Beautiful Egypt 90 – «Will He Rule Us?» January 11, 2015

   In the previous article, we tackled the geographical traits of the Arab Peninsula from two perspectives. We also spoke about the inhabitants’ knowledge of reading and writing. Then, we moved to religion, and dealt with the multiplicity of creeds therein, such as polytheism, monotheism (Hanif), Judaism, and Christianity. We started by tackling polytheism, Totemism and Zoroastrianism. Meanwhile, we shall resume tackling the religious conditions in the Arab Peninsula.

Mandaeism

   It is the worship of planets: whereby people believe that stars influence the universe. Many people in Yemen and the Levant were Mandaic. Yet, this creed was enfeebled after the spread of Judaism and Christianity.

Zandaqa

   Some Arabs were zindiqs. The creed reached them via al-Hirah. Also, some members of Quraysh were zindiqs due to their mixing with Persians through trade.

Other Creeds

Hanif

   Hanifs were called “monotheists”. They refused idolatry, and believed in the Oneness of God, as well as doomsday. This creed spread in Tihamah, al-Yamamah, Mecca, and al-Ta’if.

Judaism

   Judaism spread in the Arab Peninsula, especially in Yemen, Khaybar, Yathripa where Banu Qurayza, Banu Nadir, and Banu Qaynuqa lived. Jews migrated to the Arab Peninsula in two waves.

First: This was after the Babylonian Captivity and destruction of Jerusalem and the temple. This took place in two stages. The first one was in 606 B.C. when Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon marched to Jerusalem, besieged it and pillaged the Temple. He imprisoned some of the nobility and renowned people of Judea, amongst whom was prophet Daniel and his companions. The second one took place in 597 B.C. whereby Jerusalem was also besieged until Nebuchadnezzar came, captured king Jeconiah, his mother, slaves, chiefs, eunuchs, as well as ten thousand people, and all the artisans. He left none but the poor, which made some migrate to Hejaz.

Second: Historians based this stage on the presence of Jewish tribes in Hejaz. In 70 A.D., the Romans sent an army led by Titus to Jerusalem. This army destroyed the Temple. Subsequently, many Jews fled to Hejaz. They settled down in Yathripa, Khaybar, and Tayma’. Thus, Judaism spread amongst Arabs through those migrants. The Jews had a political, economic and strategic importance.

Christianity

   Christianity spread in Najran, Sana’a, and al-Yamamah. It was also spread in al-Hirah and Kufa by the Romans. Yet, some historians ascribe the spreading of Christianity to Ethiopians when they occupied Yemen in 340 A.D. Himjars, then, embraced Christianity after some evangelist had reached it. It is said that Imru’ al-Qays bin Amr (aka. the king of all Arabs) was Christian. Churches were built in Najran, al-Yamamah and Sana’a. Robert G. Hoyland maintains that Christians constituted about 80% of the Arab tribes at that time, while 20% remained pagans. Likewise, inhabitants of Petra (in Jordan) and Tadmur (south western Syria) became Christians. As the Eastern Roman Empire converted to Christianity, Syria became Christian after its people had been idolatrous.

   Some historians maintain that Marcus Julius Philippus (aka. Philip the Arab) the Roman Emperor (244-249 A.D.) was the first Christian Emperor, and that spreading Christianity was one of his bequests. They also claim that he was from Arabia Petraea. He joined the Roman army. He constructed Amman and Hauran. Other historians claim that he allowed freedom of worship during his tenure, though he was not Christian. They believe that, thus, he paved the way for Emperor Constantine to become Christian and make Christianity the Empire’s official religion.

Thus, there was a variety of religions in the Arab Peninsula.

   As we mentioned earlier, trade connected the provinces of the Arab Peninsula, and connected them to Egypt, too. Yet, some historians recounted stories about Amr bin al-‘As’ visits to Alexandria when it was a Roman province. One of these stories tells us incidents which some people believe to be exaggerated, while others accept it. Yet, we shall present it along with some comments.

   During one of his commercial trips, most probably one of the summer trips heading toward Jerusalem with Quraysh, Amr met a Roman deacon who came to pray therein, then to seclude himself in the desert for a while. The deacon passed by Amr during one of his shepherding shifts. He was quite thirsty then, and asked Amr for some water, so Amr gave him some water from his own pot. Then, the deacon fell asleep. At that time, a serpent was about to attack him, but Amr saw it and killed it. When the deacon woke up, he saw the dead serpent. So, he realized he had been in danger, and that God saved him, thanks to Amr who told him he had killed it.

   According to the story, the deacon is said to have kissed Amr’s head and said, “God saved my life through you twice: first, when I was dying of thirst, and second, when that serpent was about to bite me.” Then the deacon asked Amr about the reason for his presence in Jerusalem, so Amr told him it was trade, and that he wanted to earn money in order to buy camels. Then the deacon asked him about a man’s blood money. Amr answered that it was one hundred camels. So, the deacon asked him how much a hundred camels were worth. Amr answered, “One thousand dinars.” Then the deacon asked Amr to go with him to his country in order to pay him two men’s blood money: for he saved him from death twice. Here is the dialogue that took place between them:

Amr: Where do you come from?

The Deacon: Egypt; from a city called Alexandria

Amr: I do not know it; neither have I been there.

Deacon: If you visit it, you will know there is not one like it at all!

   Amr agreed and accompanied the man to Alexandria, after promising him to do what he had pledged. Amr asked his friends’ leave, then headed with the deacon and one of them to Alexandria. When Amr reached Alexandria, saw its splendor, prosperity and people, he said, “Never have I seen such a rich country like Egypt!” His arrival coincided with a great celebration held by the city’s elites. They were playing with a golden ball. Whoever snatched the ball with his sleeves would become king.

   Amr sat with the deacon, wearing a cloak which the deacon gave him during the celebration. It came to pass that while playing, the ball fell into Amr’s sleeve. They were amazed, as they knew that whoever received the ball would become king and rule the country. They said, “This ball never lied to us, except this time. Will this nomad rule us? No way!”

   The deacon paid his debt to Amr, after which the latter returned with his friend to Jerusalem. Thus, Amr got to know Egypt’s entrance and exit. He saw its splendor and wealth.

   One historian commented on this story, saying, “The story does not contradict our information. Quraysh used to conduct commercial trips to the Levant during summer. Amr was one of its members. The summer trip used to take place at its beginning, which coincided with the Jewish Passover and the Christian Easter. As for the deacon’s presence in Jerusalem, it goes in accord with Christians’ visiting Jerusalem and praying there.”

   On the other hand, Al-Akkad commented on the story, saying, “It is a false story. However, the reader can easily identify the contexts of falsehood in it. A modern reader can tell that the story of the ball is not true. He can also tell that the story of the dinars is exaggerated.” He continues, “The only correct point in that story is that it shows how Amr entered Egypt: it is by looking into its conditions, and contemplating its people, government, and architecture. This took place as he was accompanied by a deacon who would have shown him what he would have otherwise not seen in another man’s company. In fact, deacons were the most attentive people to the conflict between the government and the Church, as well as the conflicts amongst the congregation.” Here, al-Akkad alludes to the country’s political condition, as well as the crises that the government threw the Church into, for the country was a Roman province. Likewise, his words are indicative of the oppression and torture which Copts went through by the Melchites and which we tackled beforehand.

   Al-Akkad continues his commentary as follows, “Had Amr got to know Egypt that well from his visit, he would have easily conquered it and with a few sentries and weapons. Yet, this story is not our sole reference for Amr’s visiting Egypt; for al-Kindi recounted how he used to conduct trade with Egypt in like manner he did with Jerusalem and the Levant.” What a story! Stories never end in Beautiful Egypt.

General Bishop

Head of the Coptic Orthodox Cultural Center