I have just finished reading the book Christianity and Political Islam by Mounir Ghabbour, a Coptic Egyptian businessman, and Ahmed Osman, an Egyptian journalist and writer. Both authors know their subject very well, having already co-authored three books on topics related to that of their new work. If I were one of the authors, I would have perhaps chosen the title of Copts and Political Islam, since the book mainly focuses on this issue. The book falls in 200 pages, and provides an objective and accurate historical account of this old Christian community, relying on both Arab and Western sources. I can say for my part that the book has shed enough light on many things I had not known about the history of the Copts in Egypt. I agree with Ghabbour and Osman when it comes to their conclusion that political Islam is not representative of the real Islam, and that there is nothing in the Quran that justifies the killing of innocent people. Moreover, Christians and Jews are ‘People of the Book', and not infidels as they are called by terrorists from al-Qaeda and other groups to justify their crimes. Political Islam seeks to overthrow Arab and Islamic regimes and establish the Islamic caliphate in their stead. I add here that Islamic history has never known an exemplary Islamic caliphate worthy of being copied, save for that of the Rightly Guided caliphs. However, Abu Bakr did not live long, and was succeeded by three caliphs that were assassinated. The Umayyads then usurped power, and were followed by the Abbasids, and the rest is known history that I do not need to repeat here. The book recounts how the Romans persecuted the Copts, first when Rome was still pagan and the Copts refused to offer sacrifices to idols, second when Rome converted to Christianity and found that Alexandria is ahead of it in the claim for the leadership of Christendom, and then third when the Copts held on to their Eastern Church, and refused to follow Catholic Rome. Then after centuries of persecution, there came the Arab conquerors led by Amr ibn al-Aas, who were welcomed by the Copts. The Byzantine Emperor's Prefect Cyrus (Al-Muqawqis) then signed a treaty with the Arabs, but which was subsequently rejected by the Emperor. However, Cyrus insisted on upholding the treaty, and asked Amr bin al-Aas to reject peace with Byzantium. At that time, the Coptic Patriarch Benjamin, a fugitive in the desert who fled the persecution of Byzantium, returned and rebuilt the church. The Copts saw a golden age after that, while suffering sporadic setbacks under the successive Muslim kingdoms, such as in times of increased taxation or restrictions against non-Muslims. The Copts had another golden age with Saad Zaghloul and the Wafd Party. However, the Revolution of 1952 took away many of their gains, especially with the ensuing nationalization movement that stripped them from ownership of properties and large tracts of agricultural land. Since the leanings of President Gamal Abdel Nasser were pan-Arab, he did not give their issues much attention, and so they suffered many setbacks even when the revolution did not have a particular stance against them. Today, political Islam is raising alarm among the Copts, as it combines ignorance of religion and extremism. It does not suit its advocates to recall the pledge of safety given by Prophet Muhammad to the Christians of Aqaba, or that given by Umar ibn al-Khattab to the Christians in Jerusalem, and the welcome he was afforded by Patriarch Sophronius (Tongue of Gold), and how he evicted the Jews from the holy city, and gave the key to Church of the Resurrection to one of his companions to open it for the Christians to prevent discord amongst them. To this day, the key remains in the possession of the Nusseibeh family (who are Palestinian Muslims). Christianity and Political Islam is a good reference on this topic then, especially in what regards the Coptic side. It is straight to the point, and readers will not be lost among the details, and its two authors deserve credit for it. Before I run out of space, I want to refer to another book. Published by Quartet Books, Eyes in Gaza is written by the two Norwegian doctors Mads Gilbert and Erik Fosse. It is an account of their experience in working at the Al-Shifaa hospital during the barbaric Israeli assault on Gaza between December 2009 and January 2009. The authors of the book proclaimed that they are not just doctors, but that they are political activists who support the Palestinians and their cause, and fully sympathize with them against the Israeli attack. As a result, the Western media ignored the book in a manner that is damning against it along with Israel. All major newspapers on both sides of the Atlantic chose not to present the book to their readership, and when Fox News mentioned the book, Dr. Gilbert was described as a “Hamas propaganda doctor”. I hope that every capable reader would order and read the book. As I read it, one hundred famous Norwegian figures signed a petition calling for a cultural and academic boycott of Israel. The complicit media will not be able to hide the truth about the apartheid and the other Israeli crimes forever. There are a hundred people like Gilbert, and thousands around the world, including Jews, who reject the occupation and its disasters, and who are in solidarity with the people of Palestine. [email protected]
