Egyptian Muslims standing up for Egyptian Coptic Christians, I hope one day Nigerians Muslims or Christians will do same.

http://english.ahram.org.eg/News/3365.aspx

[size=18pt]Egypt's Muslims attend Coptic Christmas mass, serving as "human shields" [/size]

Egypt’s majority Muslim population stuck to its word Thursday night. What had been a promise of solidarity to the weary Coptic community, was honoured, when thousands of Muslims showed up at Coptic Christmas eve mass services in churches around the country and at candle light vigils held outside.
From the well-known to the unknown, Muslims had offered their bodies as “human shields” for last night’s mass, making a pledge to collectively fight the threat of Islamic militants and towards an Egypt free from sectarian strife.

“We either live together, or we die together,” was the sloganeering genius of Mohamed El-Sawy, a Muslim arts tycoon whose cultural centre distributed flyers at churches in Cairo Thursday night, and who has been credited with first floating the “human shield” idea.

Among those shields were movie stars Adel Imam and Yousra, popular Muslim televangelist and preacher Amr Khaled, the two sons of President Hosni Mubarak, and thousands of citizens who have said they consider the attack one on Egypt as a whole.

“This is not about us and them,” said Dalia Mustafa, a student who attended mass at Virgin Mary Church on Maraashly Street. “We are one. This was an attack on Egypt as a whole, and I am standing with the Copts because the only way things will change in this country is if we come together.”

In the days following the brutal attack on Saints Church in Alexandria, which left 21 dead on New Year’ eve, solidarity between Muslims and Copts has seen an unprecedented peak. Millions of Egyptians changed their Facebook profile pictures to the image of a cross within a crescent – the symbol of an “Egypt for All”. Around the city, banners went up calling for unity, and depicting mosques and churches, crosses and crescents, together as one.

The attack has rocked a nation that is no stranger to acts of terror, against all of Muslims, Copts and Jews. In January of last year, on the eve of Coptic Christmas, a drive-by shooting in the southern town of Nag Hammadi killed eight Copts as they were leaving Church following mass. In 2004 and 2005, bombings in the Red Sea resorts of Taba and Sharm El-Sheikh claimed over 100 lives, and in the late 90’s, Islamic militants executed a series of bombings and massacres that left dozens dead.

This attack though comes after a series of more recent incidents that have left Egyptians feeling left out in the cold by a government meant to protect them.

Last summer, 28-year-old businessman Khaled Said was beaten to death by police, also in Alexandria, causing a local and international uproar. Around his death, there have been numerous other reports of police brutality, random arrests and torture.

Last year was also witness to a ruthless parliamentary election process in which the government’s security apparatus and thugs seemed to spiral out of control. The result, aside from injuries and deaths, was a sweeping win by the ruling party thanks to its own carefully-orchestrated campaign that included vote-rigging, corruption and widespread violence. The opposition was essentially annihilated. And just days before the elections, Copts - who make up 10 percent of the population - were once again the subject of persecution, when a government moratorium on construction of a Christian community centre resulted in clashes between police and protestors. Two people were left dead and over 100 were detained, facing sentences of up to life in jail.

The economic woes of a country that favours the rich have only exacerbated the frustration of a population of 80 million whose majority struggle each day to survive. Accounts of thefts, drugs, and violence have surged in recent years, and the chorus of voices of discontent has continued to grow.

The terror attack that struck the country on New Year’s eve is in many ways a final straw – a breaking point, not just for the Coptic community, but for Muslims as well, who too feel marginalized, oppressed, and overlooked by a government that fails to address their needs. On this Coptic Christmas eve, the solidarity was not just one of religion, but of a desperate and collective plea for a better life and a government with accountability.

When Nig is fully rebranded we wil hav such,so let al join hands to rebrand instead of REBOMB, GOD BLES NIG

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They are basically the same people. The fact that they practice different religions is the problem. This is similar to the Yoruba population. They have both Christians & Muslims. Just like the Egyptian people have both Christian and Muslims. Normally there is peace amongst these two religions in Egypt.

That is far different from what occurs in Nigeria.

Nice !!!! we need that happening in Naija and all over the world.Muslims they have set a good example to follow.

Wow!! This is a first! I've been in Egypt twice and I must say I was impressed by the character and friendliness of the people. Nice!! Northern Nigerian muslims and even Christains have lots to learn from this. Muslims in the south (Yoruba and Edo) are very capable of this.

Akhenaten:

They are basically the same people. The fact that they practice different religions is the problem. This is similar to the Yoruba population. They have both Christians & Muslims. Just like the Egyptian people have both Christian and Muslims. Normally there is peace amongst these two religions in Egypt.

That is far different from what occurs in Nigeria.

Your argument might sound logical but it isn't.

I am an Igbo guy and I did my NYSC at Sokoto State. I met some Muslims and Northerners with a different perspective; I interacted effectively with them Religion-wise, Politics-wise, NigerDelta-wise, and other topics on individual aspirations. To be candid, any time I chose to go out of my corps members lodge, there is an Hausa man readily available to assist me with a lift - twice I was conveyed to my destination by an Imam(with very big gemu).

Inasmuch as we do have our difference in tribe, religion, education, etc, all we need to do is to find a common meeting point. This point is the future. The future that defines how we see ourselves, how we choose to move forward, how we see our children interact with each other.

This issue goes beyond the Nigerian borders, it is in ECOWAS, the division looks like the iron curtain - Christian South and Muslims North. A solution is needed and Egypt is ahead in developing it. All we need is to stand up as well so that we can redefine our future.

Nigerian muslims (xcludin the southern ones) don't have a mind of their own. Cant take a stand for a cause (besides stoning a woman in public), can't embrace education, can't embrace common sense. They have to be led like malus and given instructions on what to do all the time.

See una mate for Egypt, who are closer to Mohammed than y'all will ever be making more sense than y'all will ever have

. interesting, i experienced d same unity this last break that my fiance and i went for a friend's wedding in Kogi state Ayingba idah L/G to be precise. muslims women with their ijab on their head entered church with us, did everything we did in d church. i was so impressed that i was forced to talk to d groom about it, he made me to understand tht they ar all relatives, that dey dont fight, dat if they have anything to do in d mosque too, dey will go with them. dat is d kind of unity we need in dis country

not an huasa moslem

The situation in the Muslim world today is that of growing extremism. Muslims in Egypt and Northern Nigeria can take a cue from the Yorubas where everyone is allowed to follow his thoughts either as a Christian, Muslim, Ifa worshiper or atheist and celebrate each others religious festivals happily together (Xmas, Illeya, Osun Oshogbo etc). The Egyptian Coptic Christians are Arabs just like the Muslims, same applies to Iraq and other middle eastern countries.

It is appalling to see lawyers and people in Pakistan celebrating the murder of a Governor by his 'trusted' bodyguard over his comments that blasphemy laws targeted at minorities (mostly Ahmadiyya Muslim Community) should be reviewed.
What the Egyptians have done is a good development, Muslims and Christians need to stand up fo each other and confront extremism frontally.

Impressive.This is my hope for Nigeria.

mafolayomi:

. interesting, i experienced d same unity this last break that my fiance and i went for a friend's[b] wedding in Kogi state Ayingba idah L/G to be precise. [/b]muslims women with their ijab on their head entered church with us, did everything we did in d church. i was so impressed that i was forced to talk to d groom about it, he made me to understand tht they ar all relatives, that dey dont fight, dat if they have anything to do in d mosque too, dey will go with them. dat is d kind of unity we need in dis country

Likely to be yoruba muslims and that is likely to be a yoruba local government.

Thats what u get when people are averagely educated as against d institutiniazation of illetracy as a state police through religion expecially in d North. We need more of lamido sanusi and complete eradication of the likes of sani yerima in d north snc thats d way we can replicate what d egyptian muslems did here in Nigeria. Almajiri system of education shld be abolished since it does nt make its graduands economicaly viable, it encorages laziness and entrench poverty and derails thiere thought proccesses, thats y they are easily manipulated by the educated rich politicians among them who inturn combined both formal and islamic education at d same time but deny their people d same education and tag it a HARAM using religion to becloud their reasonings and use them to forment trouble and die for them while they are meant to be alife and enjoy d good things of life. Education will be very pivotal to our attaining to d high sense of civility as displayed by Egyptians. Thats comendable but our nothern politician will nvr champion dis noble course rather will exploit their peoples ignorance. I HOPE WE GET THEIR SOMEDAY.

byrron:

Almajiri system of education shld be abolished since it does nt make its graduands economicaly viable, it encorages laziness and entrench poverty and derails thiere thought proccesses, thats y they are easily manipulated by the educated rich politicians among them who inturn combined both formal and islamic education at d same time but deny their people d same education and tag it a HARAM using religion to becloud their reasonings and use them to forment trouble and die for them while they are meant to be alife and enjoy d good things of life. Education will be very pivotal to our attaining to d high sense of civility as displayed by Egyptians. Thats comendable but our nothern politician will nvr champion dis noble course rather will exploit their peoples ignorance. I HOPE WE GET THEIR SOMEDAY.

I supported initially the plans by GEJ to establish Almajiri integrated schools, but on a second thought I think it will turn to a breeding ground for terrorism just like the madrasas in Pakistan that groomed the Taleban fundamentalist group.
A situation where you have an all boys school paid for by the FG with Islamic scholars coming from different areas and countries to impact western education and Islamic studies without mixing it up with Christian youths and females could be a time bomb because the kids could get easily radicalised and be used as canon fodders to foment more trouble in the North and Nigeria.
The Hausa are not more knowlegible than the Yorubas in Islamic studies lai-lai, the only entrench the Almajiri educational system as a political tool to protect the interest of their own children who will takeover the reins of leadership from themselves. How come people like Atiku, Buhari, IBB, Ciroma are not telling us how they will eradicate Almajiri and illiteracy in the Northern citizens?

Guyman02:

I supported initially the plans by GEJ to establish Almajiri integrated schools, but on a second thought I think it will turn to a breeding ground for terrorism just like the madrasas in Pakistan that groomed the Taleban fundamentalist group.
A situation where you have an all boys school paid for by the FG with Islamic scholars coming from different areas and countries to impact western education and Islamic studies without mixing it up with Christian youths and females could be a time bomb because the kids could get easily radicalised and be used as canon fodders to foment more trouble in the North and Nigeria.
The Hausa are not more knowlegible than the Yorubas in Islamic studies lai-lai, the only entrench the Almajiri educational system as a political tool to protect the interest of their own children who will takeover the reins of leadership from themselves. How come people like Atiku, Buhari, IBB, Ciroma are not telling us how they will eradicate Almajiri and illiteracy in the Northern citizens?

Yawns! Huh! did anyone hear the buzzing of a flie ? ?