The attack against the Church of Saints in Alexandria, Egypt, on December 31 last, shows in an increasing harsh light the growth of Christianophobia in the Islamic world (and beyond). It is important to denounce this violence, but also to find practical steps to counter it. First, the facts: Muslims accuse the Egyptian Coptic Church and Patriarch Shenouda III of holding two women who converted to Islam captive against their will in convents in Egypt.
This accusation, which is completely false, was repeated on the very same day of the attack on December 31. In the mosque 200 metres from the church attacked at midnight, following his imam’s sermon, there was a demonstration of Muslims calling for the release of these two women and all others. This story has been dragging on for four years.
It claims that the two women, Wafa Constantine and Camelia Shehata, who are married to two priests, had marital problems, that they then converted to Islam and were kidnapped and hidden by the Church. It is true that the women had marital problems, but it is not true that they converted. In fact the late leader of Al-Azhar, Tantawi, decreed that there is no evidence of their conversion.
The two women were then brought to the Church, who for fear of their possible kidnapping by Islamist movements, gave them refuge in convents. But the story keeps coming back to the surface. Even after the attack on the Syrian Catholic church in Baghdad on October 31 last year, the group that claimed responsibility for the terrorist act, cited the case of these two women, to justify attacks against Christians in Egypt. All of this is absurd.
On Jan 8, I participated in an online forum of an Islamic newspaper, al-Mesreyya, discussing the attack on the church in Alexandria. Instead of expressing their condolences for the Christian victims, their horror at the attack, etc.. everyone — at least 60 comments — said that “it is the Copts’ fault,” and cited the story of the two women; that the attack on the church was organized by Copts themselves “to make us look bad in front of the rest of the world”; or something that was organized by the US and Mossad.
I posted a short comment, but it was not published. In the few lines I wrote, I asked what right is there to force a conversion? Conversions are not stifled in Egypt, that is, conversion to Islam is facilitated but those from Islam to another religion are strongly hindered. Some analysts warn against attempts by the West to exploit all this violence against Christians.
In fact, however, in many European countries, Muslims continue to increase their demands, presenting them as their “rights”; they do unusual things and nobody says anything. For example, in France and Italy, Friday Muslim prayer takes place in public spaces, on the streets, blocking traffic. Islam in Europe is becoming increasing by demanding and governments do not know how to react to it; some impede integration; the relationship between governments and Muslim immigrants is among the most difficult.
Of course, the vast majority of Muslims want peace, want to integrate, but among them there are people who have another project: we in Europe have the right to have our law, Shariah, and you prevent us from having this. A few years ago in Milan, the head of the Viale Jenner mosque, responding to a questions about conversions to Christianity in Egypt said, “you simply have to apply the law”, which means the death of those who have converted.
And if you condemn the application of the law then you are holding back our freedom of religion. This position is creating problems in France, Italy, Sweden, etc. .. For this reason, some European countries are beginning to say “enough”. There is the growing realization that something must be done. The episode in Alexandria in Egypt is an act against religious freedom. But Muslims in the name of Syariah, are not able to understand the value of human rights. Human rights must come before all tradition and all laws, even syariah.
— By Fr Samir Khalil Samir, SJ Herald Malaysia
