The Muslims of Egypt, or most of them, say Egypt is Arab and Muslim country and state. This, they enshrined in their not much respected Constitution to make it illegal to say Egypt is anything else but. The Copts of course disagree with this as it totally ignores their presence, for they are neither Arab nor Muslim, and yet they are the natives of Egypt – its very sons and daughters, the descendents of the Pharaohs of Egypt.
And some Copts, respond by saying, Egypt is rather Coptic, and sometimes, Egypt is rather Christian. “Egypt is for Christ,” some shout. If they mean that Egypt and the World are all the Lord’s, then that’s clear. If they mean that Egypt is Christian or for the Christians, they err. Egypt was indeed Coptic at some stage, when almost all of its inhabitants were Coptic. But, Egypt is now not Coptic or Pharaonic.
Egypt of today and if simetime is neither Coptic nor Arab nor Nuba; it is neither Christian nor Muslim. Egypt does not have an identity adjective – it is a land, a country, a state, but it’s wrong to label her as Coptic or Arab or Nuba; as Christian or Muslim or else. In the wise words of the Southern Sudanese leader, John Garang, the state cannot have a religion – it does not go to a mosque to pray or to a church to celebrate the Mystery of Christ. It fasts neither Ramadan nor Lent.
On this understanding the Coptic nationalists build their vision of a shared land for the Copts, Nuba, and Arabs; and declare that Egypt must be regarded and seen as a multinational country and state – made from these three different nationalities. No nationality should ignore or cancel the nationality of the other two. We resist the Arab and Muslim oppression and supremacy but that must not lead us to extreme thinking that reeks with political immaturity.
We, therefore, urge all Copts to respond wisely to Arab and Muslim claims of a Muslim and Arab Egypt, and in their debate with their oppressors, not mirror their stupidity and oppressive tendencies, by cancelling the presence and existence of the other: Egypt is for all. It is neither Copt nor Arab nor Nuba exactly as Britain is neither English nor Scottish nor Welsh.