Author Description

The Egyptian identity has been influenced by both time and space. Time means history, where four layers of civilizations have accumulated: the Paranoiac, the Greco-Roman, the Coptic and the Islamic. Perhaps Egypt is the only country in the world that has this accumulative civilization, rich by diversity and pluralism. By space i.e. geographical position, Egypt lies in the heart of the Arab world, overlooks the Mediterranean and is an important part of Africa. This gives Egypt three geographical pillars. Those seven Pillars (historical and geographical) are documented and summarized in this book. One can find them in every single Egyptian in one form or the other, but with varying degrees. Islamic fundamentalists hang onto the Islamic and Arab identity. Coptic fundamentalists, on the other hand, hang on to the Paranoiac and Christian identity. This makes Egypt culturally different from its neighbors in the Arab and Islamic worlds.