“They invited me and my kids, and I was surprised. They laid the table out on the street with no difference between sheikhs, Christians or Muslims – they pulled everyone to the table to break their fast,” said Tarek Ali, a Muslim resident.
Christians in Egypt are organizing daily Ramadan meals at sunset for their Muslim neighbours, even though they have suffered persecution from jihadists, who particularly encourage jihad attack and martyrdom during the Islamic holy month. On Ramadan eve in Egypt, more than two dozen Christians were murdered in a bus on the way to a monastery.
The spirit of Christianity is one of peace, love, forgiveness and turning the other cheek, as demonstrated by these Christian Copts in Egypt despite the widespread jihad violence against them, committed in the name of Islam. The appreciation of the benevolent Christian gesture by the Muslim locals being served also possibly shows that at least some Muslims are willing to live in harmony with Christians, although they may simply have accepted it as their due, since the Qur’an mandates that the People of the Book must pay a tax to Muslims (9:29). Should these Muslims have genuine good will toward the Christians and publicly decry their persecution, they, too, would be persecuted and silenced by members of the Muslim Brotherhood and the Islamic State.
“Christians in Egypt Make Meals for Muslims During Ramadan Despite ISIS Violence”, Christian Post, July 21, 2017:
In a display of communal solidarity defying the sectarian violence of Islamist militants, Egyptian Christians in Cairo organize daily meals for Muslim neighbors who must fast from dawn to dusk during their holy month of Ramadan.
Such intercommunal meals are held every year in Egypt, whose Copts are the largest Christian minority in the Middle East. But they took on more resonance this year after a spate of Islamic State attacks on Copts meant to stoke sectarian divisions.
Dawoud Riyad, a middle-aged Christian man, set up tables in a street near his Cairo home last week, serving free home-cooked meals to hungry passersby when it was time for them to break their fast for the Iftar evening meal.
“They invited me and my kids, and I was surprised. They laid the table out on the street with no difference between sheikhs, Christians or Muslims – they pulled everyone to the table to break their fast,” said Tarek Ali, a Muslim resident.
Several Christian families in Riyad’s area pitch in daily to provide the food and drink in what he calls an effort to unite people of different faiths during a holy time of year. Copts make up about 10 percent of Egypt’s 92 million people.
“We all live in the same square, we’re all brothers and friends, I’ve raised this man’s son (alongside my own son) and he’s Muslim,” Riyad said, pointing to a neighbor.
Ramadan this year began on May 26 and ends on Saturday.
Recent Islamic State assaults on Coptic Christians in Egypt have sparked fears of a provincial insurgency in the making…..
Sog says
Copts are Super-christian. We can all learn from them.
RichardL says
Copts are not more Christian than others – their Christianity is simply different. One has to have lived among them to understand them. I have never heard an Egyptian Christian say I am a Copt, a Catholic or any other denomination. They see themyelves as Christian.
Their attitude towards their muslim neighbours and oppressors is a weird mix: they fear them, the try to love their neighbours, and they see themselves as Egyptians. They will not see the end that will come soon – just like the Jews in Germany who also defined themselves as Germans and also belonged to the upper strata of society.
My heart bleeds for them.
rabrooks says
Yes this is messed up. On one hand this is the right thing to do. On the other hand this is what dhimmitude demands. get exterminated and still serve your mudslime masters.
Does any one remember mad-mo’s last lamb leg special served up by a raped/enslaved jewess?
rabrooks says
Justice…….
Gea says
the copts had been dhimmis under Islam for centuries and are hoping to surivve! FOOLS!
StacyGirl says
What can we learn from them? Martyrdom. Copts in Egypt are trying to survive.
commonsense says
Some of those local Muslims accepting the Copts’ offers of food are probably aware of the terms of the Pact of Umar, supposedly made with local Christians after they were attacked and defeated by Muslims in the time of Umar, the second of the “Rightly Guided” Caliphs. Those Christians agreed to a variety of humiliations in order to keep their lives and religion, and this pact is the template for the dhimma, or “pact of protection.” One of the pact’s provisions calls for Christians (also extended to Jews, and others considered “People of the Book”) to provide food and lodging for Muslims passersby for up to three days. So there were probably some Muslims at this event who felt that they were entitled to these free Christian-provided meals, and the Christians’ generosity and hospitality would, by these Muslims, be interpreted as an affirmation of Christian dhimmitude.
Rickytee says
EXACTLY Commonsense – you have written precisely that!
Joe says
I hope hey put a whole lot of bacon into the meals!
Rickytee says
Haha! Now that’s a thought!
John A. Marre says
Do you think that very many Muslims will be heartened by the show of selfless love and adhere to the religion that inspires it?
Flavius Claudius Iulianus says
“… with willing submission, and feel themselves subdued.”
Nothing Christian about this; it’s pure Mohammadism.
salim says
I don’t know where they learned this from, the West perhaps? As they never did anything like this back in the 1950s/ 1960s, when Muslims were relatively civilised and peaceful. The Copts are a sizeable minority in Egypt (about 10% of the population) but with no say at a. now compare that to 3% Muslims of Britain!
I hate to say this but those who don’t stand up for their rights don’t deserve them.
The Copts where still the majority in Egypt up to four centuries ago. It is this kind of attitude that deprived them from their country.
Back in the 1960s, the Egyptian radio used to broadcast the Sunday Christians’ prayers from the cathedral (just as it broadcasted the Fridays Muslim prayers). The irony the Copts didn’t like the secular government of the time, which was a very popular government!
Pong says
They can share a meal, prepared by the christians as a good will gesture and talk like good neighbors about those terrible jews, who make nice moslems to kill the copts. Good neighbors always have something in common.
Dara Smythe says
HUH?!
Lydia says
I do not know enough about the tradition of ramadan to say whether or not this constitutes as participation in their religious activities.
But with that said, suppose it did not constitute involvement. Suppose it could be looked at just as simply as helping out someone in need like a person who got stranded someplace, or trapped, their car broke down, etc. I know that they have willingly imposed the hunger upon themselves and were it not for the fast, they would not be hungry and it is not like being hungry due to poverty or something like that. But again, if one of them were to visit you, and you were to offer them food, that is not a crime according to my religion. Some will say that this is bending over backwards, or equivalent to paying that fine, but they may not have anything like that in mind. Again, to keep it simple, let’s just suppose this was a case of helping someone who got stranded in the middle of nowhere or something like that. In that case, yes. It is our duty if we are a Christian to help people. I know some will say we are fueling our enemies and will pay for it later. But, it is more complicated than that. And I don’t mean in a way of hoping that the kindness will be reciprocated even.
Here is the deal. If we are Christians, we have duties as disciples of Jesus to do what He commanded us. Anyone who is not aware of this fact needs to reread their Bibles. Jesus told us to: Love our enemies, do good to those who persecute us, pray for them, and all these things. There was no fine print about ‘unless they are really bad and try to kill you’ or something like that. Isn’t that what an enemy does?! Of course. But the beauty of this is that there are spiritual principles at work here. I have read of many Christian martyrs who were persecuted and killed and they never hurled an angry fist at their persecutors, they never reviled them, they never wished anything bad on them. They truly exhibited unconditional love and saintly behavior until their dying breath, and the Lord sustained them throughout the ordeal as well. They went out singing praises to the Lord, rather than railing angry fists at their ‘enemies.’ What happened? Sure, they were martyred and went on to their crowns of glory in heaven for their testimony. But, surrounding them, others got saved. It sometimes happened right away that they ‘saw the light,’ or sometime shortly thereafter. If you read Foxe’s Book of Martyrs (get the updated edition) by John Foxe, you will see this pattern in history. There are some deep things at work with all of this.
“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven.” Matthew 5; 43-45
“But I say to you who hear: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, and pray for those who spitefully use you. To him who strikes you on the one cheek, offer the other also.” Luke 6; 27-29
“Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men. If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord. Therefore
“If your enemy is hungry, feed him;
If he is thirsty, give him a drink;
For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head.”
Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” Romans 12; 17-21
“Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.” 1 Peter 3; 9
This is what we are called to do. It is contrary to the flesh and only possible if one is truly surrendered to the Holy Spirit. Many persecutors have become Christians in this way. Paul the Apostle was but one of many examples. If you read in Acts in the New Testament, you will see how it happened. Paul used to persecute the early church in Jerusalem, and then after conversion was the single biggest builder of the church in the Mediterranean region! He was martyred later also, as the other apostles were. We see the example of Stephen in Acts 7, and he totally follows in the footsteps of Christ at the crucifixion at his death. Both prayed the same prayer. When Jesus was arrested, he did not resist or fight back in any way. In fact, in the gospel of Luke we see that the mob arresting Him came with swords. Peter struck an ear of one of the mob of the arresting army. Jesus healed the man’s ear, and this man was coming to arrest Him and lead Him to the cross. He knew all of this as He prophesied it often but the disciples just didn’t get it until later.
“And when they were come to the place, which is called Calvary, there they crucified him, and the malefactors, one on the right hand, and the other on the left. Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.”
Luke 23; 33-34
Many Christian martyrs have gone out this same way. It is not a sign of defeat but the contrary. It is impossible for the mind ‘of the flesh’ to understand it, you need the mind of the Spirit. It is not ‘fatalism’ or running towards defeat. The early Christians were martyred all over the landscape and went out in this same way. But it is Christianity that has left its mark all over the planet and blessed the world with these principles of love and forgiveness.
“Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.” Luke 23; 34
I will follow Jesus!
Love to you! ( :
WW3 says
This is true Christian living. That’s why many disciples could not follow him and said, “this is hard teaching who can accept it?” He goes on to say, “The Spirit gives life the flesh counts for nothing.” Islam is all flesh. There is no Spirit. People want to react in the flesh- Jesus teaches/showed us to wage war differently. These Christians are trying to do what Jesus said. Regardless even of their faith; when no one will help- who can blame them for trying to save themselves and their families and doing it peacefully. We should honor that. We have no right to judge these persecuted people. suport them- http://www.persecution.com
Liz says
True. But I don’t also believe that God intends that Muslims can wipe out clean Christians from the surface of the earth, and we just go sheepishly. There is place for spiritual warfare. It is fought not with AK 45 or knives and bombs, it is fought on the knees. This Islamic extremism starts from the spiritual. While we do good, we also war in the spirit against forces of darkness and spiritual wickedness hindering the spread of the gospel.
Keys says
Lydia-
Don’t forget:
“There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.”
“I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.”
p says
Very Stupid: If ANY muslim gets sick for ANY reason, they will say poison and come back and kill Their whole family. l.
This is NOT “God Speed”
Lawrence says
This is pathetic dhimmitude. Nothing more, nothing less. They are like the liberal Jews, fawning and grovelling before those who hate us. Scared stiff. I understand their fear, but this fawning will not stop Muslim violence. Against anybody.
carol says
In a Christian spirit one may correctly aid a seemingly evil person who IS actually starving, (since this would be a reflection of spontaneous, continued faith and compassion), but my opinion is that when an ideology has terminal gut rot it is best to simply stand aside and let its followers wallow in their own ditch. as it is not within your mandate to “lead them to the Light”. This gesture to those who actually gorge themselves during “fasting” days shortly after symbolically (or not-so-symbolically) slaughtering your brethren sends out the WRONG signal and thus should not be done. It is misguided virtue-signalling akin to that of Islam itself.
a persecuted Christian says
I am a Christian who formerly lived in the Middle East . I do not condone what the Copts did , hosting the meals or celebrating the dinner feasts in Ramadan. I do however find some excuse for their behavior. The are outnumbered and oppressed, they do not know any better.
I still believe that they should not have participated in these events. Some serious discussions and accountability of the atrocious events should take place instead of cuddling .
The Middle East always lived in denial