CAIRO — Showing solidarity with the Muslim principal, Christian students in an Egyptian secondary girls school and their parents rushed to defend wearing headscarves in class, insisting they were not coerced but were simply following in the footsteps of Virgin Mary.
"All Christian girls in the school wear headscarves out of their own volition," Merriam Nabil, a student at Al-Ayyat Technical School in the Giza governorate, told IslamOnline.net.
"We have decided to stand by our principal to demonstrate to all that he did not force us to don the headscarf."
A state-owned magazine had reported that the entire 2,700 students of the school, including 55 Christians, cover their hair with white headscarves.
It claimed that the school's principal, Magdy Fikri, coerced the Christian girls into putting on the Muslim head cover.
Accordingly, he was rebuked by the Ministry of Education and transferred along with two teachers from the school.
"We received complaints from some parents and girl students, who said that the principal forced Muslim and Christian girls to wear hijab," Ministry of Education Undersecretary Hussein el-Sheikh told IOL.
Fikri refuses to swallow claims that complaints had been lodged with the ministry from his students.
"I can never believe that a student or one of my Christian colleagues is behind these alleged complaints," he said.
"I have known them for years, they can never behave like this. We, Muslims and Christians, are one and do not bear grudges for one another."
Minister of Education Yousri el-Gamal only backed down after the Christian girls joined hands with their Muslim colleagues in defending their principal.
"The minister was moved by the Muslim-Christian solidarity in the case," el-Sheikh said.
Virgin Mary
Merriam Nabil has been wearing a headscarf since the preliminary grade.
"We wear the headscarves inside and outside the school just like our mothers," said the Christian student.
"I having been covering my hair since the preliminary school. We don't feel offended if we are likened to our Muslim peers."
The disciplinary action against Fikri drew fire from parents of the Christian students and Christian school teachers alike.
The school's deputy principal, Magdy Rasmi, a Christian, defended his colleague.
"Fikri is one of the best people I know," he told IOL. "Injustice has been done to him and we must stand by him."
Lotfi Adly, the father of a Christian student, agreed.
"If our daughters had been really forced to wear hijab, we would have never kept our mouths shut," he told IOL.
"But we are convinced that there is nothing wrong with the headscarf."
The Christian father said the overwhelming majority of Egyptians are devout and conservative.
"Do you think I would be happy seeing my kid's hair uncovered?"
Said Ghobriyal, another father, insisted that the headscarf is all about chastity.
"It really unnerves me to see women on the streets with uncovered hair."
The mother of Fayza Awad, a Christian student, asserted that herself and her daughter were modeling themselves after Virgin Marry.
"I wear a headscarf because Virgin Mary covered her hair. This is all about respect and there is no compulsion."
I live in Egypt and for those who have never been we live completely peacefully together (apart from the odd tussle between young men - thats testosterone for you). You often see a church right next door to a mosque and Egyptians are very proud of this. Some christian girls cover their hair and some muslim girls choose not to. Muslims will have Christian friends and vise versa, we just agree to disagree on religious beliefs and practices. It's a great life!!!
Yes, SubahnAllah! A nice article! I'm also Egyptian and I have to agree with samah! I have this one Egyptian Christian friend who says things all the time that make me forget she's Christian. She always defends the Hijaab-- when Ramadan comes, she acts happier than some Muslims i know, *istagfirAllah!* May Allah guide her
Very interesting article, moreso than the headscarf I find it wonderful that some in Egypt coexist so well together, if it is truly as some of the people above describe (churches next to mosques) then people should look to Egypt as a model of what the world could be like. Does anyone have a pic of a church right next to a mosque?
"War does not determine who is right - only who is left."
- Bertrand Russell
"He who fears being conquered is sure of defeat." - Napoleon Bonaparte
"There is nothing so likely to produce peace as to be well prepared to meet the
enemy." - George Washington
Very interesting article, moreso than the headscarf I find it wonderful that some in Egypt coexist so well together, if it is truly as some of the people above describe (churches next to mosques) then people should look to Egypt as a model of what the world could be like. Does anyone have a pic of a church right next to a mosque?
I am sorry I do not have a picture but after my holiday I will take a picture of the largest church in my town, it shares an adjoining wall with a mosque. During special religious celebrations you will see Muslims helping Christians to celebrate and vise versa, Ramadan is a wonderful example.
That is not to say we 'share' our religion, we just agree to be different. Perhaps more people should visit Egypt (not the tourist bits), they would see coexistance working in everyday life. Can you see why I chose to leave my luxurious life in UK and live in a poverety stricken area of Egypt? There are more important things in life than material wealth and comfort.
I am sorry I do not have a picture but after my holiday I will take a picture of the largest church in my town, it shares an adjoining wall with a mosque. During special religious celebrations you will see Muslims helping Christians to celebrate and vise versa, Ramadan is a wonderful example.
That is not to say we 'share' our religion, we just agree to be different. Perhaps more people should visit Egypt (not the tourist bits), they would see coexistance working in everyday life. Can you see why I chose to leave my luxurious life in UK and live in a poverety stricken area of Egypt? There are more important things in life than material wealth and comfort.
There really is something to be said about that, just imagine if the whole world was like this It is more than tolerance, it is respecting and loving other human beings as they are and for who they are, not just how they worship. It is truly a great thing to read about! I live in the southern US, everyone is pretty much the same around here so there doesnt have to be tolerance really for anyone, however racial slurs are heard frequently and anyone with have a brain can see it is used because of ignorance. Where is this area in Egypt, I would like to visit and I was thinking of taking a trip in the next month or so, perhaps I will visit there.
"War does not determine who is right - only who is left."
- Bertrand Russell
"He who fears being conquered is sure of defeat." - Napoleon Bonaparte
"There is nothing so likely to produce peace as to be well prepared to meet the
enemy." - George Washington
There really is something to be said about that, just imagine if the whole world was like this It is more than tolerance, it is respecting and loving other human beings as they are and for who they are, not just how they worship. It is truly a great thing to read about! I live in the southern US, everyone is pretty much the same around here so there doesnt have to be tolerance really for anyone, however racial slurs are heard frequently and anyone with have a brain can see it is used because of ignorance. Where is this area in Egypt, I would like to visit and I was thinking of taking a trip in the next month or so, perhaps I will visit there.
The area is called Minofeya in the nile delta region. The only town I know of with a hotel (maybe 1 star) is called Tanta. If you want to visit please let me know and I will get my husband to visit the local church, they will find a christian family for you to stay with (no-one in the world is as hospitable as the Egyptians) and I can arrange for you to meet my husband and his friends, they will be happy to talk to you and show you about the life in Egypt. You will need a strong stomach though, the food is so spicy.
no-one in the world is as hospitable as the Egyptians
Having been to Egypt a couple of times, and planning to go this year I would have to say I agree with this statement 100%. Egyptian people are extremely hospitable, you will feel you've made best friends within a few hours.
Its the Egyptian people that make me want to go and live there lol, among other things.
When people visit Egypt... it's either the Pyramids or Bellydancers...
Do Egyptians have homestay package for tourists? we would love to feel how to live as Egyptians (the modern ones... not ancient egyptians)too...
I am afraid I do not know the answer to this but I will find out and let everyone know. If not then maybe I could start such a scheme, I know loads of Muslims that would be delighted to have foreign Muslims visit them and I am sure I can find Christians that would do the same for visiting Christians. Please remember that outside the big cities Egypt is a third world country so you would have to take us as you find us and there would be no lying on beaches or room service.
I am afraid I do not know the answer to this but I will find out and let everyone know. If not then maybe I could start such a scheme, I know loads of Muslims that would be delighted to have foreign Muslims visit them and I am sure I can find Christians that would do the same for visiting Christians. Please remember that outside the big cities Egypt is a third world country so you would have to take us as you find us and there would be no lying on beaches or room service.
we are doing that in Malaysia.... you have to sleep, eat and even work as the locals do.....
we are doing that in Malaysia.... you have to sleep, eat and even work as the locals do.....
I think 3 days of homestay is sufficient...
Wow that is brilliant. What do you do about the language barrier? or do most Malays speak some english? I would love to visit Malaya again, I lived in Singapore as a child and we used to visit Malaya but sadly I was so young I remember little of your country.
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It is more than tolerance, it is respecting and loving other human beings as they are and for who they are, not just how they worship. It is truly a great thing to read about! I live in the southern US, everyone is pretty much the same around here so there doesnt have to be tolerance really for anyone, however racial slurs are heard frequently and anyone with have a brain can see it is used because of ignorance. Where is this area in Egypt, I would like to visit and I was thinking of taking a trip in the next month or so, perhaps I will visit there.
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