One of the results of the popular uprisings in Egypt that swept the former regime from power earlier this year is that Al-Azhar is slowly beginning to return to its position of prominence in the Muslim world.
Being allied too closely to the former regime lost Al-Azhar credibility in the eyes of Muslims both here and throughout the world. In the absence of an authoritative voice to speak in the name of Islam, other voices rose up to speak on behalf of Muslims and these have left the world with a legacy of fanaticism and extremism that will take many years to overcome.
These voices, ignorant of Islam, have imagined a mood of hostility between Muslims and others that has never been a part of Islam’s message.
We are now living with the results of this. In recent months, the Christian Churches have been meeting to evaluate the situation they find themselves in. There is no doubt that as a result of many of the changes sweeping across the Arab world, many Christians have become fearful for their future, imagining that an upsurge in Islam will mean a rise in extremism and a threat to their safety. It is a sad fact that in recent months many thousands of them have packed their bags and left the Middle East altogether.
And yet, it is impossible to imagine a Middle East without a Christian presence. Who could imagine an Egypt without Christian and Muslim families living together, side by side, as they have done for centuries? Twenty years ago, no child going to school asked his classmate what religion he belonged to. Voices from outside, though, have managed to fuel mistrust and misunderstanding to such a level that sectarianism has indeed become a problem, both in Egypt and throughout the Middle East.
The Greek Orthodox monks living in the monastery at the foot of Mount Sinai have in their possession many precious documents going back many centuries. Their library is one of the finest in the world for ancient manuscripts. One of the most precious documents of all is the copy of a letter narrated by Prophet Mohamed (pbuh) to the monks in the year 628.
Its contents might come as a surprise to many, since in this precious manuscript Muslims are exhorted to protect the Christians living within their midst. The words are so beautiful that we repeat them in full here:
• This is a message from Mohamed ibn Abdullah, as a covenant to those who adopt Christianity, near and far, we are with them.
• Verily I, the servants, the helpers, and my followers defend them, because Christians are my citizens; and by Allah! I hold out against anything that displeases them.
• No compulsion is to be on them.
• Neither are their judges to be removed from their jobs nor their monks from their monasteries.
• No one is to destroy a house of their religion, to damage it, or to carry anything from it to the Muslims’ houses.
• Should anyone take any of these, he would spoil God’s covenant and disobey His Prophet. Verily, they are my allies and have my secure charter against all that they hate.
• No one is to force them to travel or to oblige them to fight.
• The Muslims are to fight for them.
• If a female Christian is married to a Muslim, it is not to take place without her approval. She is not to be prevented from visiting her church to pray.
• Their churches are to be respected. They are neither to be prevented from repairing them nor the sacredness of their covenants.
• No one of the nation (Muslims) is to disobey the covenant till the Last Day (end of the world).
It should be quite clear from this that, far from being a threat, Islam is actually the guardian of the Christian presence in the Middle East. These words of Prophet Mohamed (pbuh) should be made known to Muslims and non-Muslims throughout the world.
Look at what happened when the Muslims entered Jerusalem for the first time in 638, just six years after the death of Mohamed (pbuh). In marked contrast to what would happen when the Crusaders later took the city, and in decided contrast to the false representations of Islam we see on our television screens daily, Caliph Umar entered the city on foot and agreed a treaty with the Christian Patriarch, Sophronios. There was no bloodshed. There were no massacres. Those who wanted to leave were allowed to do so with all their possessions. Those who wanted to stay were granted protection for their lives, their property and their places of worship.
In what has now become a very famous incident in the history of Islam, the hour of prayer arrived and Umar said to the Patriarch that he wanted to pray.
The Patriarch led ‘Umar to the Church of St. Constantine and spread out a mat in the middle of the basilica. Umar answered “I shall not pray here” and went out to the steps in front of the gates of the church of St. Constantine on the east side and prayed there by himself. Later, when he returned from his prayer and sat down, he asked the Patriarch, “Do you know why I did not pray In the church?”The Patriarch replied that he didn’t know why. “Had I prayed in your church.” ‘Umar told him, “the church would have been lost to you forever, for after my death the Muslims would have taken possession of it, arguing that ‘Umar had prayed there.”
Ignorant voices, not understanding the context of this incident, cite it as an example of quite the opposite of what it actually was. We can see, though, that it was out of respect for their place of worship that Umar would not pray in it. Respect for others’ beliefs is at the very heart of Islam’s message.
There are many challenges facing Egypt and the Arab countries over the next months and years. Religious conflict should not be one of them. As Al-Azhar returns once more to its position of prominence as the authoritative voice of moderate Sunni Islam, those mistaken voices who would divide people of faith will be silenced.
For fourteen hundred years, people of faith have lived together in peace, not only respecting one another, but also sharing one another’s joys and sorrows. Inshallah, God Willing, this will be the case for another fourteen hundred years.
This article by Idris Tawfiq
first appeared in Egyptian Gazette on Saturday 19th November 2011.