By Imran Hosein:
"Egypt is in a state of transition and it behoves Egyptians – Christians as well as Muslims – to seek to know the destination to which political change is taking them. Coptic Christians believe that Egypt, the land to which Nabi ‘Isa and his mother Mariam (‘alaihima al-Salām) were brought when they fled the Holy Land, has a special eschatological role to play when Nabi ‘Isa is to return. Muslims share with Christians the belief in that momentous messianic return with which history will end. Will Egyptian Muslims and Coptic Christians now seek to build a common ground with which to jointly resist those who are hell-bent on attacking not only Iran and Pakistan, but also Egypt as well? Egyptian Muslims must be reminded of the blessed Prophet’s advice regarding Muslim-Christian relations in Egypt:
“ 'When you conquer Egypt be good to the Coptic (Christians) for they are your kith and kin.' (al-Baghawy, al-Tabarani, al-Hakim as narrated by K’ab bin Malik)
"Both Islamic as well as Christian scholarship in Egypt should seek to discern the direction in which history is moving so that they can both pursue an effort for penetrating and understanding the reality which now confronts them.
"This essay is presented to facilitate that effort."
