"Christians in Egypt face some problems but they are not facing persecution," said Habib.

By Samer Elatrash, Ahmed Atta, IOL Staff

CAIRO, November 23, 2005 (IslamOnline.net) – There should be no fears over the record political gains made by the Muslim Brotherhood in the first and second round of parliamentary elections as their platform serves both Muslims and Christians alike, a Christian analyst said on Wednesday, November 23.

"Their political program is not against non Muslim groups but they are reflecting a conservative political agenda which considers religion as a core value in our culture," Rafiq Samuel Habib said in an IslamOnline.net's question and answer session.

"…They are respecting Christians and believe that it is very important to give them the right of worship and believing because protecting religion is a core element in their political agenda. It is an attempt to preserve the conservative values which Christians believe in," Habib said in English.

Habib had told IOL in an interview over the phone that that the ruling National Democratic Party (NDP) made a bugaboo out of the Brotherhood.

"Raising fears about the Muslim Brotherhood has been part of the National Democratic Party's strategy to face the serious challenge posed by group," he said.

A chorus of analysts have recently demanded the United States and the European Union to listen to and talk with the Muslim Brotherhood in Arab countries, saying that the West should now recognize the faulty policy of giving the cold shoulder to a more representative current.

They stressed that Arab regimes play the fear card to head off mounting reform pressures.

Winning 34 seats in the first phase of the legislative polls, the Muslim Brotherhood emerged as the frontrunner in the second round, grabbing 13 other seats.

Forty-one other MB candidates are also contesting a run-off Saturday, November 26, out of a total 59 candidates named by the group in the second round.

"Golden Age"

In response to concerns that the Muslim Brotherhood would restrict religious freedoms, Habib said that "Egyptian Christians will live a Golden Age under the Muslim Brotherhood" which would allow Christians freedom to practice their religion.

He faulted the successive Egyptian regimes for not doing enough to heal a rift between both sides, which was created by a series of incidents.

"In this situation the regime did not try to solve this problem but in most cases it took the side of Muslims and in other cases it took the side of Christians and in all the cases it was defending itself even thought it is badly affecting the relation between Christians and Muslims," he said.

Habib further warned that secularism would tear at the social fabric of Egyptian society.

"The demand of establishing a secular state in Egypt are against our cultural value system because we are a religious society in which religion organizes the whole social and public system," he said emphatically.

Senior Brotherhood leader Esam El-Aryan told IOL Tuesday that the group supported Coptic candidates in the parliamentary elections, either by abstaining from fielding candidates or withdrawing from constituencies where Christians are running.

"The Copts are our partners and enjoy as equal rights and duties as Muslims and have the right to run for parliamentary polls and ministerial and public posts," he said.

No Persecution  

Habib further told IOL's visitors that Christians were not being discriminated against in Egypt as promulgated by Copts in the United States.

"Christians in Egypt face some problems but they are not facing persecution because this is a planned and institutionalized hatred action which is not the case here," he said.

"The general circumstances of Christians whether social, economic or educational show that they are achieving normal position in Egypt and many of them are successful professionals and businessmen which means that they are not facing planned persecution."

Last week a conference held by Copts in the US claimed that Christians in Egypt were facing systematic discrimination.

The claims were rejected by prominent Coptic leaders in Egypt, who said that the expatriates were in no position to assess the homeland's problems.

They said the gathering should have discussed social woes facing Egyptians, Muslims and Christians alike, if they had had the intentions to see a prosperous Egypt. (Click to read the live dialogue in full)