Egypt's Character
by Dr. Na'mat Ahmed Foua'd
This is Egypt's character as Dr. Na'mat Ahmed Foua'd pictured it in her book “Egypt's Character”. She started the book with a dedication that reads;
“To Egypt; her love fills my heart her history lights my way her name honours my name I am an Egyptian from Egypt with Egypt
and for Egypt” A book that plunges into the depths of the Egyptian character through ages. It was written after June 1967 War and rewritten after the October 1973 War.
Dr. Foua'd's book delves into the soul of Egypt, its civilization and history. The book which falls into six chapters begins with the moulding of Egypt as “geographic genius”. The main features are summarized below:
Dr. Foua'd wrote her book “Egypt's Character” first in 1968 after June 1967 War. Then, when our forces destroyed Barliv Line along the Suez Canal and achieved the great victory in October 1973 War, she rewrote her book and augmented it to become a short history of Egypt.
Her book “Egypt's Character” is a journey in the depths of the Egyptian people's mighty character, and their uninterrupted contribution to civilization whether in ascendance or in decline. Egypt has maintained its character throughout countless generations by means of her art, science and indomitable spirit.
A Geographical Uniqueness
Egypt is the heart of the world geographically and its mecca historically and culturally. The Egyptian man has harmonized with place and time before history and thousands of years before the building of the pyramids. The Nile had played a great role in uniting the Egyptian people and taught the Egyptians religion.
The Pharaos used to pray to God, pleading that they had never interrupt the passage of a canal, broke the irrigation system or ruined agricultural lands.
They considered themselves happy because they suffered the flood that made Egypt fertile.
An Organic Relationship
There has been a substantial relationship between the Nile and the Egyptians since old times. It taught them mathematics and measurement; they established observatories, barriers and embankments. Pottery, painting and myths were all inspired by the Nile. It was the Nile which taught the Egyptians astronomy, irrigation systems and cities planning and management.
The First to Know Agriculture
The author highlights the fact that Egypt had known farming since the Stone Age. The inhabitants of Marmadet Bani Salama and Fayyoum were the first farmers in history. Farming taught the Egyptians patience, stability, spiritual comfort, freeing from fear and finding the right way to God the Beneficent and the Creator. Egypt is the land of values and religions and the Egyptians are tender and compassionate.
Due to its close relation to agriculture, Egypt had the world oldest geological and mineral map of the region situated between Qaft and Qusir. The Egyptians loved their lands that they cultivated and settled in. Hence, they drew up this map that showed the locations of vallies, wells and gold mines. A tribute is paid to the Egyptians for laying the basis of geology and extracting minerals and using them in industry. The Egyptians learned from agriculture how to make an axe, scythe, winnow, shadoof, hatchet and curettes.
Egyptians also got to know how to dry crops and manufacture boats, furniture and statues, the most famous of which is the statue of Sheikh al-Balad. In addition, the Egyptians learned the industry of extracting linen and castor-oil and using oils in food and medical purposes. Agriculture as well taught them perfume industry, mumificatin, tanning, dyeing and textile and weapons manifacturing. Agriculture inspired the Egyptians to lay the basis of medicine.
A Religious Civilization
Under the title “Egypt; a Civilization Style”, Dr. Foua'd said that Egypt's civilization is basically religious coated with faith. Besides, the essence of the Egyptian mind is building and construction. The cohesion the Egyptian feels springs from his affiliation to a big family, “Egypt”. As the nature of the thinking of the Egyptian people encourages integration rather than conflict, unity and integration are a characteristic of the Egyptian personality. Hence, emerged “the nation”; a civilized and cultured country not a mere state governed by the sword but a state based on laws with a bent for building.
The author maintains that there is no other civilization honoured women as Egypt did. Egypt made goddesses out of women; goddess “Sashat” for architecture, writing and archives, goddess “Ma'at” for justice and rights, goddess “Hathur” for art and mercy and goddess “Isis” the ideal of motherhood and faithfulness. Woman is the keeper of the house which is the base of civilization.
Dr. Foua'd describs the Egyptian civilization as “the civilization of the peaceful soul”. Peaceful because it is rich, confident in itself and happy to belong to Egypt.
She added that Egypt's civilizational achievements are a continuous, coherent and accurate work of different shapes and purposes. One of the ancient Egyptians sayings found on their temples reads: “Be always hardworkers, work more than thou art ordered to, do not waste any time without working, for he who wastes his time is detested. Never miss a chance, one day, to increase thy wealth; work brings wealth and wealth does not last if work is neglected.”
Love.. and Work
The Egyptian monuments spread all over Egypt are evidence that the ancient Egyptians were obssessed with the idea of work. They translated their love to Egypt into work and a philosophy of life.
Moreover, Egypt's civilization was a religious one as it was preoccupied with the meaning of existence. Diurant said that Egypt's contribution to civilization included the development of agriculture, mining, industry and engineering. Egypt was, most probably, the inventor of glass and linen textile. It also excelled in manufacturing garments, jewelry, furniture and houses. He added that the Egyptians are the first to establish an organized government, that spread peace and security all over the country, the first to establish a system for mail, census and education and the first to introduce technical education to prepare employees and managers. The Egyptians promoted writings, arts, sciences and medicine. In addition, they are, as far as we know, the first to lay down a definite constitution for both the individual and public conscience, to call for social justice, monogamy and monotheism. Besides, they were the first to write in philosophy and upgrade architecture and sclupture. They promoted arts to a high degree of excellence and accuracy that no nation had ever reached and was rarely matched by any that came after.
Death.. The Point of Perfection
The auther then talks about how Egypt surmounted ordeals through pride and endurance and defeated death through belief in immortality and civilization. The ancient Egyptians loved life and used to avoid uttering the word “death” in their speech, instead they said “crossed to the other world”, “brought the ship to anchor” or “travelled alive”, referring to the dead.
Death to the ancient Egyptians was an ascent to heaven not a descent to the under world; it is the point of perfection not the end. Hence, they did not close the eyes of the dead and their coffin was embraced by a holy presence.
Its cover embodies “Nout” the goddess of heaven spreading out her arms as wings praying for mercy, and speedy ascending to the vast heavens. Thus, emerged the idea of immortality which is behind Egypt's civilization with all its arts and sciences such as mumification, which does not believe in death as an end even of the body.
Egypt and Religions
Under the title “Egypt and Religions” the author wrote that Egypt before religions, 14 centuries before the birth of the Christ, pictured God as “incomparable in His characteristics”.
Akhnaton was the one who paved the way for many of religion advancements. Bresteed described the improvement introduced by Akhnaton as a far-reaching transformation not less significant than the conversion from paganism into Christianity and even more extensive than the conversion from Christianity to Islam.
The Egyptian civilization has heralded Christianity and Islam. Noticing its very minute features in art and thinking, one realizes the unity of creation and a full sense of the universe. Martain said in his book about school philosophy that “the Egyptian art is a prophecy of Christianity”. Egypt's faith in Christianity than Islam was not the result of subordination or weakness but strong character, unafraid of any thing new because what she had already possessed was great and deeply-rooted. Such character was full of generosity, liability for progress and flexibility to understand and listen to the other opinion. The Egyptian civilization is the great base for divine religions.
The Obelisk and the Minaret
In this context, Dr. Foua'd mentions that all arts professors who saw Sultan Hassan Mosque agreed on the fact that it belongs to the Pharaonic art even though it is an Islamic monument. She says that the dome is the Islamic translation of the pyramid and the minaret is the Islamic version of the obelisk. Inside every minaret there is an obelisk in shape and soul.
The coexistence of religions in Egypt best mainfested in the innovation of monasticism in Christianity and laying the bases of mysticism in Islam. For monasticism is the mysticism of Christianity and mysticism is the monasticism of Islam.
The Source of Ecclesiastic Legislation
The author elaborately wrote about the introduction of Christianity then Islam to Egypt and how Egypt received them. Christianity in Egypt was the first source of theology and monasticism. Though Christianity was not originated in Egypt, Egypt carried on its sublime message. Thanks to Egypt Christianity was introduced to Abyssinia in the 4th Century AD. History repeated itself later with Islam which Egypt introduced to Africa. Furthermore, Egypt's copts spread Christianity in South France, Belgium and Switzerland. Both Rome, the centre of western civilization and Constantinople, the centre of eastern civilization took many of the teachings of Christianity from Egypt. Egypt, the Christian, then, had a spiritual influence to the extent that it used to send bishops to neighbouring countries. Moreover, Egypt, in spite of its affiliation to the Romans during the earlier centuries of Christianity, was the source of ecclesiastic legislation of the Christian world. These legislations still exist up till now in Latin and Greek.
Egypt, also, spread monasticism with its Egyptian features worldwide. Egypt, under Christianity, had many other achievements. In sciences it introduced most of the medical terms and the Coptic calculation in astronomy. It has defined festivals and fasting times to the whole Christian world.
In addition, it presented to the world the oldest coptic translation of the Holy Book, and the symbol of peace, as diseminated in the coptic stories, in the hoisting of the flag demanding security. Egypt's ecclesiastic music is the oldest musical school known to the world.
Egypt under Islam was not separate from its character that was formed throughout ages. Egypt's Copts built the first mihrab (prayer niche) in Islam. The dome and minaret are also Egyptian as well as the decorations on papers, wood, leather of books and buildings. Furthermore, the Arabs got help from Egypt's Copts; el-Waleid asked their help in building Damascus Mosque, al-Aqsa Mosque and the Caliph Palace. The Egyptians have rebuilt the Kaaba in al-Zaher Bebars, Ottomans and Muhammad Ali eras as well as in the modern age. As the Egyptians both Copts and Muslims upgraded the Islamic art during the Fatimid era, such as Sultan Hasan Mosque and School, it is said that the Coptic art is originally considered part of the Islamic art in general and the Egyptian Islamic art in particular.
Pioneer... Under Islam
Egypt under Islam was a pioneer. The Islamic fleet was built by the Egyptians. Hence, Islam was introduced to the eastern basin of the Mediterranean. Egypt's copts were the commanders of the Islamic ships at al-Sawari battle where the Muslims defeated the Byzantinians. It is in Egypt that the bases of mysticism were laid and its most important theories and scientists appeared. Egypt preceded all Muslim countries in collecting and writing down Hadith on papyrus. Egypt has numerous monuments that expresses the influence of its character on its Islam.
Literature and Arts
In the fourth chapter, the author talks about Egypt's arts, literature, photography, sclupture, plastic arts and music. She explained how Egypt's character prevailed its arts and literature during the Pharaonic, Christian and Islamic ages. Egypt is the source of the short story and the owner of the first philosophical research, the first play in the world's literature “Manf” (displayed in London Museum). Egypt also presented the literature of sarcasam, biographies, journeys and songs. The world's writers consider the story of “Senouhi” as the masterpiece of international literature.
The translation of the Holy Book is Egypt's basic literary work during the Christian era. When Islam was introduced to Egypt, intellectual centres and distinguished scientists increased, it produced encyclopedias and biographies.
In Egypt, other than the rest of the Islamic world, books were divided, classified and were objective.
Egypt's literature belongs to a literary rhetorical school parallel to the eastern verbal rhetorical school. Egypt had a great role in the development of Arab literature. It had its own style in Arabic poetry.
The Pyramid.. Symbol of Firmness and Strength
Under the title “facts we are keen on”, Dr. Foua'd assures that the pyramid is not a symbol of servitude but a symbol of firmness, endurance and stability in the Egyptian character.
It is unreasonable to say that the pyramids were built by enslavement that can never create a true unique art. Inscriptions on the walls of the pyramids and Egyptian temples show happiness and melodies that rarely exist in any other art. The author refutes the saying that the avidity of invadors on Egypt is an evidence of the submission of the Egyptian people. “This saying was spread by the colonialist among the Egyptian people so as to give up resistance and stop seeking independence” explained Dr. Na'mat.
A Rare Degree of Coherence
Dr. Foua'd refutes the claims of some biased people who claim that the features of the ancient Egyptian civilization prove that its builders are not Egyptians. “They aim at throwing doubt about the origin of the Egyptian people” said Dr. Foua'd. However, the truth affirmed by researchers is that Egypt did not receive, at any time of its history, large numbers of emigrants to the extent that would dominate its life, eradicate its previous features of urbanity and radically change the characteristics of its inhabitants as happened to some other countries that have bounty of shepherds. However, most of the Arab emigrants to Egypt returned to their original homelands and some took from Egypt a passage to the west.
The majority of Muslims in Egypt were not invadors but Copts in origin that gradually converted to Islam. Their conversion to Islam did not affect their composition.
The general character of the Egyptians was formed and shaped before there were Copts or Muslims. Egypt's civilization is a pure Egyptian civilization that did not depend on others as other civilizations did.
Dr. Foua'd concludes its book saying that the Egyptian people is a true religious people that did not know fanaticism in religion and bloody civil strife. There is a strong coherence between both its Muslims and Copts.
Print this page 
Mail this page 