My Teenage Life in Egypt

The minarets of this mosque in Cairo are the tall towers. From the top of those towers, speakers send out the call to prayer for Muslims five times a day.

of ancient Egypt and its many gods remained. When Muslim forces con- quered Egypt, most Coptics converted to Islam. The ones who didn’t were allowed to continue practicing their religion, but they had to pay a tax called the jizyah to the government. For the most part, members of the two religions get along well today. In fact, if a Copt greets a Muslim and both say “I’ll see you tomorrow,” each one of themwill reply, “Inshallah.” That means, “If God is willing.” Clothing and Food Egypt’s strong religious beliefs influence the way people dress and act. Both genders usuallywear conservative clothing. Anyone wearing shorts is likely to be a tourist. Women often wear scarves or other form of head covering.

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