In the Middle East, along with many Muslim communities there exist many Non-Muslim communities: the Coptic Christian community is one of the largest Non-Muslim communities in the Middle-East. The Coptic Christian community is situated in Egypt and for a brief history about this community: Coptic Christians believe Christianity was brought approximately in 64 CE by “ the Apostle Mark ” ; the Apostle spread the message of Christianity and his initial receivers of the message were the ancient Pharaoh ( Henderson ) . The word “ Copt ” is derived from the Greek word “ Aiguptos ” significance Egyptian, moreover the word “ Copt ” is besides linked to the ancient Egyptian name for the metropolis of Memphis. In the 7th Century Islam spread throughout Middle-East and Africa, Egypt was conquered by early Muslims in the twelvemonth 641, during the clip of the invasion 80 per centum of population in Egypt consisted of Coptic Christians ( Henderson ) .
As Muslims came to command in Egypt they charged the Coptic Christians “ Jizya ” for two of import intents: the first intent was to convert the Christians to change over to Islam so that they could avoid revenue enhancement and the 2nd intent was to roll up money to fund the state ‘s ground forces. The “ formal system and appellation ” for Non-Muslims ( Coptic Christians ) came to be known as “ Dhimmia ” ( Henderson ) . During the 1970s and 1980s Anwar Sadat became president, under his regulation at that place was much struggle between Muslims and Coptic Christians, the Muslims argued that the population of Christians has stopped Egypt from going a strong Islamic Country. The Coptic Community gained support from the U.S and formed an “ anti-Islam ” run, finally after much turmoil the increased tensenesss decreased as Sadat lost his support to the Islamic fundamentalists ( Henderson ) .
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Today Coptic Christians make up merely five to fifteen per centum of the entire population in Egypt the remainder of which are Muslims, because of their low population the Christians frequently face societal force per unit area to change over to Islam ( Vliet ) . Furthermore, Coptic Christians argue that they face favoritism, underrepresentation and besides face troubles when edifice or reconstructing their churches. In the point of view of Muslims the Coptic Christians are an embarrassment, a few old ages ago some pupils of “ Tafsir ” in Al-Azhar University were asked what distinguishes a Coptic Christian from a Muslim, and the pupils answered that a Muslim believes in Islam and that he is of Arabic beginning ( Vliet ) . Since Coptic Christians are besides Egyptian meant that they besides would hold had an Arabic background but they did non follow Islam making a job.
Recently there have been many jobs among Coptic Christians and Egyptian Muslims. There is a changeless battle between Egyptian Muslims and Coptic Christians to develop their individuality in Egypt, both the religious orders prosecute the authorities to back up them. Harmonizing to “ The Times ” several Coptic Christians were killed in the southern Egyptian towns as they left a midnight Mass observing the Coptic Christmas, witnesses reported that three gunslingers in a vehicle opened fire to a group of Coptic Christians who had merely left the Church go forthing approximately nine people wounded and killing seven people ( Times ) . One of the informants Bishop Kirollos of the local bishopric said that he had received menaces warning of a possible onslaught on the Coptic Christians to demand “ retaliation for the colza of a 12-year old Muslim miss by a Coptic young person ” ( Times ) . Bishop Kirollos besides said to the imperativeness that, “ It is all spiritual now. This is a spiritual war about how they can complete off the Christians in Egypt, ” he said ( Times ) . The tenseness between Coptic Christians and Muslims has been on the rise in the recent old ages whether the struggle is about land or adult females. The Coptic Christians “ complain of widespread favoritism, including terrible limitations on spiritual edifice sites ” ( Times ) .
Coptic Christians were the bulk of the population before and during the invasion of Egypt in 641, nevertheless in recent old ages Muslims are the bulk of the population. As the population of Muslims keeps turning in Egypt, the Coptic Christians non merely face the force per unit area to change over to Islam but besides experience a loss of individuality. The Christians want “ aˆ¦acceptation and integrating as opposed to refusal and exclusion ” within the society ( Vliet ) . As the Muslim population supports on turning in Egypt the Coptic Christians face continued favoritism, authorities limitations on the edifice of Churches and underrepresentation.
Harmonizing to BBC News Coptic Christians frequently get tattooed with a cross which determines their individuality and community because they are non given the proper Identification Cards. Amyan Raafat Zaki has been a member of the St. Michael ‘s Church for nine old ages and has the tattoo of the cross to stand for that he is Coptic Christian ; nevertheless the province has denied that he is Christian because his ma was a Christian but his male parent had converted to Islam ( BBC News – Fraser ) . Since in Islam the male parent determines the faith of their kids, Amyan was refused to be given a proper Identification Card that determines his faith and individuality, from the age of 16 Amyan has lived an anon. life and does n’t be in the eyes of the province ( BBC News – Fraser ) .
Another narrative is that of Nahla, Nahla ran off from her household to populate with her sister, her sister had converted to Islam so that she could get married a Muslim adult male ; Nahla was forced by her brother-in jurisprudence to change over to Islam as he had found her a Muslim hubby. When Nahla refused to get married, she was taken to a constabulary station by her brother-in-law and was beaten, finally she married the Muslim Man but subsequently on ran off to get married a Christian ( BBC News ) . Nahla ‘s kids are Christian and she attends the Church on a regular footing but yet she is refused to be given a proper Identification Card by the province which says that she is Christian. Lawyer Peter Ramses Al Nagar presently is managing the instance of 3,200 Christians forced to accept a Muslim Identity, “ The jurisprudence says when a individual becomes 16 old ages old, when they must acquire an individuality card, he or she has the right to take documents from the church to turn out they are Christian ” , nevertheless when these paper are brought in forepart of Interior Ministry they are given merely two picks. The first pick is to take a Muslim Identity Card and the 2nd pick is to populate without an Identification Card which can do great jobs ( BBC News ) .
Samuel Huntingdon in his statement sing “ Clash of Civilizations ” has outlined six grounds as to why civilisations will collide: “ how they deal with cardinal social/political dealingss, globalisation, individuality crises brought approximately by modernness, responses to Western domination, the stableness and power of individuality, and the function of civilization in advancing economic regionalism ” ( Ayesha ) . In some ways Samuel Huntington is right as Coptic Christians and Muslims fight over individuality, Coptic Christians face individuality crisis as they face favoritism, and underrepresentation by the Muslims. Muslims feel that as Coptic Christians battle for their voice that it will do them ( the Muslims ) to free power and stableness of their ain individuality.
Samuel Huntington besides says that struggle at the “ Micro-level ” between two civilisations is frequently upon the control of district which is right as one of the grounds Muslims and Coptic Christians have had violent clangs is to derive land. Furthermore Samuel Huntingdon references that conflict at the “ Macro-level ” between two civilisations is frequently for Military and Economic control every bit good as advancing spiritual and political values ( Ayesha ) , this is besides true as Coptic Christians were invariably under force per unit area by the Muslims to change over to Islam and were besides politically persuaded to accept Islam by non giving them proper Identification Cards. One defect in Samuel Huntingdon ‘s statement is that he describes the nature of struggle between civilisations but fails to references as to why “ why princedoms, nation-states, ideological-states, and civilisations clang ” ( Ayesha ) .
In footings of individuality there are major differences between Coptic Christians and Egyptian Muslims. Both the groups follow different faiths, Muslims follow Islam while the Christians follow Christianity. Coptic Christians were the bulk of the population in Egypt before the invasion in 641, nevertheless today they make up merely ten to fifteen per centum of the entire population ; they have lost their individuality as they continue to confront favoritism and underrepresentation: non being given proper occupations, instruction, Identification Cards, and even the right to build or mend their Churches.
The Christians besides face the force per unit area to change over to Islam when they are taxed “ Jizya ” and are forced to accept a Muslim Identification Card. In the view-point of the Muslims, the Coptic Christians are besides a job as they do non follow Islam and are of Arabic descent ( because they are Egyptians ) . The Muslims besides feel that as the Coptic Christians battle for their right and land that they ( Muslims ) would lose their individuality. The tensenesss between Muslims and Coptic Christians has grown within the recent old ages, as both the groups resort to force to derive power ( Land ) and for their voice to heard by the authorities, an illustration, that was mentioned was the gunfight by the Muslims on the Coptic Christians as they were go forthing their Church after a Christmas jubilation.
