The Egyptian People 59Religion
If you do not understand the basic beliefs of Islam and
the important effect religion has on the life and actions
of all Egyptians, I firmly believe you are destined to never
understand anything that goes on around you in Egypt. I
say this even though there are some six to seven million
Coptic Christians living in Egypt. It is estimated that 94–96
per cent of the population of Egypt is Muslim, therefore
much of the government and everyday life of all Egyptians
(as well as foreign residents) are affected by this important
aspect of life.
The word Islam means ‘having peace with God’ or
‘submission to God’. A Muslim is a follower of Islam. Do not
confuse the term Muslim with the term Arab—they are not
synonymous. Muslims inhabit all parts of the globe and may or
may not be Arab. An Arab may be a Muslim, a Christian, a Jew
or an atheist. Allah is the Arabic word for God. When people
invoke the name of Allah, it is often stated as follows: ‘In the
name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Beneficent’. This is also
the phrase you will see printed in Arabic at the beginning of
many letters or publications in the Islamic world.
The Qur’an (also spelled Koran), or holy book of Islam,
represents the literal word of God as revealed to the Prophet
Muhammad (peace be upon him) through the Archangel
Gabriel. When the name of the Prophet Muhammad is
said or written, it is customarily followed by the phrase