hooliganism, professional demands, problems rebuilding the police force, and continued chaos. There is no question that the law should be applied and penalties stiffened against those who attack places of worship and instigators of protests at these sites. Investigations into the events of sectarian strife must be completed quickly, with the speedy writing of a unified law on places of worship and another criminalising religious discrimination that carries stiff penalties for religious incitement, as well as responding to the legitimate demands of Egyptian Christians.
We must realise that activating a state of law will not be sustainable or reach its goal without progress —in reality and not only in rhetoric —towards a civic citizenship state, and enhancing awareness about national unity and respect for the religious or ideological Other.
Perhaps what most prominently explains attempts to ignite sectarian strife before and after the revolution is the sense of Egyptian Christians that their citizenship rights are incomplete and under threat. This is based in some truth, but also much subversive incitement and conspiracies by the enemies of Egypt and the revolution. The beliefs of some Salafi sheikhs who call for the marginalisation and demeaning of Christians will no doubt clash with the wall of Egyptian national unity which has for thousands of years stood firm.
Nonetheless, this requires reeducating ignorant or oblivious Egyptians that they once presented a pioneering and unique model of national unity, ever since their national fabric was formed, and they created a united state and nation thousands of years ago. We must remember that at different points in history, Egyptians were able to strengthen and invigorate their country because of their national unity, even at times when it did not seem that Egypt would ever rise again, whether after a revolution, an invasion, a calamity or strife.
Egyptians united in many revolutions and imposed their will on their rulers, foreign or native, liberated their country from occupation and aggressors in modern history. We recall the revolution of the Egyptians led by Omar Makram to impose the rule of Mohamed Ali, the founder of modern Egypt; the Orabi Revolution, which promised that we will not be inherited, in opposition to the traitor Khedive Tawfiq; the 1919 Revolution which raised the cross and crescent against British occupation; the 1952 Revolution which liberated Egypt from the colonial alliance, the palace and feudalism; the October 1973 victory that eradicated the gloom of the 1967 defeat. And last but not least, the Egyptians re-shaped their history with the revolution of dignity, humanity and patriotism on 25 January by defeating the conspiracy of succession and stagnation and raising high the banner of freedom, justice and democracy.
In my article "Religion is for God; the country is for all", published byAl-Ahramon 2 March 2010, I detailed how Egypt was established and how the acceptance of and respect for the religious Other was a main pillar of unity between Lower and Upper Egypt, despite diversity in ancient Egyptian beliefs. Also, how co-existence among these believers was the strong basis for the resilience of Egypt's unique solidarity. Ancient Egyptians honoured the religious beliefs of each other, and despite their basic belief in diversity they believed that good will always be victorious. This was an order that believed in truth, justice and honesty, creating a unity which stabilised society and the universe. These are the elements of a civilised state, as noted by the pioneer German Egyptologist Adolf Erman with genuine admiration in his landmark book The Religion of Ancient Egypt.
As we travel back in history, we will find that ancient Egyptians, who lived under a regime that controlled their social interactions, believed that destabilising the regime was a crime, and wars were calamities for a nation. They never sought revenge and their religious beliefs were void of complications that had diverted others from the moderate path. Then, the revolution of Akhnaton, the first advocate of monotheism, called for belief in a single God for the entire world. He destroyed temples and places of worship of non-believers.
Despite revolution after revolution, the religious beliefs of Egyptians no longer advocate unity as was once in the past. In his book Egypt Originates Humanity Tree, Simpson Naiophits states: “More than any other people, the Egyptians believed in diversity within the framework of consensus, so they conceived the notion of their new god Amun Ra and all other gods were made in his image. They achieved national unity despite their diverse religions.”
In an article about Egyptian immigrants and guests, published in Al-Ahram one week before the 25 January Revolution, I reviewed what Gamal Hemdan correctly documented, that during Islamic and Coptic eras Egypt did not enter any religious wars which had consumed Europe during the Dark Ages. We should also realise that neither during nor after the French Invasion were there clashes between Egyptian Muslims and Christians, despite the formation of Coptic brigades under the leadership of General Yacoub, who believed he could liberate Egypt from Ottoman rule by forging an alliance with French colonialists. Meanwhile, Al-Azhar scholars interceded to dampen the Muslims' urge for revenge. Despite efforts by colonialists as well as the Mossad to concoct problems of minority to undermine national unity, these have failed and so will the theory of divide and rule of secretly inciting Muslims and Christians against each other.
In Egypt's modern history, Egyptian Christians rejected all manoeuvres, temptations and plots by British colonialists to offer them protection. While some Muslims were loyal to the Turks and some Copts were committed to the British, this was not out of treachery but ignorance. Nor was it a result of lack of patriotism, but retarded thinking.
If some unfortunate incidents occurred, they are isolated or secondary, and mostly not rooted in bad intentions but unawareness. Together, we should silence the ignorant Copts who proclaim that Muslims are immigrants from the Arabian desert; and together we should mute the obtuse claims by some Salafi sheikhs that Egyptian Copts are mere guests under the control of Muslims.
Only an ignorant person would deny that the principles and aims of religion were, are, and will remain a critical part of the value system of Egyptians, before and after they became Muslims and Christians. Religious diversity caused religious fanaticism which rose and fell, and finally ended in co-existence.
Egypt will remain threatened if Egyptian Muslims don't uphold two principles found in the Quran: "You have your religion, and I have mine" and "Religion cannot be forced". Egyptian Christians must also reject fantasies about protection from abroad and seek cover under the banner of the Church; they must come to realise that they will not find security unless they join the mainstream democratic national Egyptian movement.