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Egyptâ€™s Young Turn to Islamic Fervor

zzzz · 2008-02-17T00:06:27+00:00

In reply to: [hr]With 60 percent of the regionâ€™s population under the age of 25, this youthful religious fervor has enormous implications for the Middle East. More than ever, Islam has become the cornerstone of identity, replacing other, failed ideologies: Arabism, socialism, nationalism ...In Egypt, where the people have always been religious and conservative, young people are now far more observant and strict in their interpretation of their faith. A generation ago, for example, few young women covered their heads, and few Egyptian men made it a practice to go to the mosque for the five daily prayers. Now the hijab, a scarf that covers the hair and neck, is nearly universal, and mosques are filled throughout the day with young men, and often their fathers. ...In 1986, there was one mosque for every 6,031 Egyptians, according to government statistics. By 2005, there was one mosque for every 745 people â€” and the population has nearly doubled. ...Across the Middle East, marriage is not only the key to adulthood but also a religious obligation, which only adds to the pressure â€” and the guilt. ...But marriage is so expensive now, the system is collapsing in many communities. Diane Singerman, a professor at American University, said that a 1999 survey found that marriage in Egypt cost about $6,000, 11 times annual household expenditures per capita. Five years later, a study found the price had jumped 25 percent more. In other words, a groom and his father in the poorest segment of society had to save their total income for eight years to afford a wedding, she reported. The result is delayed marriages across the region. ...â€œIt brings us closer to God, in a sense,â€ Mr. Faragallah said, speaking of the despair he felt during the years he searched for work. â€œBut sometimes, I can see how it does not make you closer to God, but pushes you toward terrorism. Practically, it killed my ambition. I canâ€™t think of a future.â€ [hr] NYT:The Link