My Teenage Life in Egypt

E G Y P T

Egyptian Culture

L ike many countries in the Middle East, Egypt’s culture is deeply affected by Islam. The vastmajority of Egyptians practice the religion of Islam, and it is the country’s official religion. While estimates vary, the most commonly accepted figure is that Muslims comprise about 85-90 cul- ture of the population. Egypt is dotted with mosques, which are Muslim places of worship. The adhan , or call to prayer, occurs five times a day and regulates the pace of Egyptian daily life. Cairo is nicknamed “the city of 1,000 minarets ,” reflecting how important Islam is. Islam’s importance is further reflected in the country’s constitution. Any new laws must conform to Sharia, or Islamic law. The constitution also extends freedomof religion to the three religions associated with the Biblical prophet Abraham. These are Islam, Christianity, and Judaism. The Copts Nearly all the Egyptians who aren’t Muslims belong to the Coptic Ortho- dox branch of Christianity. It arose in the first century CE and eventually became the dominant religion in Egypt. By then, no traces of the religion

Words to Understand minarets  high slender towers situated next to a mosque. A muezzin issues the adhan from a balcony.

3 0