Shortly before midnight, I returned from the Community Market and "The District" community office space in Maadi. I had met interesting people there and had great talks. Before the metro would stop running, however, I had to get home to Dokki. On the way, I grabbed something to eat: Dolma - filled eggplants, zucchini and bell peppers. The tree guys from the small street restaurant were smiling at me as I was trying out my bits and pieces of Egyptian Arabic. One of them had a dark-brown mark on his forehaed, which is typically worn by religious people who want to show off how hard they pray when they bend over and let their head rub the floor... He asked where I was from and asked me what I was doing in Egypt. I told him, I was German and came to Egypt, because believe, that there should be more dialgue between Europe, North America and the MENA region. I want to learn about Egypt. He replied that Egyptians know everything about us.
I: "How?"
He: "We have two sources: 1. family members who live abroad who share their experiences; and 2. from the Holy Qur'an."
I: "The Qur'an tells you about Germans?"
He: "Yes, it telly us about all peoples: Christians, Jews, Romans,... Everything is in there. Also all inventions that were and will be made."
I: "Also the TV?"
He: "Yes, everything! Maybe you should read it!"
I: "Maybe I should."
He: "In shaAllah!"
Now, let's not confuse this attitude with Islam in general. I have not heard this argument from other people in the streets before, even though I know it from my studies. But like a Christian or any other member of some ideology, one still has an individual choice of the specific interpretation one holds true. What does it tell about a persons worldview if one believes that not only essentially, but also peripherally (e.g. the invention of TV) nothing has changed over 300 years and that nothing new will happen, as everything is already foretold and static... How can such a person be convinced of social change to serve needs that presuambly do not change over centuries...?
This experience reminded me of a friend who said that currently the greatest threat to the Egyptian revolution is the attitude of many member s of the Muslim Brotherhood to know everything better. They feel to be right in every regard and want to attain the majority in every committee. Convincing all sides to come together in peace to discuss the future of the country on a level playing field is a major task at the moment. Creating safe spaces for dialogue, exchange, listening, hearing and cooperation is probably the major need when it comes to contiuing the revolutionary transformation of the country. Otherwise, the Brotherhood might simply take over in all aspects of political life and just becomes another dicatorship.
I: "How?"
He: "We have two sources: 1. family members who live abroad who share their experiences; and 2. from the Holy Qur'an."
I: "The Qur'an tells you about Germans?"
He: "Yes, it telly us about all peoples: Christians, Jews, Romans,... Everything is in there. Also all inventions that were and will be made."
I: "Also the TV?"
He: "Yes, everything! Maybe you should read it!"
I: "Maybe I should."
He: "In shaAllah!"
Now, let's not confuse this attitude with Islam in general. I have not heard this argument from other people in the streets before, even though I know it from my studies. But like a Christian or any other member of some ideology, one still has an individual choice of the specific interpretation one holds true. What does it tell about a persons worldview if one believes that not only essentially, but also peripherally (e.g. the invention of TV) nothing has changed over 300 years and that nothing new will happen, as everything is already foretold and static... How can such a person be convinced of social change to serve needs that presuambly do not change over centuries...?
This experience reminded me of a friend who said that currently the greatest threat to the Egyptian revolution is the attitude of many member s of the Muslim Brotherhood to know everything better. They feel to be right in every regard and want to attain the majority in every committee. Convincing all sides to come together in peace to discuss the future of the country on a level playing field is a major task at the moment. Creating safe spaces for dialogue, exchange, listening, hearing and cooperation is probably the major need when it comes to contiuing the revolutionary transformation of the country. Otherwise, the Brotherhood might simply take over in all aspects of political life and just becomes another dicatorship.
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