Again… from Ibn Taymmiya to Hassan el-Banna

I have not read the article of Gihad el-Haddad which he wrote in English days ago and sent to one of the biggest American newspapers affirming that he is muslim brotherhood and that being so does not mean he is a terrorist… but I read tens of comments who asked for replying to such letter… away from how this article was smuggled outside the prison and then sent to Washington, I have already written before about some of the extremism aspects in Hassan el-Banna’s writings, here is part of what I wrote:

To Ibn Taymmiya, the other non-Muslim is an enemy of Islam… and not believing in the proper religion… actually he is considered a disbeliever who deserves to be treated as one… I mentioned in a previous article some details of Ibn Taymmiya’s opinion, who is considered the main source for ideologies of many groups claiming to represent Islam and falsely claim it as a reference in their political and ideological discourses… I excerpted some texts from the man’s Fatwas that were mentioned in the volumes of “Al-Fatawa Al-Kubra” or the most important Fatwas which Sheikh Hassanien Makhlouf; ex-Grand Mufti of Egypt, wrote its introduction.

In such regard, the sources of what can be regarded as extremist opinions and disdaining the other party are revealed… and as I said before in my last article, I believe that tackling the origins and roots of this extremism is better and more convenient… in addition, one can find some writings of el-Banna that are even exceeding the extremist opinions of Ibn Taymmiya… especially in the matter of relations between people inside the society.

The history of Hassan el-Banna and his Dawaa is known and available for everyone to know… also, the phases of development of muslim brotherhood group are known too… but I think that many of those interested in detecting origins of the extremist ideology and discipline – not only towards the other non-Muslim but towards the other Muslim who is not one of them as well – have not read carefully the writings of Hassan el-Banna and the literature related to his stances… in such writings, there are certain contexts and sayings that are almost – in my opinion – a source for every extremism and disdaining for the other party… and maybe more extremist that what Sayed Qutb wrote.

For example, regarding women, in el-Banna’s note directed to Muslim woman, the first written to the sisters’ section in muslim brotherhood group, and which was published as an article in Al-Manar magazine in the 1359 Hijri calendar, he said: “as to the other fields of sciences which women do not need, they are useless… as women do not need them and it is better they spend their time doing something useful… women do not need to excel in different languages or specialized technical studies… as they will know soon that home is their place and nothing else… and that they need not to excel in studying rights or laws… it is only enough for them to know what the common people know in such regard…”

Until he comes to the point when he states his final opinion about women education saying: “we do not want to stop at this limit… we do not want to do like those who keep overloading women with what they do not need of studies… but we say: teach women what they need and which is related to their mission and task that God assigned to them; that is taking care of household and raising children”.

Now we come to another point in el-Banna’s writings as we shall stop long before some points mentioned in his note about Jihad as he mentioned samples from Hadith sayings about Jihad… in no. 15 he said: “Abdel-Khair ibn Thabet ibn Qays ibn Shammas narrated this Hadith after his father who in turn narrated it after his father, Abdel Khair said: a woman called Um Khallad, came to prophet Muhammed – Peace be upon him – She was wearing Niqqab. She asked about a son of hers who was killed during fighting for the sake of Allah… some of prophet Muhammed’s companions or Sahabah said to her: you came asking about your son while you are wearing Niqqab? She said: I lost my son but I will not lose my bashfulness… then prophet Muhammed said to her: your son has the reward of two martyrs. She said: why? He said: because he was killed by the People of the Book.

I have not checked the veracity of this Hadith but Hassan el-Banna has added his own comment to it literally saying: in this Hadith, there is a clue that fighting the People of the Book is a must… and that God doubles the reward for the one who fights them… as fighting is not only for the atheists but for everyone who is not Muslim as well!

I believe the reader can notice that the text of Hadith did not mention the name of the incursion or battle where that martyr was killed… also meticulous people who know about Tafsir and rules of Qiyas or Islamic jurisprudence may get confused when they try to find a text or a clue in that Hadith which says that fighting the People of the Book is a must… and that God doubles the reward for those who fight them… and that fighting should be for all non-Muslims… adding to this that if we extended this interpretation of Hadith of those “non-Muslims”, then fighting will be against Muslims who do not apply to the conditions set by muslim brotherhood group as necessary in order to be a true Muslim.

In a note titled “towards light”, Mr. El-Banna directed his words to the king mentioning main points he admits that “they need detailed extensive in-depth research by specialists”… including some issues that we should pay attention to and then compare the current attitudes of muslim brotherhood in light of those directions:

·      Eliminating parties and directing the nation’s political powers to one side.

·      Reviving the Islamic spirit in the government institutions so that all the employees can feel they are asked to apply the directions of Islam.

·      Watching the personal behavior of the employees and not separating between the personal and practical sides.

·      All the government work shall be evaluated according to the Islamic provisions and teachings.

·      Opposing grooming and flirtatiousness and guiding women to how they should behave and emphasizing this… especially the female teachers, pupils, doctors, students and all their likes.

·      Reconsidering changing the girls’ education curricula and the necessity to distinguish between these curricula and those of the boys in many education phases.

·      Prohibiting mixing between male students and female ones and considering the case when a man is alone with another woman that is not his mother, sister, wife or daughter a crime for which both of them shall be punished.

·      Monitoring theaters, cinemas and movies and scrutinizing in choosing the novels they perform.

·      Choosing the songs according to the Islamic directions and keeping a close eye on this.

·      Considering Hisbah and punishing the one who was proved guilty of violating any of Islam’s teachings like not fasting Ramadan, not holding prayers on purpose, insulting religion or anything like this.

·      Directing the press and encouraging authors and writers to tackle the oriental Islamic issues.

There are many issues el-Banna mentioned that are indisputable… there are others that are not only disputable but represent a source of terror as well… just because the muslim brotherhood group he established sees that all what el-Banna says is unquestionable… to them, his sayings can amount to be revered as the main sources of Islamic jurisprudence.

I do not want to continue as the space allowed here is not enough but I encourage all those concerned about our current political interaction to carefully read and understand the writings of Hassan el-Banna because in them, one can find the origins or many extremist political ideologies.

As to this smuggling thing, I have a lot to say about it next time.

Translated into English by: Dalia Elnaggar

This article was published in Almasry alyoum newspaper on March 8, 2017.

To see the original article, go to:

http://ahmadelgammal.blogspot.com.eg/2017/03/blog-post_8.html

#almasry_alyoum #ahmed_elgammal #ibn_taymmiya #hassan_elbanna #muslim_brotherhood #extremism

New York Moral

 

Photo depicting university students in the 70's protesting extremism and repression against them

I think there is a strong connection between the social and cultural role played by Capitalism and the currently-disputed case in our Egyptian, Arab, and Islamic reality; that is religious discourse.

Before detailing, I’d like to point to some news circulated lately by some news agencies saying, as published by Alyoum es-Sabe’a[1] newspaper on April 4, 2016, that: “a coterie of more than 40 millionaires of New York state has delivered a letter addressing the state democratic governor, Andrew Cuomo, and state lawmakers, asking them to consider imposing higher taxes on the wealthier citizens of the state to help combat poverty and rebuild infrastructure”. The letter suggested imposing new taxes one percent higher on the state wealthiest adding that additional revenues should be allocated to help fight children poverty, homelessness, fragile bridges, tunnels, waterlines, and roads.

"As New Yorkers who have contributed to and benefited from the economic vibrancy of our state, we have both the ability and the responsibility to pay our fair share," the letter stated. "We can well afford to pay our current taxes, and we can afford to pay even more”. The signatories include some familiar names like Abigail Disney, Leo Hindery, and Steven C. Rockefeller.

The news continue: “The tax plan, known by the one-percent tax plan, was worked out in conjunction with the Fiscal Policy Institute — a left-leaning economic think tank”. “As a businessman and philanthropist and as a citizen of New York State, I believe we need to invest in our people and our infrastructure”, Hindery, the managing partner of InterMedia Partners, a media industry private equity fund, said in a prepared statement. The one-percent tax plan would increase taxes on people making $665,000 or more in income”.

The news ended but our inquiries, questioning, exclaiming, and stating, will not come to an end until we ask about our national capitalism role regarding all the nation causes, atop of them are the social ones like children poverty, homelessness, and basic services and ailing infrastructure including the dilapidated bridges, tunnels, water pipelines, and roads… just like that of New York wealthiest!

Here I move to the main issue I want to connect to that desired role of our national capitalism and renewing the religious discourse, as I believe the latter is part or a sub-branch of the cultural discourse. First, we have to differentiate between religious discourse of God as explained in his holy books starting from Scrolls of Abraham and Moses to Zabur[2], Torah, Injil[3], and Quran, and that one adopted by preachers of all religions as established by their followers and institutions in hierarchy. It’s known that Islam does not recognize that hierarchy or Clericism, but rather acknowledges Faqih[4].

If only our national capitalism took responsibility of its social role and stood against phenomena like that of Street children[5] or orphanages infamous for using poor orphan children in panhandling, prostitution, and what is alike, and if it could play its role in the funding crisis facing our educational and research institutions especially libraries, laboratories, playgrounds, students’ activities having to do with artistic innovation, it would be a vital arm in the face of terrorism and extremism.

In this context, I remember that a key factor in defending and delaying the collapse of our universities against extremism and terrorism conducted by Islamist groups in the beginning of the 70’s was the presence of the artistic and literature activities along with the trips organized by the university. I also recall, as I was head of the faculty of Arts students’ union and afterwards head of the post-graduate studies students’ union, that the union had many teams active in music, theatrical acting, poetry, novel, and journalism groups, and others. It was adorable to find the late Ammar Al Sherei[6] along with the rest of the music team standing next to the fountain situated at the faculty entrance chanting in the early morning. It’s was adorable as well to have a vibrant activity of the theatre where many great talents came to light like for example the two great directors Essam es-Saed and Mohsen Helmi, and the talented actors Farouq el-Fishawi, Sami Maghawri, Mahmoud Hemida, and others.

At that time, the regime, headed by Sadat, decided to use the Islamist groups to constrict and inhibit the Nasserism and Marxist leftist movements. The mission was accomplished indeed and university started to lose its soft power in producing the promising talents in the before-mentioned fields. Not to mention those extremist groups’ initiative, supported by the regime, to attack students’ activities in acting, poetry, literature, and gender segregation whether in cafeteria or in sitting on grass, as considered depraved and corrupt acts by them. Such attacks later developed to include physical assault by iron chains and fists, and switchblades.

I believe that national capitalism adoption of such causes like establishing theatres, playgrounds, funding acting, music, and artistic groups and teams in universities is one of the main ways to drain swamps of extremism and terrorism and renew our religious discourse in the same time. I hope what New York state’s wealthiest did will be a model adopted by the wealthiest of our beloved country especially that our Egypt deserves more; our nation dates back to thousands of years ago while that of New York does not exceed two hundred and fifty.

Translated into English by: Dalia Elnaggar

This article is published in Almasry alyoum newspaper on April 13, 2016.

#almasry_alyoum#ahmed_elgammal#Egypt#national_capitalism#70’s#Egyptian_university#extremism#Islamist_groups

Link of the article in Arabic:
http://today.almasryalyoum.com/article2.aspx?ArticleID=501170&IssueID=3930

Links related to the story:

http://bigstory.ap.org/article/d729bf30ba244428b14edec366f90578/ny-millionaires-write-governor-favor-higher-taxes

http://fortune.com/2016/03/22/millionaires-raise-taxes/

http://www.bizjournals.com/newyork/news/2016/03/21/a-rockefeller-a-disney-and-other-millionaires-call.html

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[1] Alyoum es-Sabe’a or Youm7: (Arabic: اليوم السابع, meaning The Seventh Day) is an Egyptian privately owned daily newspaper published in Arabic. (Source: Wikipedia)

[2] Zabur: (Arabic: زبور‎) is, according to Islam, the holy book of Dawud (David), one of the holy books revealed by God before the Qur'an, alongside others such as the Tawrat (Torah) of Musa (Moses) and the Injil (Gospel) of Isa (Jesus). (Source: Wikipedia)

[3] Injil: (Arabic: Gospel)

[4] Fiqh is the human understanding of the Sharia — sharia expanded and developed by interpretation (ijtihad) of the Quran and Sunnah by Islamic jurists (Ulama) and implemented by the rulings (Fatwa) of jurists on questions presented to them. Fiqh deals with the observance of rituals, morals and social legislation in Islam. In the modern era there are four prominent schools (madh'hab) of fiqh within Sunni practice and two (or three) within Shi'a practice. A person trained in fiqh is known as a Faqih (pluralFuqaha).

[5] Street children: is a term for children experiencing homelessness who live on the streets of a city, town, or village. Homeless youth are often called street kids and street youth; the definition of street children is contested, but many practitioners and policymakers use UNICEF’s concept of boys and girls, aged under eighteen years, for whom "the street" (including unoccupied dwellings and wasteland) has become home and/or their source of livelihood, and who are inadequately protected or supervised. (Source: Wikipedia)

[6] Ammar Al Sherei: (Arabic: عمار الشريعي‎) (16 April 1948 – 7 December 2012) was an Egyptian music icon, performer and composer.

Our immunity system… killing injury

Painting depicting celebrating Mawaled in Egypt

We’re still talking about what I think major harms that hit our national Egyptian immunity system directly affecting it in a way that allowed terrorism cancer to spread through extremism, fanaticism, and religion-proclaimed ignorance. In previous articles, I stated four harms including one I called the greatest calamity for it hit the civilized and cultural aspects of the Egyptian mind in the core.

Today I repeat and say what has been always said and proved right; destroying is easier than building. What Egyptians have accumulated, in both mind and conscience, throughout centuries is a very cohesive combination where elements and prerequisites of Egyptian existence have mingled together and integrated in a way very similar to that when you place bricks next to one another layering them in courses over one another and attaching them together using a very strong mortar. Such cohesion can be found between the valley and Delta, and the desert; the River Nile and sea; and also between pre-dynasty ancient Egypt and Modern state in Dynastic-era ancient Egypt. Afterwards came digesting the newcomer by integrating him in Egypt’s cultural fabric, even if that newcomer was occupation.

In order not to complicate things anymore, I will give you examples I’m never bored of repeating; the Egyptian braids. In my opinion, it was not a coincidence those who excelled at braiding palm foliage into beautiful woven artistic pieces celebrating Easter and Sham el-Nessim[1] or even weaving them into baskets and robes producing a very distinguished Egyptian-flavored art, have outshined as well in braiding and weaving their own terms of religion, culture, folklore, and mythology. I believe those keen Mawaled[2] attendees – whom I belong to – whether Christian or Islamic Mawaled, enjoy very much the mystical mix between Sufi Inshad[3]; Islamic and Christian, to the extent they may day-dream over the beautiful rhythm and lyrics.

We have a lot of braids in our cultural heritage; the one woven among Isis, Om el-Noor[4] Mary the Virgin, and purified Om Hashem[5]; Khamsa w khemisa[6]; Mar Gergis[7] and al-Khidr;[8][9] Ahl al-Bayt[10], and four Qutbs[11] of Sufism[12] along with the twenty-four elders of revelation; in addition to other braids. Each braid has its own unique characteristics, some I experienced myself while others could be seen in our accumulated heritage. I apologize for what you may find obscure and incomprehensible here, however, I can say, these are the core of our Egyptian cultural heritage. Proverbs, popular pieces of wisdom, and even heritage of illusionists and folklore Inshad performers, all enjoyed a very specific Egyptian-style distinction; such distinction that is characterized by depth, tolerance, strength, and heroism as well. This heritage also did not miss exits to escape the deluge if needed!

Suddenly everything went darker as if an octopus-like demon landed on our mind and conscience prompting hundreds-of-centuries-accumulated ethics to vanish. Isis, Mary, and Om Hashem purity was replaced by woman’s impurity. Woman became nothing but Awra[13] due to be covered and dealt with as a source of seduction and evil! Braids woven in our civilization and culture started to unravel; war against our ancient Egyptian history raged; monuments, wisdom texts and Egyptian innovation became nothing but idols and atheism symbols. The battlefield even widened to include Christian Coptic Egypt. New raids targeting all that is rational or emotional in our heritage, all that does not comply with their twisted ideology, are conducted every day by those behaving as guardians of the society. Homeland and patriotism, Egypt itself, became meaningless in their dictionary, to the extent that one of them, Muhammed Akef, ex-head of muslim brotherhood -head of terrorism- once said: “let Egypt go to hell and those living on its land as well”. It’s an evil demon that wrecked Egypt and turned it upside down. A new set of beliefs replaced all what we used to know. I believe that was the most dangerous harm that hit our country immunity system in the core.

It could be easy or difficult – but eventually possible – to build factories and laboratories, to reclaim desert, to tame the river, to stand against the sea, to make up what we had left behind in production, invention, and discoveries. But it’s almost impossible to rebuild the civilization and culture accumulated through ages dating back to the pre-dynasty era in Egyptian history; meaning since more than 7000 years.

Other examples are the Jihadi muslim-brotherhood salafist war declared against Mawaled, holy shrines, and our entire popular heritage in this field. They succeeded to a great extent; they managed to drain hundreds-of-centuries-lasting resources that used to enrich our Inshad heritage, the one that dates back to pre-divine-religions Pharaonic deities like Amun[14], Ra[15], Aton[16], Geb[17], Nut[18], and others. War raged as well on other Christian and Islamic figures like Mary the Virgin, Mar Gergis, Mar Mina[19], Ahl el-Bayt, four Qutbs of Sufism; al-Jilani, ar-Rifa'i, al-Badawi, el-Desouki and other prominent Sufi figures who followed them like ash-Shadhili [20], al-Qenawi[21], Abu'l-'Abbas [22] and dozens others… After Inshad came reciting the Holy Bible including liturgies, and then came Quran reciting. The Egyptian school in Quran reciting has shined producing many who enriched our religious heritage like Muhammed Refaat, Muhammed El-Siyfi, Subh, al-Munged, Taha al-Fashni, Ali Mahmood, Abdel-Hakam, Mustafa Ismael, Abdel-Baset Abdel-Samad, Mahmood Ali el-Banna, Muhammed Seddiq Al-Menshawi, Muhammed Mahmood Al-Tablawi in addition to hundreds others[23]… All those eminent figures rose from Mawaled and religious celebrations. This beautiful spring that used to water and enrich our heritage was dried thanks to those tactless senseless poor-minded creatures with their rigid bloody interpretation of religion. Azan[24] is now echoing, shouting with ugly hoarse voices instead of the pleasant-sounding melodic one given by Sheikhs Ali Mahmood, Muhammed Refaat, or Taha el-Fashni.

Examples are many and exhausting to list… This harm was the worst to hit Egypt immunity system… May God save our beloved Egypt.

Translated into English by: Dalia Elnaggar

This article was published in Al Ahram newspaper on February 25, 2016.

To see the original Arabic version, go to:

http://www.ahram.org.eg/News/131827/4/481664/%D9%82%D8%B6%D8%A7%D9%8A%D8%A7-%D9%88%D8%A7%D8%B1%D8%A7%D8%A1/%D8%AC%D9%87%D8%A7%D8%B2%D9%86%D8%A7-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%85%D9%86%D8%A7%D8%B9%D9%89-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A5%D8%B5%D8%A7%D8%A8%D8%A9-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%82%D8%A7%D

#alahram#ahmed_elgammal#Egypt#immunity_system#heritage#culture#extremeism#terrorism#muslim_brotherhood#Christianity#Islam#Pharaohs#religion#mawaled#Bible#Quran#Inshad#history#civilization#homeland#patriotism#braids#egyptian_braids#sufism#ahl_el_beyt#folklore#Easter#Sham_el_Nessim#river_Nile

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[1] Sham el-Nessim: (Egyptian Arabic: شم النسيم) is an Egyptian national holiday marking the beginning of spring. It always falls on the day after the Eastern Christian Easter (following the custom of the largest Christian denomination in the country, the Coptic Orthodox Church). Despite the Christian-related date, the holiday is celebrated by Egyptians regardless of religion. (Source: Wikipedia)

[2] Mawaled: (Arabic: موالد) plural of Mawled (مولد) or Meelad (ميلاد) is the observance of the birthday of an iconic figure in religious or cultural heritage which is celebrated once a year.

[3] Inshad: (Arabic: إنشاد) a kind of chanting that makes musical sound with the voice. It’s found in both Islamic and Christian heritage.

[4] Om el-Noor: (Arabic: أم النور) a title given to Mary the Virgin meaning mother of light depicting Jesus as light.

[5] Om Hashem: (Arabic: أم هاشم) a title given to Sayyieda Zainab bent Ali, grand-daughter of Prophet Muhammed, who came to Egypt after the killing of her brother Hussien ibn Ali in the battle of Karbala. In Egypt, it’s enough to say as-Sayyieda (Arabic: سيدة, meaning the dame) to mean Sayyieda Zainab.

[6] Khamsa w khemisa (Arabic: خمسة وخميسة) is a palm-shaped amulet popular throughout the Middle East and North Africa, and commonly used in jewelry and wall hangings. Depicting the open right hand, an image recognized and used as a sign of protection in many times throughout history, Khamsa w khemisa is believed to provide defense against the evil eye. Khamsa is an Arabic word that means "five", but also "the five fingers of the hand". It may also be taken as a reference to the primary number itself. (Source: Wikipedia)

[7] Mar Gergis: (Arabic: مار جرجس, Mar is a Syriac Aramaic word meaning Master while Gergis is the Arabic word for George) or Saint George, according to legend, was a soldier in the Roman army who later became venerated as a Christian martyr. His parents were Christians of Greek background, his father Gerontius was a Roman army official from Cappadocia and his mother Polychronia was a Christian from Lydda in the Roman province of Syria Palaestina (Palestine). Accounts differ regarding whether George was born in Cappadocia or Syria Palaestina, but agree that he was raised at least partly in Lydda. Saint George became an officer in the Roman army in the Guard of Diocletian, who ordered his death for failing to recant his Christian faith.

In hagiography, Saint George is one of the most venerated saints in the Catholic Church (Latin and Eastern), Anglican, East Syrian, and Miaphysite Churches. He is one of the Fourteen Holy Helpers and is regarded as one of the most prominent military saints, immortalized in the myth of Saint George and the Dragon killing in Beirut, Lebanon. His memorial, Saint George's Day, is traditionally celebrated on the Julian date of 23 April (currently the 6th of May according to the Gregorian Calendar). Many countries, cities, professions and organisations claim Saint George as their patron. (source: Wikipedia)

[8] Al-Khidr: (Arabic: الخضر) is a mystical figure that some believe to be described in the Quran as a righteous servant of God possessing great wisdom or mystic knowledge. In various Islamic and non-Islamic traditions, Khidr is described as a messenger, prophet, wali or in some cases as a god of the material world. The figure of al-Khidr has been syncretized over time with various other figures like Saint George. (Source: Wikipedia)

[9] Some believe al-Khidr and Saint George are the same character while others argue it’s not since al-khidr lived during the life of Moses and Saint George came nearly 300 years after Jesus was born. However, the resemblance between the two figures along with their significance in both Christianity and Islam still represents a major source of syncretism between the two religions, and another braid added to many woven by Egyptians throughout their history.

[10] Ahl al-Bayt: (Arabic: أهل البيت) is a phrase meaning, literally, "People of the House" or "Family of the House". Within the Islamic tradition, the term refers to the family of the Islamic prophet Muhammad. (Source: Wikipedia)

[11] Qutb: (Arabic: قطب‎), means 'axis', 'pivot' or 'pole'. In Sufism, a Qutb is the perfect human being, al-insān al-kāmil (Arabic: الإنسان الكامل) (The Universal Man), who leads the saintly hierarchy. The Qutb is the Sufi spiritual leader that has a divine connection with God and passes knowledge on which makes him central to, or the axis of, Sufism, but he is unknown to the world. There is only one Qutb per era and he is an infallible and trusted spiritual leader. He is only revealed to a select group of mystics because there is a "human need for direct knowledge of God". (Source: Wikipedia)

[12] Four Qutbs of Sufism are Abd al-Qadir al-Jilani (Arabic: (عبدالقادر الجيلاني; Ahmed ar-Rifa'i (Arabic: أحمد الرفاعي); Ahmad Al-Badawi (Arabic: أحمد البدوي); and Ibrahim El-Desouki (Arabic: إبراهيم الدسوقي).

[13] Awra: (Arabic: عورة) meaning it should not appear before anyone.

[14] Amun: (Arabic: آمون) was a major Egyptian deity.

[15] Ra: (Arabic: رع) is the ancient Egyptian sun god. By the Fifth Dynasty in the 25th and 24^th centuries bc, he had become a major god in ancient Egyptian religion, identified primarily with the noon sun. (Source: Wikipedia)

[16] Aton or Aten: (Arabic: آتون) is the disk of the sun in ancient Egyptian mythology. The religion of Atenism was established by Amenhotep IV, who later took the name Akhenaten in worship and recognition of Aten. In his poem "Great Hymn to the Aten", Akhenaten praises Aten as the creator, giver of life, and nurturing spirit of the world. Aten does not have a Creation Myth or family, but is mentioned in the Book of the Dead. The worship of Aten was eradicated by Horemheb. (Source: Wikipedia)

[17] Geb: (Arabic: جب) was the Egyptian god of the Earth and a member of the Ennead of Heliopolis. It was believed in ancient Egypt that Geb's laughter were earthquakes and that he allowed crops to grow. (Source: Wikipedia)

[18] Nut: (Arabic: نوت) is the goddess of the sky in the Ennead of ancient Egyptian religion. She was seen as a star-covered nude woman arching over the earth, or as a cow. (Source: Wikipedia)

[19] Mar Mina or Saint Mina: (Arabic: مار مينا) (285 – c. 309) the Martyr and Wonder-worker, is one of the most well-known Egyptian saints in the East and the West, due to the many miracles that are attributed to his intercession and prayers. Mina was an Egyptian soldier in the Roman army, martyred because he refused to recant his Christian faith. His feast day is celebrated every year on 15 Hathor (November 24) in the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria and on November 11 in the West and East. (Source: Wikipedia)

[20] Abu al-Hasan ash-Shadhili: (Arabic: أبو الحسن الشاذلي‎) is an influential North-African Islamic scholar and Sufi, founder of the Shadhili Sufi order. (Source: Wikipedia)

[21] Abdel-Reheem Al-Qenawi: (Arabic: عبد الرحيم القنائي) was a Moroccan Islamic scholar and cleric, founder of the Raheemieya Qenawiya Sufi order.

[22] Al-Mursi Abu'l-'Abbas: (Arabic: المرسي أبو العباس‎) is a Sufi saint from Al-Andalus who later in his life moved to Alexandria in Egypt. He is one of the four master saints of Egypt, the other three being Ahmad al-Badawi, al-Dessouqi and al-Haggag. (Source: Wikipedia)

[23] All those before mentioned were very prominent Egyptian Quran reciters.

[24] Azan: (Arabic: آذان) is the Islamic call to worship, recited by the muezzin (Arabic: مؤذن) at prescribed times of the day. (Source: Wikipedia)