A Small Victory for Religious Freedom in Egypt
A new report indicates that Ali Gomaa, Grand Mufti of Egypt, has issued a statement that Muslims are free to convert to other religions. "The act of abandoning one's religion is a sin punishable by God on the Day of Judgement," he explains, "If the case in question is one of merely rejecting faith, then there is no worldly punishment."
Egypt is home to roughly 80 million, approximately 90% of whom are Islamic. However, the country is also home to a substantial minority of Coptic Christians, a community with roots in the nation going back to pre-Islamic times. Despite their history, Copts have not escaped persecution, especially in recent years with the rising tide of fundamentalism in the region. The article quotes Cameel Halim, Chair of the Coptic Assembly of America: "They are isolated from mainstream society and are often forced to convert to Islam through rape, marriage, change of legal name and violence."
This latest statement is a positive sign, although not technically binding on Egyptian governmental policy. A nation that aspires to regional and global leadership such as Egypt cannot afford draconian anti-conversion legislation. Such a basic human right as freedom of religion should not overlooked by other countries when dealing with one another. Such issues are especially important in the Land of the Pharaoh, where authorities have long battled the influence of extremist groups such as the Muslim Brotherhood.
People of all creeds should join together in hope that countries throughout the middle-East reject the path of 15th century theocracy if they truly aspire to modernity. And, nearly as importantly, let us hope that pop hits like "Walk Like an Egyptian" never return to the American top 40.
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