During the 1919 revolution, under the slogan „Egypt for Egyptians“, the Copts fought hand in hand with their Muslim brothers for national independence of Egypt from Britain. The banner of the revolution was a cross within a crescent, the ancient incompatibility of Christianity and Islam seemed to be abolished.
Only one decade earlier this unity seemed impossible, after the assassination of the Copt Prime Minister Butrus Ghali, the mob in the streets of Cairo had been praising the murder with slogans, such as:” Wasrani (the name of the killer), Wasrani, who killed the nasrani (Christian)”. And the Coptic newspaper Al-Watan had stated in 1908 that “The Copts are the true Egyptians and the Islamic conquest of Egypt was oppressive”.
The role of the Copts in the national movement is as complex and ambiguous as the national movement itself. We have to weight and consider various factors together in order to understand the different roles of the Copts in the movement during this period. We also have to differentiate between Coptic Clerks, fellahin and urban Copts as well as between the Muslim mob and the Muslim leaders of the national movement, latter often influenced by ideas of western enlightenment.
This paper will examine the factors that determined the role of the Coptic minority in the Muslim-dominated national movement between its emergence in 1879 and the 1919 revolution from different perspectives. This includes a discussion of the role of the British policy, the question of social integration and juridical equality/ exclusion as a distinguished religious community from the (Muslim) majority, the degree of Islamisation or secularisation of the national movement and the role of sectarian strife between Muslims and Copts, mainly incited by the British policy of “divide and rule”. Further influences discussed in this paper are the fear of the Copts to be persecuted or isolated if they don’t participate in the movement and the chances of the movement to succeed.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. The Main Influences on the Formation of Coptic Identity Prior to 1879
3. The Reign of Khedive Ismail and the Early National Movement
3.1. Retrospect: Historical Experiences of the Copts with European Occupation and Egyptian Independence
3.2. The Ambiguous Program of Mohammed Abdu: Including and Excluding Copts
3.3. The Role of the Copts in the Urabi Mutiny and the Massacres of Alexandria
3.4. The British Invasion – The Uninvited “Saviours”
3.5. The 2nd National Congress – Coptic Pleads for Pronationalism Instead of Islamism
4. The Copts during the British Occupation until WWI
4.1 Coptic Opportunism and the Islamisation of the National Movement
4.2. Mustafa Kamil: His Attempts to Include Copts in the National Party and the Reasons why he could not Succeed
4.3. The Copts in Egyptian Politics: The Emergence of New Nationalist Parties
4.4. Rising Tensions and Isolation: a Press War, the Assassination of Butrus Ghali and the Coptic Congress in Asyut
5. The First World War: Societal Changes and Conjoint Suffering from the British
6. The New Unity: Copts and Muslims Fight Alongside for an “Egypt for Egyptians”
7. Conclusion
Research Objectives and Key Themes
This paper examines the complex factors that determined the role of the Coptic community in the Egyptian national movement, specifically between its emergence in 1879 and the 1919 revolution, identifying how social, political, and economic shifts influenced their participation.
- The impact of British colonial policy and the "divide and rule" strategy on sectarian relations.
- The evolution of Coptic identity from an autonomous community to modern Egyptian citizens.
- The influence of the secularisation of the national movement on Coptic political integration.
- The interplay between external political pressures and internal community fears of persecution.
- The pivotal role of charismatic leadership, particularly Saad Zaghlul, in fostering unity.
Excerpt from the Book
3.3. The Role of the Copts in the Urabi Mutiny and the Massacres of Alexandria
During 1879 until 1882 Colonel Urabi led the so-called “Urabi revolt” against the Khedive and the European domination of Egypt. The Coptic patriarch was among the religious leaders that signed in 1879 a manifesto of a group of nationalists that supported Urabi and demanded the formation of a completely Egyptian cabinet without foreigners.35 Three years later the Copts, represented by Cyril 5 and some other Coptic dignitaries supported Urabi again, signing a petition that condemned the dismissal of Urabi by the Khedive Tawfiq.36 Blunt states that “The Copt and Arab element of the fellahin unanimously supported him (Urabi)”37 The Coptic fellahin supported Urabi because Urabi himself was born as a peasant and regarded as “the voice of the Egyptian people”.38
In 11.6.1882, prior to the news of the massacres of Alexandria, a letter was sent to Blunt and informed him that “Sheikh Aleysh, the great holy man of the Azhar, has issued a fatwa in which he states that the present Khedive, having attempted to sell his country to the foreigners by following the advice of the European Consuls, is no more worthy of ruling over the Muslims of Egypt.”39 .On the same day the riots of Alexandria took place.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: Outlines the historical context of the 1919 revolution and identifies the five core factors influencing Coptic participation in the Egyptian national movement.
2. The Main Influences on the Formation of Coptic Identity Prior to 1879: Explores historical factors, including ancient identity, French occupation experiences, and the administrative changes under Muhammed Ali.
3. The Reign of Khedive Ismail and the Early National Movement: Analyzes the Coptic experience during the "Golden Age" of Ismail and their nuanced role in the early national struggles against foreign influence.
4. The Copts during the British Occupation until WWI: Examines the challenges of Coptic political isolation and their attempts to navigate British colonial rule while facing the rising tide of pan-Islamist nationalism.
5. The First World War: Societal Changes and Conjoint Suffering from the British: Highlights how wartime hardships and economic shifts fostered a new, unified resistance among Copts and Muslims against British occupation.
6. The New Unity: Copts and Muslims Fight Alongside for an “Egypt for Egyptians”: Details the successful unification of the Egyptian national movement under leaders like Saad Zaghlul, leading to the 1919 revolution.
7. Conclusion: Synthesizes the interplay of five main factors that explain the shift from Coptic isolation to full participation in the 1919 national struggle.
Keywords
Copts, Egypt, 1919 Revolution, National Movement, British Occupation, Khedive Ismail, Urabi Revolt, Sectarian Strife, Secularism, Saad Zaghlul, Identity Politics, Nationalism, Colonialism, Muslim-Coptic Relations, Minorities.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this research paper?
The paper explores the evolution of the Coptic community's participation in the Egyptian national movement from 1879 to the 1919 revolution, analyzing the internal and external factors that shaped their political engagement.
What are the primary thematic areas covered?
Central themes include the impact of British colonial policy, the changing nature of Coptic identity, the secularization of nationalist discourse, and the shifting social dynamics between the Coptic minority and the Muslim majority.
What is the main research question of this study?
The study seeks to identify and explain the specific factors, such as British policy, societal integration, and the degree of secularization, that determined when and why the Copts chose to either support or remain isolated from the Egyptian national movement.
Which scientific approach does the author use?
The author uses a historical-analytical approach, weighing five distinct influencing factors (British policy, social integration, secularization, sectarian strife, and fear of persecution) to interpret the Coptic role throughout various stages of the national movement.
What does the main body address?
The main body systematically analyzes historical periods starting from the era of Khedive Ismail through the Urabi revolt, the British occupation, the First World War, and ultimately the formation of the Wafd and the 1919 revolution.
Which keywords best characterize this work?
The most relevant keywords include Copts, Egyptian nationalism, British colonialism, 1919 revolution, sectarianism, secularization, and the Wafd movement.
How did the 1911 Congress of Asyut affect Coptic political standing?
The Congress of Asyut was a failed attempt to demand minority rights; it ultimately backfired by isolating the Copts from both the British administration and the broader Muslim nationalist current.
Why is the role of Saad Zaghlul emphasized in the unification process?
Zaghlul is identified as a critical leader who successfully transcended communal divisions by promoting a secular, nationalist agenda that redefined the Egyptian character as inclusive of both Copts and Muslims.
- Quote paper
- Dipl. Paed. Kathrin Nina Wiedl (Author), 2006, The role of the Copts in the national movement in Egypt until the 1919 revolution, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/50898
