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| Mosque of Ibn Tulun By Pascal Xavier Coste |
I have two points to
mention in today’s article, the first has to do with Almasry alyoum newspaper
and the second is about what happened in Minya governorate.
Regarding the first, I’d
like to mention that preparing circumstances that enabled Almasry alyoum to be
a distinguished media outlet open for all diverse Egyptian political and
thought ideologies and possessing an accurate professional standards-committed
performance allowing it to do its role in building and enlightening the public
opinion is a very hard mission. Such really difficult task wouldn’t have been
done if it wasn’t for the endeavored efforts exerted by its journalists,
editors, and writers along with the management and capital. And so I
congratulate my friend Mr. Muhammed Amin for assuming the post of the Chairman
of the board of trustees of the newspaper wishing him good luck in such hard
mission that is getting more difficult by the current situation in Egypt
regarding all aspects where all is on stake, at the forefront is Eng. Salah
Diab, owner of this pioneering experiment and the one whom I disagree a lot
with regarding his point of view allowing a frequent hot debate – that has
never spoiled our good relation – to run.
To be honest, I remember
one morning – months ago – when I phoned him, a bit blaming and mocking, wondering
about those who claim to be liberals and have double standards. At that time,
my article was banned while criticism and attack on Nasser and July 23, 1952 revolution
were at highest; the newspaper couldn’t withstand a critique directed at its
owner and editor-in-chief. The man, Salah Diab, asked to end the call and wait
for few minutes and later he called again. Following him, I received a phone
call from then-editor-in-chief telling me that the article will be published
without a letter or full stop changed. Indeed, the article was published on
Thursday despite my request to be postponed to the next week. The article was
titled “Kateb Zohorat” or poor writer. My article was banned by my colleague
journalist the editor-in-chief while the engineer, owner of the newspaper, refused
utterly such deed!
Regardless of this
situation and my personal belief based on real evidences and true criteria which
affirms that Salah Diab is honest regarding his orientations and practices to
make Almasry alyoum a strong well-established publishing institution capable of
fulfilling its pioneering role whatever happened – most dangerous is his
absence, God forbid – I put myself in the circle that has to do its best to
contribute to the continuity and distinguish of Almasry alyoum to guarantee it
will continue to be an institutional entity coping with the latest updates.
Part of such contribution could be answering questions like what are the factors
that may prevent such distinguish and continuity as an established
institution?!
Again, I wish my friend,
distinguished writer Mr. Muhammed Amin good luck in his mission.
Now to the second point
of this article that has to do with the hardship inflicting the whole country
represented in al-Karm village horrible incident that took place in Minya
governorate. In this regard, I recall an old account that I think still suits our
current time and which is the corner stone in all what is happening.
Twenty years ago, I was
invited to a seminar organized by the Arab Centre for Studies affiliated to
al-Amal party[1]
then-headed by late Eng. Ibrahim Shokri. The party was actually led by late
dear Mr. Adel Hussain. The seminar was about citizenship and I was supposed to
discuss and present a review about a book tackling the same subject. The
seminar was presented by late friend, distinguished Eng. George Agaybi. The
book was a publication of Justice and Peace committee which I was honored to be
one of its members along with other colleagues including for example late Dr.
Ahmed Abdallah Rozza, Mr. Samir Murqus, Mr. Nabil Murqus, George Issac, Munir
Emad, Salah Abdel-Metaal, and others. The debate was run by the centre chief
Dr. Refaat Sayed Ahmed.
Once I started talking
and praising the audience, Eng. George Agaybi and all who believe in God, I
heard a loud voice echoing in the hall shouting “they don’t believe in God…
they are heretics… they are heretics”. Shouting went louder… the mad as hell shouting
man was called Muhammed Moro and was holding the title Dr.!! I tried to calm
him down but in vain. The shouting circle even widened when several others
joined him while my friend Eng. George Agaybi – May he rest in peace – was
silently smiling and seminar chief not interfering.
I could do nothing to put an end to
this but to recall some Quranic verses of Al Imran Chapter saying “They are not [all] the same; among the People of the
Scripture is a community standing [in obedience], reciting the verses of Allah
during periods of the night and prostrating [in prayer]. They believe in Allah
and the Last Day, and they enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong and
hasten to good deeds. And those are among the righteous. And whatever good they
do - never will it be removed from them. And Allah is Knowing of the
righteous”, verses 113 until 115.
Once I finished reciting
the Quranic text with difficulty and trying to raise my voice to the maximum to
overshadow theirs, I heard that Moro man shouting about the occasion behind these
verses. I was lucky I had already read about them. The occasion was – as I
remember – when Prophet Muhammed – Peace be upon him – entered his house late
to have Ishaa prayers and it was very cold. When he came back, he found his
fellows still waiting for him. Then he said what means that no one on earth worships
God as they do. It was then when those verses descended correcting him that
there are some people of the Scripture who stay late night worshiping
God too. The text was clear about the issue of Believing in God in particular… However, some of those
shouters asked for the party to request a committee from al-Azhar to see if
Egyptian Christians were believers of God or not?!
This was what had
happened in a research centre affiliated to a party led by national figures
long years ago. Reaching to our current-time era, if we looked at what Yasser
Burhami and his likes yell regarding “apostate Christians” in public and
through communication means, some satellite channels, their salafist mosques,
and the lectures and lessons they give, we would have realized the disastrous
tragedy we have and live in. Those who nailed the poor Egyptian female citizen
in al-Karm village are of the same mentality of those who kept shouting at
al-Amal party’s seminar; that distorted mentality that is affected and formed
by the mean and vile discourse of Burhami and his likes.
For this reason,
resorting to security solutions and conciliation sessions exchanging hugs,
kisses, and rich banquets will do no good at all. Retardation will stay
deep-rooted in the society unless a comprehensive and sustainable development
is achieved and social awareness is really changed through education and
culture. In addition, what is called Dawaa discourse in religious institutions
in both sides shall be uprooted.
We shall talk more about
this many times later.
Translated into English by: Dalia Elnaggar
Translated into English by: Dalia Elnaggar
This
article was published in Almasry alyoum newspaper on June 1, 2016.
To
see the original article, go to:
#almasry_alyoum
#ahmed_elgammal #elkarm_village #minya_governorate
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