History has known the name "Egypt" since the beginning of History. Relics and monuments that have defied time are still standing to remind us of this fact and most of them are a testament to the deeply religious nature of Egyptians. Faith is the core of any religion and religion's rightful place is deep in people's hearts and they express it by always striving to do their best. Egyptian religious faith is the driving force that has kept the memory of this nation alive and will continue to do so till the end of time and for the duration of human existence on earth. Egypt, Faith and Immortality From the dawn of time, Egyptian peasants have sown their seeds, and raised their eyes to the skies for the greater power to bless their germination. Indeed the land was blessed; crops just sprang out of it with hardly any effort. Although there was a flood season during which agriculture had to stop, the land's bounty was never affected. Egypt became the bread basket for many other countries. History tells us that when the countries on its borders were struck by famine, the inhabitants traveled to bountiful Egypt to buy the food they needed to survive. Egyptians learned how to coexist quite early because, in order for the land to yield its gifts, they needed to work together to cultivate it and to share and distribute the Nile River water that would irrigate it. Therefore, common interests prevailed in society and this eliminated socioeconomic disputes. Egyptians held firmly to their faith, because they believed that without it the land would stop being bountiful. This single faith may have expressed itself in a number of ways, seeming to branch out into various religions with different temples and rituals, yet domestic social conflict was hardly noticeable and rarely recorded. Ancient Egyptians were aware that faith leads to abundance, and kindness helps maintain it. The relics they erected on the land confirm their belief in the immortality that all religions preach. It was the essence of their faith. The monuments, most of which are still standing, testify to the depth of Egyptian faith, for anyone who cares to listen. The Target The kindness of the land found its way into the hearts of Egyptians and they became infected with its generosity. The way Egyptians say thank you when anyone gives them something, illustrates this benevolent attitude; they say "Kattar kheirak," which means " I ask God to bless and increase your possessions". This is a purely Egyptian way of expressing gratitude, which is hardly used by anyone else. This abundant, rich land was a mouthwatering target to many other less fortunate nations, overcome by greed. Not only was the land bountiful, the Egyptians were kind and this made invasion quite easy. Consequently, Egyptians historically spent long stretches of time under occupation. Egyptian wealth was at the mercy of armed robbers for centuries at a time. I think that the first invaders of the country were thought by Egyptians to be needy and trying to survive and to share the bounty that seemed to be endless.That is why the Egyptians did not resist too much, on account of there being more than enough to go round; but whenever the newcomers tried to humiliate the Egyptians, the people rose up, overcame them and chased them out of the country. Brotherhood Occupation In 2013, ousted President Morsi of the Muslim Brotherhood was elected President of Egypt. Some people may have thought that the country, long known for its attachment to religion, had fulfilled its destiny at last and faith, to which Egyptians have adhered since the dawn of history, was now in control. Soon enough this paradigm was blown away. Why? What made Egyptians quickly discover the reality of the Brotherhood's so called "religious" drive? Rejecting Occupation Faith in the land of Egypt quite clearly defined what was black and what was white. There was little room for grey in the culture. The reason for that was the generosity of the land and the kindness of the people;these factors made those ethical zones very clear. The Brotherhood presented an extremely large grey area, with boundaries that were very flexible and unidentifiable. For example, the Brotherhood opposed receiving money from the International Monetary Fund, (IMF), before it came to power. However, when Morsi became President, the transaction was accepted. The Brotherhood claimed that both positions, although contradictory, were in conformity with religion. This undefined grey area and several others showed that those in power were religiously bankrupt and were like a bounced check. On 30 June, the Egyptians rose up and rejected the Brotherhood regime. The streets witnessed an unprecedented vote against their rule. I think that the undeclared motive for ousting this regime was that it falsely claimed to be religious. It was actually abusing religious statutes, originally meant to promote abundance, righteousness and coexistence, to pander to their greed and lust for authority. Egyptians had their measuring stick. The regime just did not measure up and so they moved together to rescue their land and faith. A Message From the dawn of history, Egypt has been trying to send a strong message to the whole world. This message is as hard as igneous rocks, as sharp as the pyramids and as durable as time. The message is simply this: coexistence, faith, righteousness and kindness are the landmarks on the path to abundance, prosperity and love. We should follow this approach and leave signs for all the world to see, so other people might understand this wisdom and apply it. Grey Areas are Red Lines The Brotherhood failed to see the real religious Egypt. They were under the impression that in a highly illiterate, densely populated country, religious grey areas could be created, so that religion could be manipulated and abused.It is obvious that they miscalculated: their downfall was much faster than their rise to power. Faith has blessed Egypt and Egyptians have put up unique and unforgettable edifices as a testament to their faith. When the Brotherhood was in power, it was no surprise to hear their supporters call for the demolition of Egypt's historical monuments. The excuse they made for this unacceptable act was that the monuments represented entities other than God, that had worshiped in the past. When we place the puzzle pieces together we get a very clear picture. Theocracy as practiced by the Brotherhood was simply not Egyptian. It was just another attempt to colonize Egypt, and like many other attempts, it failed. Egyptians are religious and they practice religion the way it was meant to be practiced, in its pure form, the way it was originally handed down. Many religions have sought a place in Egypt. Only the pure religions that conformed to what Egyptians have always upheld, have survived. The impure ones have not survived in Egypt; the last of these was the Brotherhood.
