Tag Archives: Egypt

The Reforms in Egypt: Farewell Intercourse Law

Instead of working towards limiting poverty, enhancing literacy and moving towards a more democratic state, some of the men of Egypt’s new Islamist-led parliament are busy securing the well-being and happiness of their genitals. No, I’m not kidding.

Even the articles discrediting this as a rumor had to admit that some MPs discussed the proposals.

An Egyptian MP was seen talking about a proposal for something called farewell intercourse. What is that you ask? Well, if you have a sensitive stomach, I advise you to stop reading now. If not, then proceed.

Farewell intercourse allows a man to have sex with his deceased wife, six hours after her death.

The whole idea for this farewell intercourse started with Moroccan cleric Zamzami Abdul Bari who got to the conclusion that is should be allowed. He also figured that women should be allowed to use water bottles, cucumbers and other types of tools in order to seek sexual gratification. No, I’m not kidding as well. He made it into a fatwa.

The story doesn’t end here.

On top of that law, there’s another ratification that might be proposed by the Salafists, which is to let Egyptian men marry 14 year old girls. You know, because their country isn’t already overly populated and overly impoverished and overly illiterate.

Even if this whole thing turns out to be a rumor, which I pray to God it is, you cannot but wonder how such a thing got a hold and stuck with people. It’s a mere reflection of what people think the Egyptian parliament is capable of doing, which is really sad. And if one of those two proposals passes into law (the second one being more probable than the first one, obviously), how will the women of Egypt react?

Odds are there’s not much they can do.

Rest in Peace Pope Shenouda

With Lent halfway through, one of the Christian sects that observe this time of year the most has lost its leader and mentor. The Copts have lost Pope Shenouda today, at an age of 89.

I have met many Copts throughout my life . And what I’ve touched from them all is their deep belonging to their church and their commitment to their faith. In a time when relinquishing such things for the pleasures of life has become a way of life, them clinging to their heritage has always been admirable to me.

Pope Shenouda has had a great deal with the Copts’ attachment to their faith. For a sect that is so heavily persecuted, they do not relent. They do not fear dying for their rights. They do not fear dying to keep their voices high and heard. In a way, the Copts are examplary for the Christians of the East. They are a minority that doesn’t act like one: it’s not subdued, it’s never rendered insignificant and over the past forty years of forced marginalization, they still exist.

They have been the central pillar in the foundation of the country whose name is as it is today because of them. The Copts were an essential part of Egyptian history and are considered by many as the founders of that country. Pope Shenouda was the 117th Pope to preside over them.

It may be because of their resiliency as people and their clinging to their heritage. But the leadership of Pope Shenouda had a great deal to do with the preservation of the Copts in such tumultuous times. Not only did he keep the Coptic church alive, he also expanded it in various countries around the world.

Pope Shenouda had been exiled for defending his people against Egyptian presidents who didn’t think those people deserved to be defended. He let his own health deteriorate to breathe life into his own congregation. He was an advocate for ecumenism (Christian unity) and showed strong commitment to the inter-dialogue of different Christian denominations.

I, as a Lebanese generally and Maronite precisely, am saddened by the passing of such a man. I truly hope his passing is one of the last days of sorrow for the Copts and Christians of Egypt. Pope Shenouda’s departure from this world couldn’t have fallen at a more appropriate time – if there’s ever such a time. Easter is one of the favorite periods of the year for Copts. Pope Shenouda must have been serene knowing he was moving on during his favorite time of the year, smiling, sure that the Church he worked forty years to protect is here to stay.

Rest in peace Pope Shenouda – and to all Copts in the world, may your struggles find their conclusion with the conclusion of his life.

Just an Egyptian Football Game

20120202-124347.jpg

Egyptian football teams have taken their rivalry to a whole new level. In fact, this level that Egyptian football and sports has reached is probably new to mankind. Give it to the Egyptians, still breaking boundaries 4000 years later.

Except unlike the pyramids and other monuments the Egyptians can be proud of, this is something that is of such a magnitude you’d think it’s straight out of a horror movie.
Soon after Egyptian football team Al-Masry won over Al-Ahly (for the record, I had never heard of the former and only heard of the latter because of its constant rivalry with Al Zamalek), the supporters of the former invaded the stadium in celebrations. The fireworks they fired led to a massive fire.

Police were nowhere to be found – probably still busy checking women’s hymens in Tahrir. As a result, over 73 people died because of a football game. Some had been found with stab wounds, obviously murdered.

I am a fan of football but this is not football. This is not sports, this is not something you can politically explain, as some people had suggested as it being a remnant of the former Mubarak regime because, simply put, this will not change the dismal state of politics Egypt has gotten itself into. This is not something you can really describe and find any words to without sounding absolutely cliche.

I’m not sure what measures the current Egyptian authorities will undertake. But if it were me, I’d suspend the whole football premiere league, enforce sanctions on both teams and start hording people left and right in jail.

73 people dead…. One can simply summarize this in one phrase. Football excitement level: Egyptian.

The “Arab Spring”… One Year Later

Yesterday, January 25th, marked the Egyptian revolution’s first anniversary. To celebrate this, millions of Egyptians went to Tahrir to protest the current situation in their country:

The protest in Tahrir on Jan 25, 2012.

Yes, the Egyptians are protesting after a parliamentary elections that birthed a parliament with people like these in power. Thinking about it, though, if one wanted to give an overall description to the “Arab Spring,” the most accurate expression would be: rise of the fundamentalists.

It serves as a catchy Hollywood title, no? Arab Spring: The Rise of the Fundamentalists. I should trademark this. And nothing describes the way it is in Egypt, Tunisia and other countries that protested better than this picture:

A caricature circulating currently in Tunisia

Who cares that Egypt has a soaring poverty rate or that Tunisia has a ridiculously high unemployment average. The first thing the new Egyptian parliament did was not to start serious discussions about the country’s future but to refuse to commit to women rights. Again, who cares about women rights, men rights, children rights, animal rights. Who cares about the Copts getting killed on daily basis because of their faith? What matters is saying no to overly revealing clothing and taking extended naps during parliamentary sessions.

Just some food for thought but perhaps one of the few things keeping the society in Lebanon from absolutely crumbling is the fact that fundamentalism cannot and will not get to power.

Just Some Egyptian Salafis in their First Parliament Session

They say a picture is worth a thousand words… I’m sure most will agree this is worth ten times that:

Sure, they’re not the first politicians caught asleep on the job and they sure won’t be the last. Say all you want about how boring parliamentary sessions may be… but at least be awake for the first parliamentary session after a revolution that changed the path of your country.

I guess you can’t expect much from people whose campaign posters were something along this line. Either way, congrats to Egypt their new parliament, one-sided as it may be. I, for one, will take my time in considering visiting now. Voting people like these to power is a a reflection of the population. Do I want to go to a country where the majority considers me an infidel? I don’t think so.

Too bad though, I really wanted to see the pyramids up and close.