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Ashraf Ramelah – Egypt: Defeated bill releases Coptic parents of potential criminal penalties

It is not surprising that the Egyptian Parliament, which hasn’t quite gotten around to addressing any of the country’s major problems — poverty, inflation, illiteracy, unemployment, organ harvesting, domestic terrorism, and kidnapping/sex trafficking — would think it time to tackle the critical issue of naming newborns.

 

The bill threatens every Egyptian parent

 

The bill was presented by MP Badeer Abd El Aziz to the House of Representatives’ Committee on Suggestions and Complaints proposing a law opposing parents who alienate their newborns by giving them foreign or phony names, i.e., names of non-Arab/Saudi Arabian origin. This indicates that a Christian name like George or Demiana or an Egyptian name like Ramses or Isis would be called into question and most likely rejected as illegal. The bill included a maximum penalty of 2,000 Egyptian pounds and maximum six months jail time for the offending parents.

 

The proposed bill – correct names for newborns  

 

In July 2018, a bill was proposed in the Egyptian parliament to regulate the civil status of newborn babies by assigning strict guidelines to the parents’ choice of names. Consistent with the current 2014 Sharia-leaning constitution, the proposal is in line with a current law (Article of Law No. 143) enacted in 1994 and derived from Egypt’s now defunct 1971 constitution (Sadat’s era).

 

The former 1971 constitution mandates that “your given name at birth must not offend Allah and His Sharia.” Since the roots of Sharia are found in Saudi Arabia, the birthplace of Islam, Egyptian Muslims are proud to be Arab and proud to assume an Arab identity and heritage. So when it comes to Islamic methods of Islamizing the nation, Arabizing is an automatic component. This clause from the former constitution has been lying in wait for just the right moment to pounce into law.

 

Coptic identity under threat for decades as Egypt assumed an Arab identity

 

From the time of Arab-Muslim conquest and occupation, Egypt’s Copts have had to protect their religion and work to preserve a separate and distinct identity — their language, culture and ancestry rooted in Egypt’s ancient past. Egyptians are Copts when their ancestry can be traced back to ancient Egypt (not to Saudi Arabia like the Muslims of Egypt) and their religion is Christian. The indigenous Copts are industrious, entrepreneurial, and major tax-payers. Culturally, they are under threat of being swallowed up by the prevailing culture’s aims to absorb non-Muslims under the umbrella of Arab-Muslim.

 

Throughout modern history, Egyptian Copts have lived under various pressures to become Arab and assume the Arab-Muslim identity – to blend in and take on the Muslim religion and culture. In many ways Copts have. Egypt’s inclination toward an Arab identity became obvious when Nasser changed Egypt’s name from Kingdom of Egypt to the Republic of Egypt and six years later changed it again to United Arab Republic. To outdo Nasser, Sadat then renamed the country Arab Republic of Egypt, which remains today.

 

Coptic Church reaction to the proposed law

 

The absurdity of the proposed law was reflected in the negative reaction of the exasperated Coptic Bishop Rafael (Secretary of the Holy Synod) commenting in social media, “I do not understand what foreign names mean. Is my name considered foreign? Are names like Mina Ahmose and Isis considered foreign? Will the priests be named Arab names such as Abu Ali and Abu Bakr?”

 

Egyptian Copts find the whole matter repugnant and are forced to cope with another attempt to chip away at their identity, no matter how insistent El Aziz has been to the contrary. When challenged by both the church and fellow MP’s, El Aziz back-peddled, stating that the law was meant for Muslims only. But how could it be? Laws and penalties in Egypt are not separated for different populations but apply to all citizens. The implementation of these laws is based on Sharia law which infuses the French civil and criminal court systems adopted under French occupation.

 

Proposed law consistent with Sharia Article 2 of Egypt’s constitution

 

Article 2 of Egypt’s present 2014 constitution proves this with one clause, “Sharia is the main source of legislation.” With this clause, the 2014 constitution paves the way for an Islamic Sharia state no matter how hopeful the country is or ever was for democratic reforms after the uprising of June 30, 2013. El Aziz’s stated purpose is the return to Arabic-Islamic origins — an important Islamic-Sharia principle for Muslims – but it pertains to all citizens because Egypt’s current constitution justifies this goal.

 

Does Egypt desire to be Saudi Arabia?

 

The thin veneer of liberal democracy and human rights presented in Egypt is a modern-day “nuisance” hindering Islamization of the country. Egypt’s ruling class clings to this façade so the West does not surmise Egypt’s deep desire to be Saudi Arabia.

 

The effort by El Aziz is blatant and exposes the intentions of the Islamic deep state to acquire gains for a Sharia eventuality. However, because the intent was so obvious, member support was not with him. The bill burned on a pyre. Rest assured, a Phoenix will rise up from its ashes when the country is focused on another terror attack, which will then allow overt and covert jihad to work in tandem.

 

The Sharia is a growing body of laws

 

Applying to Muslims in every geographical location on earth, the Sharia carries with it the intent to overturn man-made legal systems. It is a growing body of laws composed of regulations derived from the Quran, Hadiths and Sera – the Islamic doctrinal books. Add to that the edicts accumulated throughout the years (and years to come) from the answers by clerics to everyday questions from Muslims about personal items, social manners and private matters, the Sharia’s governance is totalitarian. Penalties are included and can be severe.

 

Essentially, these legal volumes are a tyrannical control system governing over the most trivial matters of life. For decades, Egypt has been advancing in this direction. Egypt’s inability to achieve this has more to do with geo-politics than the will of Egypt’s elite.