Hammad Hammad on Perceptions of Religion, Social Class and America in Egypt
By: Hammad Hammad
February 12, 2007
A taxi driver recently told me that the United States is the foremost driver of splitting people apart utilizing religion as a force. “Look at us here in Egypt… my best friends are Christians and I am a religious Muslim. It’s America that is trying to start a new Crusade. It’s America that is emphasizing differences in religion.” While his comments were definitely exaggerated, his feelings may well summarize how many Egyptians feel.
Religion holds a special place in Egyptian society. The majority of the population is Muslim, though there is a sizable Coptic Christian population (about 10 percent of the population). The state religion in Egypt is Islam, with the vast majority of Muslims being Sunni, but with a higher number of Sufi Muslims than Shi'a. Sufi Muslims practice their religion differently from the one advocated at Al-Azhar University, claimed to be the world's oldest university, which is the Sunni faith.
As a Muslim-American, it has been remarkable for me to spend full days walking around Islamic Cairo and exploring the Khan al-Khalili markets, praying in Al-Azhar Mosque and the Mosque of Saiyidna Hussein. The history is sometimes overwhelming. The head of Hussein, the grandson of the Prophet Mohammad, is in the Hussein mosque, and it is there that I experienced my first Sufi ritual. There are definitely two Cairos. One is wealthy; one is poor. There is virtually no middle class. From my short experience here (less than a month), I have noticed that religion and religiosity runs roughly along those lines. That is, the poor Cairo tends to be more religious than the wealthy Cairo. Now, that is not to say that all poor people are religious and all wealthy people are secular. I am simply making a judgment from the areas I have visited. In Islamic Cairo, a poorer area in Cairo, religion permeates the air. At prayer time, throngs of people rush the many mosques that line the streets. Instead of Starbucks, mosques line up every corner and many people pray on the street during rush prayer times and Friday prayer. In Zamalek, an island on the Nile and the Manhattan of Cairo (where the American University of Cairo dorms are located), mosques are far apart and hard to find, and secularism is evident. Taking into account that many more Christians live in Zamalek, the area is still very liberal. There are special couple-only hours at the local park, and one sees many less women wearing scarves. In Islamic Cairo, one can find women wearing black robes and covering their head with a hijab. In Zamalek, it is more common to see a Gucci scarf used as a fashion accessory. Is religion used as a tool in Cairo to ensure that a certain class remains in poverty, while the secular wealthy class enjoys the wealth and prosperity of being an elite? I am unsure of this, but it is something that has been brought to my attention by some Egyptians.
After Israel, Egypt is the second highest recipient of US foreign aid. However, as is the situation in most of the world, the image of the United States is in tatters. There is a large sense of apathy from Egyptians about American knowledge of Egyptian culture and society, which seems to be preoccupied with fascination about ancient Egypt and the pyramids. US policy in the Middle East, and unquestionable support of Israel, have caused many Muslims and Christians in Egypt to look at the United States negatively. Some Muslims, like the taxi driver, see American tactics as part of a larger plan to attack Islam. The United States is fighting Muslim fundamentalists with a different vision of Islam than most Muslims. However, by acting in the name of a religion, it is perceived that they are acting based on the tenants of that religion. The fear is that by fighting these fundamentalists, it becomes assumed and known as a fight against Islam. Even though Islam being a religion affects the beliefs and culture of the people, it does not mean that every Muslim has the same frame of mind or wants to fight against the West. The West could generalize about Islamic civilization, and Muslims could do the same about the West. A war in Iraq could be seen as a continuation of a War on Terror or perceived as a war on Islam. The fact that the United States is fighting a form of governance that happens to be Muslim should not be mistaken for a war on Islam. In Egypt, unity of Muslims is seen as important against the imperial United States. American leaders using words like Islamic fascism and Islamists only confirms extremist propaganda that the United States is attacking Islam. Unedifying labels such as Islam and the West, create an us versus them mentality that reinforce differences, rather than understanding, in our interdependent and globalized world.
As I have seen firsthand, religion in Egypt is multifaceted and diverse. There are mosques, churches (I live closer to a church than a mosque), and synagogues. American politics affect everyone here. and social status and class influence the degree and type of religiosity. I look forward to many more conversations with my classmates, cab drivers, and people in the streets to learn more about how religion influences their lives.
As a Muslim-American, it has been remarkable for me to spend full days walking around Islamic Cairo and exploring the Khan al-Khalili markets, praying in Al-Azhar Mosque and the Mosque of Saiyidna Hussein. The history is sometimes overwhelming. The head of Hussein, the grandson of the Prophet Mohammad, is in the Hussein mosque, and it is there that I experienced my first Sufi ritual. There are definitely two Cairos. One is wealthy; one is poor. There is virtually no middle class. From my short experience here (less than a month), I have noticed that religion and religiosity runs roughly along those lines. That is, the poor Cairo tends to be more religious than the wealthy Cairo. Now, that is not to say that all poor people are religious and all wealthy people are secular. I am simply making a judgment from the areas I have visited. In Islamic Cairo, a poorer area in Cairo, religion permeates the air. At prayer time, throngs of people rush the many mosques that line the streets. Instead of Starbucks, mosques line up every corner and many people pray on the street during rush prayer times and Friday prayer. In Zamalek, an island on the Nile and the Manhattan of Cairo (where the American University of Cairo dorms are located), mosques are far apart and hard to find, and secularism is evident. Taking into account that many more Christians live in Zamalek, the area is still very liberal. There are special couple-only hours at the local park, and one sees many less women wearing scarves. In Islamic Cairo, one can find women wearing black robes and covering their head with a hijab. In Zamalek, it is more common to see a Gucci scarf used as a fashion accessory. Is religion used as a tool in Cairo to ensure that a certain class remains in poverty, while the secular wealthy class enjoys the wealth and prosperity of being an elite? I am unsure of this, but it is something that has been brought to my attention by some Egyptians.
After Israel, Egypt is the second highest recipient of US foreign aid. However, as is the situation in most of the world, the image of the United States is in tatters. There is a large sense of apathy from Egyptians about American knowledge of Egyptian culture and society, which seems to be preoccupied with fascination about ancient Egypt and the pyramids. US policy in the Middle East, and unquestionable support of Israel, have caused many Muslims and Christians in Egypt to look at the United States negatively. Some Muslims, like the taxi driver, see American tactics as part of a larger plan to attack Islam. The United States is fighting Muslim fundamentalists with a different vision of Islam than most Muslims. However, by acting in the name of a religion, it is perceived that they are acting based on the tenants of that religion. The fear is that by fighting these fundamentalists, it becomes assumed and known as a fight against Islam. Even though Islam being a religion affects the beliefs and culture of the people, it does not mean that every Muslim has the same frame of mind or wants to fight against the West. The West could generalize about Islamic civilization, and Muslims could do the same about the West. A war in Iraq could be seen as a continuation of a War on Terror or perceived as a war on Islam. The fact that the United States is fighting a form of governance that happens to be Muslim should not be mistaken for a war on Islam. In Egypt, unity of Muslims is seen as important against the imperial United States. American leaders using words like Islamic fascism and Islamists only confirms extremist propaganda that the United States is attacking Islam. Unedifying labels such as Islam and the West, create an us versus them mentality that reinforce differences, rather than understanding, in our interdependent and globalized world.
As I have seen firsthand, religion in Egypt is multifaceted and diverse. There are mosques, churches (I live closer to a church than a mosque), and synagogues. American politics affect everyone here. and social status and class influence the degree and type of religiosity. I look forward to many more conversations with my classmates, cab drivers, and people in the streets to learn more about how religion influences their lives.
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