Baha'i Faith in Egypt, The

A Baha’i Faith community has been present in Egypt since the early foundations of the religion. As of 2012, they numbered roughly 2,000.[1] The Baha’i Faith was founded in 19^th century Iran by Mirza Hosayn-Ali Nuri Baha’ullah (d. 1892) and developed from Babism, an Iranian messianic movement, and Shi’a Shaikhism. Baha’is acknowledge numerous prophets, including Muhammad, Jesus, Krishna, Buddha, and Baha’ullah. The Baha’i Faith is monotheistic and universalist, recognizing the truth claims of other religious traditions. Followers believe in progressive revelation, such that each age has its prophet and revelations specific to that time. Both Sunni and Shi’a Muslims consider Baha’is to be heretical, often leading to tense relations with other Muslims in Muslim-majority nations. It is an international faith, with small communities in most countries.

Iranian Baha’is travelled to Egypt as early as 1868, where they proselytized among Egyptian Christians and Sunni Muslims. Baha’ullah’s son and successor, ‘Abdul-Baha ‘Abbas, formed a friendship with Islamic reformist Muhammad ‘Abduh while both were in exile, ‘Abdul Baha an Iranian exile in the Ottoman Empire and ‘Abduh an Egyptian exile in Beirut. Later, ‘Abdul-Baha would himself travel to Egypt. By 1900, small communities of Iranian Baha’is and Egyptian converts were scattered across Egypt. However, tensions between Baha’is and members of other faiths led to the deportation of Iranian Baha’is and from time to time Baha’is and their property were targeted with violence.

Tensions deepened in 1960 with the passage of Law No. 263 under Gamal ‘Abdel Nasser, which granted official government recognition only to Islam, Christianity, and Judaism. This effectively stripped organizational rights from all who would identify otherwise, with particular impact on Baha’is. The law barred members of other faiths, or those who professed atheism, from acquiring official government documents such as birth and marriage certificates, and forced the closure of Baha’i temples and government confiscation of Baha’i property.

Baha’i rights were further complicated with the inclusion of Article 2 of the constitution in 1971, declaring Islamic law to be the source of Egyptian legislation. As such, any religion not recognized as legitimate by Islamic scholars cannot be recognized by the state. In 2008, the Court of Administrative Justice ruled that the Ministry of Interior must issue identification cards to Baha’is with the caveat that “religion” is left blank, justified by Egyptian constitutional protections for freedom of religion.

Institutional and societal discrimination continues. While Baha’is can obtain identity cards, they face obstacles in registering marriages and inheritance, opening bank accounts, starting businesses, and the state does not recognize Baha’i religious law. The Egyptian government fails to adequately prosecute those who harass, threaten or commit violent acts against Egyptian Baha’is.

The Baha’i community was wary of the political rise of the Muslim Brotherhood, some of whose members publicly made negative or derogatory comments towards Baha’is, and there were concerns that the 2008 identification card ruling would be undone. Ultimately, the Egyptian Baha’i community continues to struggle for basic religious freedoms in a nation where many—including those in positions of power—regard the Baha’i Faith as a heretical movement that receives limited protections by the constitution.

Sources:

Mustafa Kamel Al-Sayyid, “Rule of Law, Ideology, and Human Rights in Egyptian Courts,” The Rule of Law, Islam, and Constitutional Politics in Egypt and Iran, eds. Said Amir Arjomand and Nathan Brown (Albany: SUNY Press, 2013), pp. 211-232.

Oliver Scharbrodt, Islam and the Baha’i Faith: A Comparative study of Muhammad ‘Abduh and ‘Abdul-Baha ‘Abbas (New York: Routledge, 2008).

Robert H. Stockman, The Baha’i Faith: A Guide for the Perplexed (New York: Bloomsbury Academic, 2013).