Wednesday, March 21, 2007

Is This What the Egyptian Government Wants?

In a post dated 27 January 2007, entitled "ID Cards in Egypt: Yet Another Unusual Statement," and subtitled "Ministry of Interior Instructs Egyptian Citizens to Lie," the deputy minister of interior Essam el-Deen Bahgat When asked how the Baha'i matter should be dealt with, he responded by stating "we will enter the religion of the father whether he was Christian or Muslim in the religion section for the Baha'i applicants. If he [she] refuses, then we will not issue an ID card, and he will have to deal with the consequences."

If we follow the logic of the Egyptian government's official stand in its attempt to force the Baha'is to lie about their true religious identity and register themselves--for example--as Muslims, one wonders what the outcome could be!

As an exercise, let us assume that the Baha'is in Egypt do lie about their identity as they have been instructed by their government--even though the Baha'is would normally refrain from such an admission--the following partial list will illustrate the possible consequences of such a scenario:

1) Any Egyptian Baha'i man (with Muslim ID) can marry a Muslim woman, even though Shari'ah Islamic law forbids this possibility.
2) Any Egyptian Baha'i can be buried in a Muslim cemetery.
3) Any Egyptian Baha'i can have equal access to job opportunities--even in preference over Egyptian Christians.
4) Any Egyptian Baha'i can attend university and even graduate with the highest grades (normally reserved to Muslim students).
5) Any Egyptian Baha'i can obtain a birth certificate for his or her newborn child.
6) Any Egyptian Baha'i can be easily granted a death certificate so that his or her "Baha'i" family can receive their inheritance.
7) Any Egyptian Baha'i can receive inheritance from a Muslim parent.
8) Any Egyptian Baha'i can open a bank account.
9) Any Egyptian Baha'i can purchase or sell a property.
10) Any Egyptian Baha'i can obtain a driver's license.
11) Any Egyptian Baha'i can obtain a passport and travel the world freely.
12) Any Egyptian Baha'i can obtain a military draft number and serve in the armed forces.
13) Any Egyptian Baha'i can be considered for high-level government, academic, industrial, commercial, professional job, or any other highly sought after employment.
14) Any Egyptian Baha'i can teach in any public school or university.
15) Any Egyptian Baha'i child can be vaccinated and can receive all kinds of social services.
16) Any Egyptian Baha'i can be treated in a public hospital.
17) Any Egyptian Baha'i can receive social services, cost of living allowances and pension.
The list goes on....

Is this what the Egyptian government wants?

On the other hand, based on Egypt's constitution, aren't all these privileges the right of every Egyptian citizen regardless of his or her religion, belief, ethnic background, colour or creed?

10 comments:

  1. Suppose that this happened:

    1) Any Egyptian Baha'i man (with Muslim ID) can marry a Muslim woman,
    2) Any Egyptian Baha'i can be buried in a Muslim cemetery.
    7) Any Egyptian Baha'i can receive inheritance from a Muslim parent.
    14) Any Egyptian Baha'i can teach in any public school or university.

    There would be an outcry from the Brotherhood, Al-azhar and the government. Scandal! What to do...?

    Of course, the solution they will then propose will be to mark "Bahai" on the identity cards so that the Bahais cannot marry Muslim women, teach in schools and get influential positions in society.

    How stupid they are.

    Let there be one law for all, one citizenship for all

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  2. Actually this has nothing to do with the level of intelligence...it is about prejudice and dogma!

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  3. Thank you Marco...same wishes to you....

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  4. Suppose this happened:
    An Egyptian Baha'i is stopped by traffic police for routine inspection. He is asked to produce his driver's license. He does. The police asks him for his ID card. The Egyptian Baha'i does not have one and explains that the government does not allow him to have this mandatory document. The police then confiscates the driver's license, and impounds his car. What is the Egyptian Baha'i to do without his license and without his car - and he has not done anything wrong?

    The Egyptian authorities would probably expect this Baha'i to recant his Faith as a result of daily pressures. The outcome the authorities appear to want is for Baha'is to become Muslim in name, even though they confess to a totally different religion (not heavenly according to the supreme justice, so let us say a different belief). And then "hell bound" Baha'is in the eyes of the government would appear as Muslims and no one would know the difference between a Baha'i and a Muslim. So the government indirectly is applying a Baha'i principle, that of the Oneness of Religion, since other religions would be recognized as part of Islam!

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  5. They just need to follow the examples put forth by the rest of the civilized world...as illustrated in the recent developments in Vietnam, and the respect and appreciation shown in the United Kingdom. Surely these countries cannot be all misguided and wrong! Let alone the rest of the world having had done the same and demonstrated its recognition and admiration for this nascent Faith.

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  6. you now i agree that the Bahais should not be related to islam because they are "Kafara"

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  7. Baha'is are not Muslims, just like Christians are not Muslims and Jews are not Muslims. The Baha'i Faith is an independent world religion recognized by all nations in the free world as such. Geographically, it is the second-most widespread religion in the world after Christianity. Thank you for your interest.

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  8. Judaism and Christianity was true
    Religions with true messengers they lead to Islam
    But bahaiya is a fake religion Invented by a fake man.
    And you are lying about the spread of
    The bahaiya !!!! any one with a brain
    Won't accept it.

    ReplyDelete
  9. It is not up to us "human beings" to judge what is true and what is not true. It is up to GOD to make that judgement. Please note that the source of the data is not me, but is according to the 1992 Encyclopaedia Britannica Book of the Year, which states: the Bahá'í Faith is established in 205 sovereign countries and dependent territories. Please refer to this post for details and links. I would greatly appreciate it that you do not call me names or attack me personally, but rather discuss the points at hand with reason, open mind, understanding and civility. Thank you for your input

    ReplyDelete

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