Egyptian Revolution: Muslims and Christians united

by Samir Khalil Samir

Asia News - Many wonder if the Egyptian revolution and the overthrow of Muhammad Hosni Mubarak, who was a politically moderate president, will result in Egypt falling into the hands of the Muslim Brotherhood in or some extremist Islamic group.

There is no doubt that Mubarak was opposed to the Muslim Brotherhood and that he aspired to a secular state and a modern secular society (dawlah madaniyyah hadîthah, rather than dawlah ‘almâniyyah, as he himself said in his speech at al Azhar of September 5 2010 and again in Parliament December 19, 2010).

Meanwhile, however, the Muslim Brotherhood movement has changed somewhat in the aftermath of giving up violence, and no longer seeks to establish an Islamic caliphate, or to apply Islamic Sharia in all its aspects. Indeed it aims to maintain the general practice along the lines of Islam, but it is not yet known to what extent. However, alongside this movement others equally as strong want a more neutral, and more liberal society regarding religious traditions, as has clearly emerged from a survey carried out in Cairo and in Alexandria on February 5 to 8, which we will return to a t a later date.

We know that the Patriarch Shenouda III was not favourable in the first week, towards the popular movement and ardently defended President Mubarak. The reason was that no one knew how this movement was going to end. The Coptic people, took tot he streets from the very outset of the protests. The "revolution," or rather the Egyptian intifada, was the peoples revolution. Copts and Muslims, hand in hand, without discrimination. Perhaps in reaction to the savage attack against the church of Saints in Alexandria New Year’s eve.

Rather than a long analysis, it seemed more useful ¬ - for once – to let the pictures from Liberation Square (Midân al-Tahrîr) speak for themselves. Here are ten pictures showing Muslims and Christians, with their religious symbols, hand in hand. For us Egyptians, this event recalls the "Egyptian Revolution of 1919" against the United Kingdom which occupied Egypt and Sudan, just after the armistice of 11 November 1919 after the First World War in Europe.

Poster with cross and crescent and the word "Egyptians, one hand"

Protesters with sign that reads: "Christians and Muslims, one hand"

Young protesters with cross and Koran

Muslim and Christian with Cross and the Koran at a rally on 6 February in Tahrir Square

Coptic Christian with a sign: "Muslims and Christians are brothers, go Mubarak you are a coward"

Coptic Christian and Islamic imam raise their fingers in a sign of victory

Egyptian Christians and Muslims together for freedom

Child with the cross and crescent

Muslim with crescent and the cross on sunglasses, prays over the Egyptian flag