Is Egypt Truly Arab?

Daily News Egypt

28-05-2025

Is Egypt truly Arab? At first glance, the question seems simple. Yet at its core, it is complex and profound, reflecting a long legacy of cultural, political, and social intersections. Identity is not a national ID card or a slogan raised above institutions; it is an accumulated outcome of successive cultural and societal layers. Just as a person cannot be reduced to their name, Egypt cannot be reduced to a mere geographical or linguistic label.
Throughout its history, Egypt has undergone multiple identity transformations. What makes it unique, however, is that it has never been fully absorbed into any foreign identity. Take Pharaonic civilization, for example. Despite its grandeur, it revolved around the concept of the 'return of the soul,' where science and technology served a deeply spiritual doctrine.
Then came the Greek civilization. The Greeks introduced the notion of 'reasoning' into Egyptian thought, enhancing its geometry, logic, and philosophy. This marked a major shift from revering myth to revering intellect.
Under successive occupations, Roman, Arab, Ottoman, and British, Egypt was, more often than not, a province within a larger empire. During these times, identity was rarely a pressing issue, as Egyptians were part of a broader imperial whole, blurring the sense of national identity.
The contours of Egyptian identity began to crystallize with the birth of the modern state under Muhammad Ali. For the first time, Egypt shifted from a subordinate province to a relatively autonomous entity. Egyptians were called upon to participate in building a nation, through education, labor, and agriculture, and this gave rise to a sense of national identity.
The Egyptian Revolution of 1919 marked a turning point. For the first time, a clear national discourse emerged, built around the idea of 'pure Egyptian-ness.' This deeply rooted the concept of the 'Egyptian nation' in popular consciousness.
Later, during the 1950s and 1960s, Arab nationalism flourished. But at its core, it was more of a political project than a cultural identity. It originated in the Levant, particularly among secular Christian thinkers, who sought to construct an alternative identity to counter Ottoman dominance and neutralize religion in politics.
In Egypt, Arab nationalism was less a natural expression of identity and more a political tool used by President Gamal Abdel Nasser in his confrontations with the West. It was a strategic umbrella aimed at countering initiatives like the Baghdad Pact, a dream of Egyptian imperial leadership over Arabic-speaking countries.
Arab nationalism was not rooted in Egyptian soil. Rather, it was a political mask the state wore for a time to serve geopolitical interests. If it had been a genuine cultural project, why did it stop at language? Why didn't it encompass the distinct social and economic characteristics that define each Arab country?
The truth is that Egypt cannot be confined to a single identity. Defining Egypt solely as Arab is a gross oversimplification of its rich and multilayered essence. Egypt is not only an Arab country; it is also African, Middle Eastern, Mediterranean, Islamic, Christian, Pharaonic, and modern. It is all of these things at once, yet none alone defines it completely.
What best reflects the genius of the Egyptian character is its ability to absorb all incoming cultures and produce its own unique version of each. Just as Egypt introduced a moderate model of Islam, it also crafted a colloquial dialect that blends classical Arabic with local vernacular.
Egypt is the only country in the world that overlooks Africa through Nubia, Asia through the Sinai Peninsula, Europe through Alexandria, and the Arab Desert through its oases. It is a rare intersection point of cultures, geography, and history. The great Egyptian thinker Gamal Hamdan once wrote: 'Egypt, in its net composition, is half European, one-third Asian, and one-sixth African.' This statement encapsulates the complex reality of Egypt's hybrid identity.
I believe Egypt needs no qualifying descriptors that diminish its stature. It does not require labels that confine it to being 'Arab' or 'Islamic' or any such limited classification. Egypt is simply Egypt. Just as we do not refer to France as the 'European Secular Catholic French Republic,' or to the United States as the 'English Protestant Capitalist Western American Republic,' we need not call Egypt the 'Arab African Middle Eastern Mediterranean Islamic Christian Egyptian Republic.'
Egypt is Egypt, no more, no less. It is a central pivot in the heart of the world, transcending narrow definitions and proving that its true identity lies in its ability to encompass diversity without losing itself.
Dr Ramy Galal is an Egyptian senator, writer, and academic specializing in public management and cultural policies. He has authored studies on cultural diplomacy, the orange economy, and restructuring Egypt's cultural institutions.
Galal holds a PHD degree from Alexandria University, a master's degree from the University of London, and Diploma From the University of Chile.
A former adviser and spokesperson for Egypt's Ministry of Planning. He was also the spokesperson for the Egyptian Opposition Coalition.