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minarets in Cairo. Islam

is the official religion in Egypt.

Religion in Egypt controls many aspects of social life and is endorsed by law. The state religion of

Sunni Muslim (estimated to be 75-90% of the population), with the next largest religious group being Coptic Orthodox Christians (with estimates ranging from 10-25%^{[note 1]}).^[1] exact numbers are subject to controversy, with Christians alleging that they have been systemically under-counted in existing censuses.^[2]

Religion in Egypt (2019)

Islam (official) (90.3%)

Christianity (9.6%)

Other (0.1%)

Egypt hosts two major religious institutions.

Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria established in the middle of the 1st century by Saint Mark

.

In Egypt,

language.^[4]

In 2002, under the

Mubarak government, Coptic Christmas (January 7) was recognized as an official holiday,^[5] though Christians complain of being minimally represented in law enforcement, state security and public office, and of being discriminated against in the workforce on the basis of their religion.^[6]^[7]

Demographics

In 2010, based on the contested 2006 Census data, estimated that 94.9% of Egyptians are Muslims, 5.1% are Christians, and less than 1% are Jewish, Buddhists, or other religions. The share of Christians in the Egyptian population has according to official statistics been declining with the highest share reported in the past century being in 1927, when the official census put the percentage of Egyptian Christians at 8.3%. In each of the seven subsequent censuses, the percentage shrank, ending at 5.7% in 1996.[8]

However, most Christians refuted these figures, claiming they have been under-counted. Christians maintain that they represent up to 15 or even 25% of the Egyptian population.

Washington Institute for Near East Policy.^[17]

Recent self-identification surveys put the Christian percentage at around 10%, as found by Afrobarometer in 2016 (which estimated the country to be 10.3% Christian and 89.4% Muslim)^[18] and by Arab Barometer in 2019 (which estimated it to be 9.6% Christian and 90.3% Muslim).^[7]

According to 2015 estimation figures from the

Ismaili community range from 800,000 to about two to three million members.^[30]^[31]^[32]

Most Egyptian Christians belong to the native

Greek Orthodox Church of Alexandria (an Eastern Orthodox Church) has around 350,000^[24] adherents. The most recent declarations, made by Pope Shenouda III and bishop Morkos of Shubra in 2008, claimed that the number of Orthodox Christians in Egypt was over 12 million. Other estimates made by church officials put this number at 16 million.^[2] The Coptic Orthodox Church claimed that these figures are based on regularly updated membership records.^[34] Protestant churches claim a membership of about 300,000 Egyptians,^[35] and the Coptic Catholic Church is estimated to have similar membership figures.^[26]^[27]

These figures would put the percentage of Christians in Egypt between 10% and 20% of the total population.

There is a small but historically significant non-immigrant population of the Baháʼí Faith, with estimates in 2008 placing the number at around 2,000 people,^[4] along with a far smaller community of Jews, with an estimated 13 adherents in 2014 (down from 80,000 prior to the 1953 dissolution of the monarchy and persecution during the decades long Arab–Israeli conflict).^[36]

A varying number of Egyptians will openly identify as

agnostic, since public expressions of irreligion risk harassment and legal sanctions; most sources estimate the number of Egyptian atheists who openly identify as such to be in the millions, see Atheism and agnosticism

below.

Freedom of religion and human rights

Islamic State of Iraq and Syria. Contempt or blasphemy against a religion can be charged under section 98 (f) of the Egyptian Penal Code. Conversion from Islam to any other faith is not recognized officially, though issues have also occurred for those converting to Islam.^[37] The government also discriminates against Islamic religious minority groups, most notably Shi'a Muslims, who face open official discrimination, including being barred from admission to Al-Azhar University.^{[citation needed}

]

In 2006 Egypt's

Supreme Administrative Court made a clear legal distinction between "recognized religions" (i.e., Islam, Christianity, and Judaism) and all other religious beliefs. This ruling effectively delegitimizes and forbids practice of all but the three Abrahamic religions,^[38] and made it necessary for non-Abrahamic religious communities to either commit perjury or be denied Egyptian identification cards (see Egyptian identification card controversy), until a 2008 Cairo court case ruled that unrecognized religious minorities may obtain birth certificates and identification documents, so long as they omit their religion on court documents.^[39]

Restrictions on conversion

While freedom of religion is guaranteed by the Egyptian constitution, according to Human Rights Watch, "Egyptians are able to convert to Islam generally without difficulty, but Muslims who convert to Christianity face difficulties in getting new identity papers and some have been arrested for allegedly forging such documents.^[40] The Coptic community, however, takes pains to prevent conversions from Christianity to Islam due to the ease with which Christians can often become Muslim.^[41] Public officials, being conservative themselves, intensify the complexity of the legal procedures required to recognize the religion change as required by law. Security agencies will sometimes claim that such conversions from Islam to Christianity (or occasionally vice versa) may stir social unrest, and thereby justify themselves in wrongfully detaining the subjects, insisting that they are simply taking steps to prevent likely social troubles from happening.^[42] In 2007, a Cairo administrative court denied 45 citizens the right to obtain identity papers documenting their reversion to Christianity after converting to Islam.^[43] However, in February 2008 the Supreme Administrative Court overturned the decision, allowing 12 citizens who had reverted to Christianity to re-list their religion on identity cards,^[44]^[45] but they will specify that they had adopted Islam for a brief period of time.^[46]

Marriage

Egyptian state laws allow Muslim men to marry Christian or Jewish women but do not allow Christian or Jewish men to marry Muslim women.^[47]^[48]

Relations with the Coptic minority

Coptic Christians, being the largest religious minority in Egypt, are the most negatively affected by possibly discriminatory legislation. Copts in Egypt have faced increasing marginalization since the 1952 coup d'état led by Gamal Abdel Nasser.^[49]^[50] Until recently, the Christians in Egypt were required to obtain presidential approval for even minor repairs in churches. Although the law was eased in 2005 by handing down the authority of approval to the governors, Copts continue to face many obstacles in building new churches. These obstacles are not as much in building mosques.^[4]^[51]^[52]

El Kosheh attacks, In which Muslims and Christians were involved in bloody, inter-religious clashes following a dispute between a Muslim and a Christian. "Twenty Christians and one Muslim were killed after violence broke out in the town of el-Kosheh, 440 kilometres (275 miles) south of Cairo."^[54] In 2005, in Kafr Salama village, Sharqiya governorate, an altercation between a Muslim and a Christian resulted in the death of the Muslim. Muslim villagers later attacked the Abu Sifin Church and several Christian homes and looted several shops before the authorities restored order.^[53] In 2006, one person, described by police as drunk and mad, attacked three churches in Alexandria, leaving one dead and from 5 to 16 injured, although the attacker was not linked to any organisation.^[55]^[53]^[56] On January 7, 2010, Muslim gunmen open fire on Christian worshipers leaving a church in Nag Hammadi resulting in the murder of nine Coptic Christians.^[57]

On January 1, 2011, at least 21 people were killed and 83 injured when a car bomb exploded outside a Coptic Christian church in Alexandria.^[58] On 7 May 2011, a church was burnt down in Cairo.^[59] Then on October 14, 2012 in the absence of security officials 2 Muslims from a group were killed after they tried to kidnap a woman from a Christian family.^[60]

In January 2013 when the Muslim Brotherhood was in power, Christian nonprofit organization Open Doors ranked Egypt as the 25th most difficult place to be a Christian, on their annual World Watch List.^[61]

Religions in Egypt

Recognized religions

Islam

Islam has been the

orders.^[28] Egypt hosts the most important Sunni institution in the world, Al-Azhar University. It is the oldest Islamic institution of higher studies (founded around 970 CE

), and is considered by many to be the oldest extant university in the world.

The Shia Ismaili caliphate of the

Fatimids

made Egypt their center, and made Cairo their capital. Egypt's various social groups and classes apply Islam differently in their daily lives. The literate theologians of Al-Azhar generally reject the popular version of Islam practised by religious preachers and peasants in the countryside, which is heavily Sufi-influenced. Sufism has flourished in Egypt since Islam was first adopted. Most upper- and middle-class Muslims believed either that religious expression is a private matter for each individual or that Islam should play a more dominant role in public life. Islamic religious revival movements, whose appeal cuts across class lines, have been present in most cities and in many villages for a long time.

According to the

Fatwā

judgements on Islamic issues.

Scholars estimate that Shia Muslims comprise 1 percent of the population. There are very small numbers of Dawoodi Bohra Muslims, Ahmadi Muslims, and expatriate members of various groups in Egypt^[63]

Christianity

Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria. Egyptian Christians are the largest Christian community in the Middle East by raw number of adherents.^[64]

The

Pope of the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria, attests to Egypt's strong Christian heritage. It has a followers of approximately 30 million Christians worldwide.^[67]^[68]^[69]^[70]^[71]

Coptic Churches in Egypt

.

Other native Egyptian Christians are adherents of the

Latin Catholic Church, the Episcopal/Anglican Province of Alexandria, the Maronite Church, the Armenian Catholic Church, the Chaldean Catholic Church, the Syriac Catholic Church, or the Syriac Orthodox Church

.

Significant minorities within Egypt's Christian community include the following denominations:[24]

Apostolic Catholic and Orthodox Churches:
- The
  Coptic Catholic Patriarch of Alexandria, currently Ibrahim Isaac Sidrak
  .
- The
  Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Alexandria is Pope Theodoros II.^[72]
- The Melkite Greek Catholic Church (an Eastern Catholic Church) has about 7,000^[24] members in Egypt. The eparchy of Egypt is looked after by a Protosyncellus, and has between 35,000 and 50,000 ex-patriates in Europe, North and South America, and Australia.
- The
  Echmiadzin in Armenia, rather than the Holy See of Cilicia in Lebanon
  .
- The Latin Catholic Church has around 7,000^[24] adherents in Egypt. Most are citizens born in Egypt but of foreign descent, like Italians, Maltese and French, or members of the foreign diplomatic corps in Egypt. There are very few native Christian Egyptians who adhere to the Latin Church, and those who do (several hundreds) do so mainly through marriage.
- The Maronite Church (an Eastern Catholic Church) has around 5,000^[24] adherents in Egypt.
- The Armenian Catholic Church (an Eastern Catholic Church) has around 1,200^[24] adherents in Egypt.
- The Chaldean Catholic Church (an Eastern Catholic Church) has about 500^[24] members in Egypt.
- The Syriac Catholic Church (an Eastern Catholic Church) has around 2,000^[24] adherents in Egypt.
- The
  Egyptian universities
  .

Coptic Orthodox

heritage.

Protestant churches also exist in Egypt. The total number of Protestants in Egypt is around 200,000.^[24] they are:
- The Episcopal/Anglican Province of Alexandria (a province of the Anglican Communion) has between 10,000 and 15,000 members in Egypt.
- The Evangelical Church of Egypt (Synod of the Nile) (a Protestant Church) has around 140,000 members in Egypt.
- The Assemblies of God Church, which has around 40,000 adherents in Egypt.
- The
  Free Methodist
  Church, which has 120 churches and has around 10,000 adherents in Egypt.
- The
  Christian Brethren
  Church, which has around 5,000 adherents in Egypt.
- The Pentecostal Church of God, which has Church around 3,500 adherents in Egypt.
- The
  Pentecostal Holiness Church
  , which has 1,400 adherents in Egypt.
- The Church of God of Prophecy, which has 1,100 adherents in Egypt.
- The Seventh-day Adventist Church has 852 adherents in Egypt.

Judaism

Annex of the *Library of Jewish Heritage in Egypt*, Ben Ezra Synagogue, Old Cairo.

Before 1956 and according to the 1948 census there were 65,639 Egyptian Jews, including Karaites. Jews participated in all aspects of Egypt's social, economic and political life; one of the most ardent Egyptian nationalists, Yaqub Sanu' (Abu Naddara), was Jewish, as were the musician Dawoud Husni, popular singer Leila Mourad and filmmaker Togo Mizrahi. For a while, Jews from across the Ottoman Empire and Europe were attracted to Egypt due to the relative harmony that characterized the local religious landscape in the 19th and early 20th centuries. After the 1956 Suez Crisis, a great number of Jews were expelled by Gamal Abdel Nasser. Their Egyptian citizenship was revoked and their properties were confiscated. A steady stream of emigration of Egyptian Jews followed, reaching a peak after the Six-Day War with Israel in 1967. As of mid-2016, there were a total of 6 Jews remaining in Cairo, including their spiritual leader, Magda Tania Haroun, all women over the age of 65.^[36] There are a further 12 Jews in the city of Alexandria, whose spiritual leader is Ben Youssef Gaon.^[73]

Unrecognized and persecuted beliefs

Ahmadiyya Islam

The Ahmadiyya movement in Egypt, which numbers up to 50,000 adherents in the country,^[74] was established in 1922^[75] but has seen an increase in hostility and government repression as of the 21st century. The Al-Azhar University has denounced the Ahmadis^[76] and Ahmadis have been hounded by police along with other Muslim groups deemed to be deviant under Egypt's defamation laws.^[77]^[78] On 15 March 2010, nine Ahmadis were detained due to their adherence to the movement.^[79]^[80]

Bahá'í Faith

In 1925, the Kingdom of Egypt became the first Islamic state to legally recognize the Baháʼísm Faith as an independent religion apart from Islam. The state-sanctioned persecution of Baháʼís started to emerge after the 1953 dissolution of the monarchy, culminating in Law 263 in 1960, banning all Baháʼí institutions and community activities in Egypt. Reports in 2006 revealed that, as followers of the Baháʼí Faith had difficulty obtaining documentation from government authorities, and police regularly detain people who do not have correct documentation, some Baháʼís frequently stayed home to avoid possible arrest.^[81] In 2008 a court case allowed Baháʼís to obtain birth certificates and identification documents, so long as they omit their religion on court documents.^[39]

Informal estimates about the Baháʼí population in Egypt suggest that, in 2006, there were approximately 2,000 Baháʼís resident in Egypt,^[82]^[83] though other estimates go as high as 6,900 adherents in 2010.^[84]

Since their faith is not officially recognized by the state, they were not allowed to use it on their national identity cards. Without valid identity cards Baháʼís encounter difficulty registering their children in school, opening bank accounts, and establishing businesses.^[81] On 16 December 2006, after only one hearing, the High Court of Egypt ruled against the Baháʼís, stating that the government would not recognize their religion in official identification cards.^[38] The ruling left Baháʼís unable to obtain ID cards, birth certificates, or death certificates.^[38] However, on January 29, 2008 Cairo's court of Administrative Justice, ruling on two related court cases, ruled in favour of the Baháʼís, allowing them to obtain birth certificates and identification documents, so long as they omit their religion on court documents.^[39] The ruling accepted the compromise solution offered by the Baháʼís, allowing for them to obtain identification papers without the Baháʼí Faith being officially recognized.^[85]^[86]

During and since the

Salafi spokesman that "We will prosecute the Bahai's [sic] on charge of treason".^[89]

Hinduism

Atheism, agnosticism, and irreligion

It is difficult to quantify number of atheist or agnostic Egyptians due to social stigma against publicly identifying as non-religious and a lack of official statistics.^[90]^[91] Public statements deemed critical of Islam or Christianity can be tried under the country's blasphemy law. Outspoken atheists, like Alber Saber, have been convicted under this law. Blasphemy cases are not initiated by the general prosecutor, and only occur if a citizen takes the step of suing the person engaging in blasphemy, a procedure similar to Antragsdelikt in civil law legal systems. In 2000, an openly atheist Egyptian writer, who called for the establishment of a local association for atheists, was tried on charges of insulting Islam in four of his books.^[92]

The 2017 US report on international religious freedom in Egypt, states that anecdotal estimates report between 1 million and 10 million atheists in Egypt, of Egypt's estimated 97 million population at that time.^[93] However, according to the 2020 US report on international religious freedom there is no reliable estimates of the number of atheists in Egypt.^[63] Egyptian media has since 2011 reported increases in the number of nonbelievers and atheists publicly coming out;^[94] however, atheism or skepticism is not a recent phenomenon in Egypt.^[94] Despite the lack of clarity with regard to absolute numbers, there is a noticeable increase in young Egyptians coming out for nonbelieving and publicly testifying they have left the faith, especially on the internet.^[94] Many Egyptian irreligious/atheist intellectuals encourage irreligious Egyptians and Egyptian atheists to speak up and come out of the closet, a trend which is visible across both Islam and Christianity, and involves both Egyptian men and women.^[94]

Discrimination against atheists in Egypt is mainly the result of conservative social traditions and the religious establishments in the country, as the laws and policies in Egypt protect religious freedom but punish those who ridicule or insult the Abrahamic religions by words or writing, whereas insulting other faiths like Buddhism or Hinduism is not punishable by Egyptian law but insulting Islam, Christianity, or Judaism is.^[95] Atheists or irreligious people cannot change their official religious status, thus statistically they are counted as followers of their parent's religion, whether it is Islam or Christianity.^[92]

In a 2011

Egyptian revolution of 2011 and particularly after the ouster of Morsi in 2013.^[100]

A study at the University of Kent, citing a 2018 survey by Arab Barometer, stated that around 11% of Egyptians identified themselves as not religious.^[94]^[101] In the same survey, about 20% of young Egyptians described themselves as not religious.^[102] According to the same Arab Barometer survey Wave V only 0.1% of Egyptians said they were Atheist while 9.6% said they were Christian and 90.4% said they were Muslim^[103]

Notes

^ Numbers vary widely. The 1996 census, the last for which public info on religion exists has 5.6% of the population as Christian (down from 8.3% in 1927).^[104] However the census may be undercounting Christians.^[104] The government Egyptian Demographic and Health Survey (2008) of around 16,500 women aged 15 to 49 showed about 5% of the respondents were Christian.^[104] According to Al-Ahram newspaper, one of the main government owned national newspapers in Egypt, estimated the percentage between 10% - 15% (2017).^[105] QScience Connect in 2013 using 2008 data estimated that 5.1% of Egyptians between the ages of 15 and 59 were Copts.^[106] The Pew Foundation estimates 5.1% for Christians in 2010.^[107] The CIA Fact Book estimates 10% (2012)^[108] while the Washington Report on Middle East Affairs states in 1997, "Estimates of the size of Egypt's Christian population vary from the low government figures of 6 to 7 million to the 12 million reported by some Christian leaders. The actual numbers may be in the 9 to 9.5 million range, out of an Egyptian population of more than 60 million" which yields an estimate of about 10-20% then.^[109] Several sources give 10-20%.^[17] ^[110] The British Foreign Office gives a figure of 9%.^[23] The Christian Post in 2004 quotes the U.S. Copt Association as reporting 15% of the population as native Christian.^[111]

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^ ^a ^b Halawi, Jailan (December 27, 2000). "Limits to expression". Al-Ahram Weekly. Archived from the original on December 26, 2004.

^ "Report on International Religious Freedom: Egypt. 2017".

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e "Understanding Unbelief in Egypt - Understanding Unbelief - Research at Kent". Understanding Unbelief. Retrieved 2022-02-23.

^ "The Taboo of Atheism in Egypt". International Policy Digest. 2016-01-24. Retrieved 2021-03-13.

^ "The World's Muslims: Religion, Politics and Society" (PDF). Pew Research Center. 30 April 2013. Archived from the original (PDF) on 30 October 2014. Retrieved 20 February 2017.

^ Egypt 2015 International Religious Freedom Report

^ Winston, Kimberly (4 January 2018). "Egyptian Parliament considers outlawing atheism". World-Wide Religions News (WWRN). Retrieved 26 March 2018.

^ "Govt announces campaign to save youth from atheism". Mada Masr. Retrieved 26 April 2018.

^ Keddie, Patrick. "Egypt's embattled atheists". www.aljazeera.com. Retrieved 2019-09-26.

^ The Arab world in seven charts Are Arabs turning their backs on religion?

^ "Young Arabs are Changing their Beliefs and Perceptions: New Survey". Retrieved 13 October 2020.

^ "Data Analysis Tool – Arab Barometer". Retrieved 2022-07-29.

^ ^a ^b ^c Suh, Michael (15 February 2011). "How many Christians are there in Egypt?". Pew Research Center. Retrieved 19 March 2019.

^ "Egypt's Sisi meets world Evangelical churches delegation in Cairo". english.ahram.org.eg. Al-Ahram. Retrieved 29 November 2017.

doi:10.5339/connect.2013.22
.

^ "Religions in Egypt | PEW-GRF". www.globalreligiousfutures.org. Retrieved 4 December 2018.

^ "Egypt from "The World Factbook"". American Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). June 22, 2014.

^ Wagner, Don. "Egypt's Coptic Christians: Caught Between Renewal and Persecution". Washington Report on Middle East Affairs. No. October/November 1997. Retrieved 28 June 2014.

^ Morrow, Adam (24 April 2006). "EGYPT: Attacks Raise Fear of Religious Discord". Inter Press Service. Retrieved 28 June 2014.

^ Chan, Kenneth (7 December 2004). "Thousands Protest Egypt's Neglect of Coptic Persecution". Christian Post. Retrieved 28 June 2014.

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Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Religion_in_Egypt&oldid=1111800782"

[numbers-1] Numbers vary widely. The 1996 census, the last for which public info on religion exists has 5.6% of the population as Christian (down from 8.3% in 1927).^[104] However the census may be undercounting Christians.^[104] The government Egyptian Demographic and Health Survey (2008) of around 16,500 women aged 15 to 49 showed about 5% of the respondents were Christian.^[104] According to Al-Ahram newspaper, one of the main government owned national newspapers in Egypt, estimated the percentage between 10% - 15% (2017).^[105] QScience Connect in 2013 using 2008 data estimated that 5.1% of Egyptians between the ages of 15 and 59 were Copts.^[106] The Pew Foundation estimates 5.1% for Christians in 2010.^[107] The CIA Fact Book estimates 10% (2012)^[108] while the Washington Report on Middle East Affairs states in 1997, "Estimates of the size of Egypt's Christian population vary from the low government figures of 6 to 7 million to the 12 million reported by some Christian leaders. The actual numbers may be in the 9 to 9.5 million range, out of an Egyptian population of more than 60 million" which yields an estimate of about 10-20% then.^[109] Several sources give 10-20%.^[17] ^[110] The British Foreign Office gives a figure of 9%.^[23] The Christian Post in 2004 quotes the U.S. Copt Association as reporting 15% of the population as native Christian.^[111]

[2] "Relations Between Copts, Government and Islamic Groups in Egypt". Al Bawaba. Retrieved 2022-09-20.

[:2-3] "Egyptian Copts reject population estimate – Politics – Egypt – Ahram Online". english.ahram.org.eg. Retrieved 2015-11-27.

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[6] "Copts welcome Presidential announcement on Eastern Christmas Holiday", Arabic News, December 20, 2002, archived from the original on September 30, 2007.

[HRW-7] "Egypt: Events of 2005", Egypt: Overview of human rights issues in Egypt. 2005, Human Rights Watch, 2006-01-18.

[ArabBarometer_V-8] Arab Barometer Wave V (2018 - 2019) "Data Download". Data can be also accessed using the "Online Data Analysis Tool". Retrieved 2019-10-10.

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[10] IPS News (retrieved 09-27-2008)

[11] "Egypt's Coptic Christians: Caught Between Renewal and Persecution". WRMEA. Retrieved 2022-09-09.

[12] Chan, Kenneth (2004-12-07). "Thousands Protest Egypt's Neglect of Coptic Persecution". The Christian Post. Retrieved 2022-09-09.

[13] NLG Solutions Archived 2016-03-24 at the Wayback Machine <Online>. Egypt. Accessed 28 September 2008.

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[16] "Egypt's Sisi meets world Evangelical churches delegation in Cairo – Politics – Egypt – Ahram Online". english.ahram.org.eg. Retrieved 2018-02-28.

[17] "Egyptian Copts reject population estimate – Politics – Egypt – Ahram Online". english.ahram.org.eg. Retrieved 2018-02-28.

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[22] "Religion/Islamic conservatism's revival attracts followers, worries governments". Star Wars Tribune. June 18, 2009.

[U.S.Dept_of_State/Egypt-23] "Egypt". Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs. United States Department of State. September 30, 2008.

[FCO/Egypt/-24] 
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[eipr2-39] "Government Must Find Solution for Baha'i Egyptians". Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights. 2006-12-16. Retrieved 2006-12-16.

[reuters-40] Johnston, Cynthia (2008-01-29). "Egypt Baha'is win court fight over identity papers". Reuters. Archived from the original on 2008-02-15. Retrieved 2008-01-30.

[41] "Egypt", World report, Human Rights Watch, 2007-01-11, archived from the original on 2008-09-28.

[42] Egypt: national unity & the Coptic issue, Ahram, 2004-07-05, archived from the original on 2007-09-12.

[43] Egypt: Egypt Arrests 22 Muslim converts to Christianity. November 03, 2003

[44] Shahine, Gihan. "Fraud, not Freedom". Archived 2008-10-15 at the Wayback Machine Ahram Weekly, 3 – May 9, 2007

[Egyptian_Court_Allows_Return_to_Christianity-45] Audi, Nadim (February 11, 2008). "Egyptian Court Allows Return to Christianity". The New York Times. Retrieved 2008-10-07.

[46] Associated Press. Egypt court upholds right of converted Muslims to return to Christianity Archived 2011-11-21 at the Wayback Machine. 2008-02-09.

[47] AFP. Egypt allows converts to revert to Christianity on ID Archived 2009-04-16 at the Wayback Machine. February, 2008.

[48] "New Digital Platforms | AUC Libraries". library.aucegypt.edu. Retrieved 2022-09-09.

[49] "Interfaith Marriage in Islam: An Examination of the Legal Theory Behind the Traditional and Reformist Positions" (PDF). Retrieved 2022-09-09.

[50] Harvard encyclopedia of American ethnic groups By Stephan Thernstrom. Page 242.

[51] Social and economic geographical analysis of the Egyptian Copts, by Fouad N. Ibrahim. GEOJOURNAL Volume 6, Number 1, 63–67,
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[52] WorldWide Religious News. Church Building Regulations Eased Archived 2009-03-18 at the Wayback Machine. December 13, 2005.

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[Egyptian_court_orders_clashes_retrial-55] "Egyptian court orders clashes retrial". BBC News. July 30, 2001.

[Coptic_Christians_attacked_in_churches-56] Miles, Hugh (April 15, 2006). "Coptic Christians attacked in churches". The Telegraph. Archived from the original on 2022-01-12. Retrieved 2008-10-07.

[57] BBC. Egypt church attacks spark anger, April 15, 2006.

[58] "Egyptians riot after seven killed in Church attack". NBC NEWS. January 7, 2010. Retrieved October 10, 2011.

[Bomb_hits_Alexandria_church_at_New_Year's_Mass,_21_dead-59] "Bomb hits Alexandria church at New Year's Mass, 21 dead".

[60] "11 killed, churches burned in Cairo". Retrieved 12 May 2011.

[61] "Sectarian tensions rise in wake of crime boss death – Daily News Egypt". Daily News Egypt. 2012-10-15. Retrieved 2018-03-19.

[62] "The Open Doors World Watch List 2013". Open Doors.

[Factbook-63] World Fact Book
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[state.gov-64] "Egypt".

[65] "Relations Between Copts, Government and Islamic Groups in Egypt". Al Bawaba. Retrieved 2022-09-20.

[Christian-Muslim_Gap-66] Cole, Ethan (July 8, 2008). "Egypt's Christian-Muslim Gap Growing Bigger". The Christian Post. Retrieved 2008-10-02.

[67] "Relations Between Copts, Government and Islamic Groups in Egypt". Al Bawaba. Retrieved 2022-09-20.

[68] "Orthodox Christianity in the 21st Century". Pew Research Center's Religion & Public Life Project. 8 November 2017. Egypt has the Middle East's largest Orthodox population (an estimated 4 million Egyptians, or 5% of the population), mainly members of the Coptic Orthodox Church.

[69] "BBC - Religions - Christianity: Coptic Orthodox Church". www.bbc.co.uk. The Coptic Orthodox Church is the main Christian Church in Egypt, where it has between 6 and 11 million members.

[70] Matt Rehbein. "Who are Egypt's Coptic Christians?". CNN. Coptic Christians make up the majority of Egypt's roughly 9 million Christians. About 1 million more Coptic Christians are spread across Africa, Europe, the United Kingdom and the United States, according to the World Council of Churches.

[71] "Coptic Orthodox Church — World Council of Churches". www.oikoumene.org.

[72] "Who are the Coptic Christians of Egypt?". Google Arts & Culture. Retrieved 2022-09-20.

[73] Pope Theodoros II

[timesofisrael.com-74] "Egypt's last Jews aim to keep heritage alive". timesofisrael.com. 26 March 2017.

[75] Lawrence, Bruce B. (2013; p.297), 'Citizen Ahmad among the Believers: Salvation Contextualized in Indonesia and Egypt' in Khalil, M. H. (ed.) Between Heaven and Hell: Islam, Salvation, and the Fate of Others, pp.288–312. New York: Oxford University Press

[76] Yohanan Friedmann. Prophecy Continuous: Aspects of Ahmadi Religious Thought and its Medieval Background Oxford University Press, 2003 p.24

[77] ISBN 978-1-84511-386-5
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[78] Sarah Carr (19 November 2012). "Insult laws: Elusive and longstanding". Egypt Independent. Retrieved 26 September 2017.

[79] Lawrence, Bruce B. (2013; p.302), 'Citizen Ahmad among the Believers: Salvation Contextualized in Indonesia and Egypt' in Khalil, M. H. (ed.) Between Heaven and Hell: Islam, Salvation, and the Fate of Others, pp.288–312. New York: Oxford University Press

[80] "Rights group demands release of Ahmadiyya detainees". 16 May 2010. Retrieved 4 October 2017.

[81] "Egypt Ahmadis detained under emergency law: rights group". 14 May 2010. Retrieved 4 October 2017.

[us_dos_egypt2006-82] U.S. Department of State (2006-09-15). "Egypt: International Religious Freedom Report". Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor. Retrieved 2007-05-08.

[irinnews-83] IRIN (2006-05-16). "EGYPT: Court suspends ruling recognising Bahai rights". Reuters. Retrieved 2008-03-28.

[Bikya-84] "Egypt's forgotten Baha'i community fearful and hopeful of future". Bikya Masr. 2012-01-07. Archived from the original on 2012-03-21. Retrieved 2012-02-25.

[ARDA-10-85] "QuickLists: Most Baha'i Nations (2010)". Association of Religion Data Archives. 2010. Retrieved 2020-10-16.

[AFP-86] AFP (2008-01-30). "Egypt's Bahais score breakthrough in religious freedom case". AFP. Retrieved 2008-01-30.

[87] BWNS (2008-01-29). "Egypt court upholds Baháʼí plea in religious freedom cases". Baháʼí World News Service. Retrieved 2008-01-30.

[88] "Baháʼí Homes Set on Fire Again in Egypt – UPDATED". The Muslim Network for Baháʼí Rights. 2011-02-23. Retrieved 2012-02-25.

[89] Baháʼís of Egypt (April 2011). "An open letter to the people of Egypt". www.bahai-egypt.org. Archived from the original on 2011-04-09. Retrieved 2012-02-25.

[Shahat-90] -Shahat, Abdel Moneim (2012-02-18). "Shahat: Baha'is threaten Egypt's national security". Egypt Independent. Archived from the original on 2017-10-10. Retrieved 2020-10-16.

[91] "Who is afraid of Egyptian atheists?". Al Arabiya. 28 May 2013. Retrieved 2013-11-20.

[92] "Controversial Egyptian film 'The Atheist' gets go ahead by censors". Al Arabiya. Retrieved 2012-07-10.

[note6-93] Halawi, Jailan (December 27, 2000). "Limits to expression". Al-Ahram Weekly. Archived from the original on December 26, 2004.

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[:23-95] "Understanding Unbelief in Egypt - Understanding Unbelief - Research at Kent". Understanding Unbelief. Retrieved 2022-02-23.

[96] "The Taboo of Atheism in Egypt". International Policy Digest. 2016-01-24. Retrieved 2021-03-13.

[97] "The World's Muslims: Religion, Politics and Society" (PDF). Pew Research Center. 30 April 2013. Archived from the original (PDF) on 30 October 2014. Retrieved 20 February 2017.

[98] Egypt 2015 International Religious Freedom Report

[99] Winston, Kimberly (4 January 2018). "Egyptian Parliament considers outlawing atheism". World-Wide Religions News (WWRN). Retrieved 26 March 2018.

[100] "Govt announces campaign to save youth from atheism". Mada Masr. Retrieved 26 April 2018.

[101] Keddie, Patrick. "Egypt's embattled atheists". www.aljazeera.com. Retrieved 2019-09-26.

[:The_Arab_world_in_seven_charts-102] The Arab world in seven charts Are Arabs turning their backs on religion?

[103] "Young Arabs are Changing their Beliefs and Perceptions: New Survey". Retrieved 13 October 2020.

[104] "Data Analysis Tool – Arab Barometer". Retrieved 2022-07-29.

[PewHowMany-105] Suh, Michael (15 February 2011). "How many Christians are there in Egypt?". Pew Research Center. Retrieved 19 March 2019.

[Al-Ahram_newspaper_estimate-106] "Egypt's Sisi meets world Evangelical churches delegation in Cairo". english.ahram.org.eg. Al-Ahram. Retrieved 29 November 2017.

[QScience-107] doi:10.5339/connect.2013.22
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[PEW-GRF-108] "Religions in Egypt | PEW-GRF". www.globalreligiousfutures.org. Retrieved 4 December 2018.

[CIAFactbook-109] "Egypt from "The World Factbook"". American Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). June 22, 2014.

[WashRep-110] Wagner, Don. "Egypt's Coptic Christians: Caught Between Renewal and Persecution". Washington Report on Middle East Affairs. No. October/November 1997. Retrieved 28 June 2014.

[IPS-111] Morrow, Adam (24 April 2006). "EGYPT: Attacks Raise Fear of Religious Discord". Inter Press Service. Retrieved 28 June 2014.

[ChristPost2004-112] Chan, Kenneth (7 December 2004). "Thousands Protest Egypt's Neglect of Coptic Persecution". Christian Post. Retrieved 28 June 2014.

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 {{see also|Ancient Egyptian religion}}
 [[File:Cairo mosques.jpg|thumb|300px|right|[[Mosques]] and [[minarets]] in [[Cairo]]. [[Islam]] is the official religion in Egypt.]]
-'''Religion in Egypt''' controls many aspects of social life and is endorsed by law. The state religion of [[Egypt]] is [[Islam]]. Although estimates vary greatly in the absence of official statistics. Since the [[Egypt census 2006#2006 census|2006 census]] religion has been excluded, and thus available statistics are estimates made by religious and non-governmental agencies. The country is majority [[Sunni Muslim]] (estimated to be 85-95% of the population), with the next largest religious group being [[Copts|Coptic]] Orthodox Christians (with estimates ranging from 5-15%<ref group=note name="numbers" />). The exact numbers are subject to controversy, with Christians alleging that they have been systemically under-counted in existing censuses.<ref name=":2" />
+'''Religion in Egypt''' controls many aspects of social life and is endorsed by law. The state religion of [[Egypt]] is [[Islam]]. Although estimates vary greatly in the absence of official statistics. Since the [[Egypt census 2006#2006 census|2006 census]] religion has been excluded, and thus available statistics are estimates made by religious and non-governmental agencies. The country is majority [[Sunni Muslim]] (estimated to be 75-90% of the population), with the next largest religious group being [[Copts|Coptic]] Orthodox Christians (with estimates ranging from 10-25%<ref group=note name="numbers" />).<ref>{{Cite web |title=Relations Between Copts, Government and Islamic Groups in Egypt |url=https://www.albawaba.com/opinion/relations-between-copts-government-and-islamic-groups-egypt-1457122 |access-date=2022-09-20 |website=Al Bawaba |language=en-US}}</ref> exact numbers are subject to controversy, with Christians alleging that they have been systemically under-counted in existing censuses.<ref name=":2" />
 {{Pie chart
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 Recent self-identification surveys put the Christian percentage at around 10%, as found by [[Afrobarometer]] in 2016 (which estimated the country to be 10.3% Christian and 89.4% Muslim)<ref name="Afrobarometer2016" /> and by [[Arab Barometer]] in 2019 (which estimated it to be 9.6% Christian and 90.3% Muslim).<ref name="ArabBarometer V" />
-According to 2015 figures from the [[Central Intelligence Agency|Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)]], Sunni Muslims make up 90% of the population, with Christians making up the remaining 10%.<ref name="Afrobarometer2016">{{Cite web|url=http://afrobarometer.org/data/egypt-round-6-data-2016|title=Egypt Round 6 Data (2016) {{!}} Afrobarometer|website=afrobarometer.org|language=en|access-date=2017-10-08}}</ref><ref name="The world factbook/Egypt/">.{{cite web|url=https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/egypt/|title=Egypt|work = The World Factbook|date=September 4, 2008|publisher= [[Central Intelligence Agency|American Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)]]}}</ref><ref name="pewforum.org">{{Citation | url = http://pewforum.org/newassets/images/reports/Muslimpopulation/Muslimpopulation.pdf|title = The 2009 American Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life|contribution = Muslim population|url-status = dead| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20091010050756/http://pewforum.org/newassets/images/reports/Muslimpopulation/Muslimpopulation.pdf|archive-date = 2009-10-10}}.</ref><ref>{{cite web|url= http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=MN&p_theme=mn&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EFE4944AB794537&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM |title=Religion/Islamic conservatism's revival attracts followers, worries governments|date= June 18, 2009| work = Star Wars Tribune}}</ref><ref name="U.S.Dept of State/Egypt">{{cite web|url = https://2009-2017.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/5309.htm|title= Egypt|work = Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs|date = September 30, 2008|publisher= [[United States Department of State]]}}</ref><ref name="FCO/Egypt/">{{cite web|url = http://www.fco.gov.uk/en/about-the-fco/country-profiles/middle-east-north-africa/egypt|title = Egypt|work = [[Foreign and Commonwealth Office]] |date = August 15, 2008|publisher = UK Ministry of Foreign Affairs|url-status = dead|archive-url = http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20121212135632/http://www.fco.gov.uk/en/about-the-fco/country-profiles/middle-east-north-africa/egypt|archive-date = December 12, 2012}}</ref><ref name="LOOKLEX Encyclopedia/Egypt/Religions&Peoples">{{cite encyclopedia |url= http://looklex.com/e.o/egypt.religions.htm|title = Egypt Religions & Peoples |encyclopedia = Encyclopedia|date= September 30, 2008|publisher= LookLex|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110201062041/http://looklex.com/e.o/egypt.religions.htm |archive-date = 2011-02-01 }}</ref><ref name="msn encarta/Egypt">{{cite web |url= http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761557408_3/Egypt.html|title= Egypt |work= [[Microsoft Encarta|Encarta]] |date= September 30, 2008|publisher= Microsoft|url-status= dead |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20091028104938/http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761557408_3/Egypt.html|archive-date= October 28, 2009}}</ref><ref name="Al Arabiya News">{{cite web|work = Al Arabiya|url = http://www.alarabiya.net/articles/2008/08/28/55639.html|title = Controversy in Egypt after a prominent church figure declared the number of Copts in Egypt exceeds 12 million|date = November 2, 2008|access-date = November 2, 2008|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20100603215320/http://www.alarabiya.net/articles/2008/08/28/55639.html|archive-date = June 3, 2010|url-status = dead}}</ref><ref name="United Copts">{{cite web|url= http://www.unitedcopts.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=3073&Itemid=71|title= Pope Shenouda III declares to a TV station that the number of Copts in Egypt exceeds 12 million|date=October 29, 2008}}</ref> A significant number of Sunni Muslims follow native [[Sufism|Sufi]] [[Tariqah|orders]].<ref name="Hoffman, Valerie J. 1995">{{Citation|last = Hoffman|first = Valerie J|title = Sufism, Mystics, and Saints in Modern Egypt|publisher = University of South Carolina Press|year = 1995}}.</ref> There are reportedly close to fifty thousand [[Ahmadiyya|Ahmadi]] Muslims in Egypt.<ref>{{cite book|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=PmgkD3Hel5IC&pg=PA297|title=Between Heaven and Hell: Islam, Salvation, and the Fate of Others| first = Mohammad Hassan|last = Khalil|access-date=June 2, 2014|page= 297|publisher= Oxford University Press| isbn=9780199945412|year=2013}}</ref> Estimates of Egypt's [[Shia Islam|Shia]] [[Imamah (Shia doctrine)|Twelvers]] and [[Ismailism|Ismaili]] community range from 800,000 to about two to three million members.<ref>{{Cite web|title = Egypt: Attack On Shia Comes At Dangerous Time|url = http://news.sky.com/story/1107961/egypt-attack-on-shia-comes-at-dangerous-time|access-date = 2015-10-06}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|title = Four Egyptian Shi'ites killed in attack by Sunni Muslims|url = https://www.reuters.com/article/us-egypt-protests-shiites-idUSBRE95M0HT20130623|newspaper = Reuters|date = 2013-06-23|access-date = 2015-10-06}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|title = Egypt's Shiite Muslims saw the Sunni hatred grow under Morsi|url = http://articles.latimes.com/2013/aug/10/world/la-fg-egypt-sectarianism-20130810/2|newspaper = Los Angeles Times|date = 2013-08-10|access-date = 2015-10-07|issn = 0458-3035|first = Shashank|last = Bengali|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150922054055/http://articles.latimes.com/2013/aug/10/world/la-fg-egypt-sectarianism-20130810/2|archive-date = 2015-09-22|url-status = dead}}</ref>
+According to 2015 estimation figures from the [[Central Intelligence Agency|Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)]], Sunni Muslims make up 90% of the population, with Christians making up the remaining 10%.<ref name="Afrobarometer2016">{{Cite web|url=http://afrobarometer.org/data/egypt-round-6-data-2016|title=Egypt Round 6 Data (2016) {{!}} Afrobarometer|website=afrobarometer.org|language=en|access-date=2017-10-08}}</ref><ref name="The world factbook/Egypt/">.{{cite web|url=https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/egypt/|title=Egypt|work = The World Factbook|date=September 4, 2008|publisher= [[Central Intelligence Agency|American Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)]]}}</ref><ref name="pewforum.org">{{Citation | url = http://pewforum.org/newassets/images/reports/Muslimpopulation/Muslimpopulation.pdf|title = The 2009 American Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life|contribution = Muslim population|url-status = dead| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20091010050756/http://pewforum.org/newassets/images/reports/Muslimpopulation/Muslimpopulation.pdf|archive-date = 2009-10-10}}.</ref><ref>{{cite web|url= http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=MN&p_theme=mn&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EFE4944AB794537&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM |title=Religion/Islamic conservatism's revival attracts followers, worries governments|date= June 18, 2009| work = Star Wars Tribune}}</ref><ref name="U.S.Dept of State/Egypt">{{cite web|url = https://2009-2017.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/5309.htm|title= Egypt|work = Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs|date = September 30, 2008|publisher= [[United States Department of State]]}}</ref><ref name="FCO/Egypt/">{{cite web|url = http://www.fco.gov.uk/en/about-the-fco/country-profiles/middle-east-north-africa/egypt|title = Egypt|work = [[Foreign and Commonwealth Office]] |date = August 15, 2008|publisher = UK Ministry of Foreign Affairs|url-status = dead|archive-url = http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20121212135632/http://www.fco.gov.uk/en/about-the-fco/country-profiles/middle-east-north-africa/egypt|archive-date = December 12, 2012}}</ref><ref name="LOOKLEX Encyclopedia/Egypt/Religions&Peoples">{{cite encyclopedia |url= http://looklex.com/e.o/egypt.religions.htm|title = Egypt Religions & Peoples |encyclopedia = Encyclopedia|date= September 30, 2008|publisher= LookLex|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110201062041/http://looklex.com/e.o/egypt.religions.htm |archive-date = 2011-02-01 }}</ref><ref name="msn encarta/Egypt">{{cite web |url= http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761557408_3/Egypt.html|title= Egypt |work= [[Microsoft Encarta|Encarta]] |date= September 30, 2008|publisher= Microsoft|url-status= dead |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20091028104938/http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761557408_3/Egypt.html|archive-date= October 28, 2009}}</ref><ref name="Al Arabiya News">{{cite web|work = Al Arabiya|url = http://www.alarabiya.net/articles/2008/08/28/55639.html|title = Controversy in Egypt after a prominent church figure declared the number of Copts in Egypt exceeds 12 million|date = November 2, 2008|access-date = November 2, 2008|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20100603215320/http://www.alarabiya.net/articles/2008/08/28/55639.html|archive-date = June 3, 2010|url-status = dead}}</ref><ref name="United Copts">{{cite web|url= http://www.unitedcopts.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=3073&Itemid=71|title= Pope Shenouda III declares to a TV station that the number of Copts in Egypt exceeds 12 million|date=October 29, 2008}}</ref> A significant number of Sunni Muslims follow native [[Sufism|Sufi]] [[Tariqah|orders]].<ref name="Hoffman, Valerie J. 1995">{{Citation|last = Hoffman|first = Valerie J|title = Sufism, Mystics, and Saints in Modern Egypt|publisher = University of South Carolina Press|year = 1995}}.</ref> There are reportedly close to fifty thousand [[Ahmadiyya|Ahmadi]] Muslims in Egypt.<ref>{{cite book|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=PmgkD3Hel5IC&pg=PA297|title=Between Heaven and Hell: Islam, Salvation, and the Fate of Others| first = Mohammad Hassan|last = Khalil|access-date=June 2, 2014|page= 297|publisher= Oxford University Press| isbn=9780199945412|year=2013}}</ref> Estimates of Egypt's [[Shia Islam|Shia]] [[Imamah (Shia doctrine)|Twelvers]] and [[Ismailism|Ismaili]] community range from 800,000 to about two to three million members.<ref>{{Cite web|title = Egypt: Attack On Shia Comes At Dangerous Time|url = http://news.sky.com/story/1107961/egypt-attack-on-shia-comes-at-dangerous-time|access-date = 2015-10-06}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|title = Four Egyptian Shi'ites killed in attack by Sunni Muslims|url = https://www.reuters.com/article/us-egypt-protests-shiites-idUSBRE95M0HT20130623|newspaper = Reuters|date = 2013-06-23|access-date = 2015-10-06}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|title = Egypt's Shiite Muslims saw the Sunni hatred grow under Morsi|url = http://articles.latimes.com/2013/aug/10/world/la-fg-egypt-sectarianism-20130810/2|newspaper = Los Angeles Times|date = 2013-08-10|access-date = 2015-10-07|issn = 0458-3035|first = Shashank|last = Bengali|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150922054055/http://articles.latimes.com/2013/aug/10/world/la-fg-egypt-sectarianism-20130810/2|archive-date = 2015-09-22|url-status = dead}}</ref>
 Most Egyptian Christians belong to the native [[Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria]], an [[Oriental Orthodoxy|Oriental Orthodox Christian]] church.<ref name="Al-Ahram Christianity Estimate">{{cite web|title=Egypt's Sisi meets world Evangelical churches delegation|url=http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/1/64/281789/Egypt/Politics-/Egypts-Sisi-meets-world-Evangelical-churches-deleg.aspx|website=english.ahram.org.eg|publisher=Al-Ahram|access-date=30 November 2017}}</ref><ref name="The world factbook/Egypt/"/><ref name="U.S.Dept of State/Egypt"/><ref name="FCO/Egypt/"/><ref name="LOOKLEX Encyclopedia/Egypt/Religions&Peoples"/><ref name="msn encarta/Egypt"/> Other Christian denominations include Armenian Apostolic, Catholic, Maronite and Anglican. The [[Greek Orthodox Church of Alexandria]] (an [[Eastern Orthodox Church]]) has around 350,000<ref name="LOOKLEX Encyclopedia/Egypt/Religions&Peoples"/> adherents. The most recent declarations, made by [[Pope Shenouda III of Alexandria|Pope Shenouda III]] and bishop Morkos of [[Shubra]] in 2008, claimed that the number of Orthodox [[Christians]] in Egypt was over 12 million. Other estimates made by church officials put this number at 16&nbsp;million.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web|title = Egyptian Copts reject population estimate – Politics – Egypt – Ahram Online|url = http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/1/64/53839/Egypt/Politics-/Egyptian-Copts-reject-population-estimate.aspx|website = english.ahram.org.eg|access-date = 2015-11-27}}</ref> The Coptic Orthodox Church claimed that these figures are based on regularly updated membership records.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/1/64/53839/Egypt/Politics-/Egyptian-Copts-reject-population-estimate.aspx|title=Egyptian Copts reject population estimate – Politics – Egypt – Ahram Online|website=english.ahram.org.eg|language=en|access-date=2018-02-14}}</ref> Protestant churches claim a membership of about 300,000 Egyptians,<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xrGL7o69KBIC&q=evangelical+church+egypt+synod+nile+-wiki&pg=PA105|title=Who are the Christians in the Middle East?|access-date=June 19, 2009|publisher=Betty Jane Bailey|isbn=9780802810205|date=2003-03-27}}</ref> and the [[Coptic Catholic Church]] is estimated to have similar membership figures.<ref name="Al Arabiya News"/><ref name="United Copts"/> These figures would put the percentage of Christians in Egypt between 10% and 20% of the total population.
@@ Line 80: / Line 80: @@
 ====Christianity====
 {{Main|Christianity in Egypt|Copts in Egypt}}
-[[File:monastry3.jpg|thumb|280px|About 5% to 15% of Egyptians follow the [[Christianity|Christian]] faith as members of
+[[File:monastry3.jpg|thumb|280px|About 10% to 25% of Egyptians follow the [[Christianity|Christian]] faith as members of
-the [[Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria]]. Egyptian Christians are the largest Christian community in the [[Middle East]] by raw number of adherents.]]
+the [[Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria]]. Egyptian Christians are the largest Christian community in the [[Middle East]] by raw number of adherents.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Relations Between Copts, Government and Islamic Groups in Egypt |url=https://www.albawaba.com/opinion/relations-between-copts-government-and-islamic-groups-egypt-1457122 |access-date=2022-09-20 |website=Al Bawaba |language=en-US}}</ref>]]
-The [[Copt]]ic Christian population in Egypt is the largest Christian community in the [[Middle East]] and [[North Africa]] standing at between 5% – 15% of Egypt's population according to different statistics.<ref name="Al-Ahram Christianity Estimate" /><ref name="Christian-Muslim Gap">{{cite web | last = Cole | first = Ethan| title=Egypt's Christian-Muslim Gap Growing Bigger | publisher= [[The Christian Post]] | date=July 8, 2008 | url = http://www.christianpost.com/article/20080708/egypt-s-christian-muslim-gap-growing-bigger.htm | access-date=2008-10-02}}</ref> About 95% of Egypt's Christians are members of the [[Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria]].<ref name="U.S.Dept of State/Egypt"/><ref name="FCO/Egypt/"/> an [[Oriental Orthodoxy|Oriental Orthodox]] Church, Traditionally believed to be established in the 1st century C.E. by [[Mark the Evangelist|Saint Mark]]. The Church is headed by the [[Pope of the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria]], attests to Egypt's strong Christian heritage. It has a followers of approximately 10 million [[Christians]] worldwide.<ref>{{cite journal |title=Orthodox Christianity in the 21st Century |journal=Pew Research Center's Religion & Public Life Project |date=8 November 2017 |url=https://www.pewforum.org/2017/11/08/orthodox-christianity-in-the-21st-century/ |quote=Egypt has the Middle East’s largest Orthodox population (an estimated 4 million Egyptians, or 5% of the population), mainly members of the Coptic Orthodox Church.}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=BBC - Religions - Christianity: Coptic Orthodox Church |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/christianity/subdivisions/coptic_1.shtml |website=www.bbc.co.uk |quote=The Coptic Orthodox Church is the main Christian Church in Egypt, where it has between 6 and 11 million members.}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |author=Matt Rehbein |title=Who are Egypt's Coptic Christians? |url=https://edition.cnn.com/2017/04/09/middleeast/egypt-coptic-christians/index.html |website=CNN |quote=Coptic Christians make up the majority of Egypt's roughly 9 million Christians. About 1 million more Coptic Christians are spread across Africa, Europe, the United Kingdom and the United States, according to the World Council of Churches.}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Coptic Orthodox Church — World Council of Churches |url=https://www.oikoumene.org/en/member-churches/coptic-orthodox-church |website=www.oikoumene.org |language=en}}</ref>
+The [[Copt]]ic Christian population in Egypt is the largest Christian community in the [[Middle East]] and [[North Africa]] standing at between 10% – 25% of Egypt's population according to different statistics.<ref name="Al-Ahram Christianity Estimate" /><ref name="Christian-Muslim Gap">{{cite web | last = Cole | first = Ethan| title=Egypt's Christian-Muslim Gap Growing Bigger | publisher= [[The Christian Post]] | date=July 8, 2008 | url = http://www.christianpost.com/article/20080708/egypt-s-christian-muslim-gap-growing-bigger.htm | access-date=2008-10-02}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Relations Between Copts, Government and Islamic Groups in Egypt |url=https://www.albawaba.com/opinion/relations-between-copts-government-and-islamic-groups-egypt-1457122 |access-date=2022-09-20 |website=Al Bawaba |language=en-US}}</ref> Approximately 95% of Egypt's Christians are members of the [[Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria]].<ref name="U.S.Dept of State/Egypt"/><ref name="FCO/Egypt/"/> An [[Oriental Orthodoxy|Oriental Orthodox]] Church, Traditionally believed to be established in the 1st century C.E. by [[Mark the Evangelist|Saint Mark]]. The Church is headed by the [[Pope of the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria]], attests to Egypt's strong Christian heritage. It has a followers of approximately 30 million [[Christians]] worldwide.<ref>{{cite journal |title=Orthodox Christianity in the 21st Century |journal=Pew Research Center's Religion & Public Life Project |date=8 November 2017 |url=https://www.pewforum.org/2017/11/08/orthodox-christianity-in-the-21st-century/ |quote=Egypt has the Middle East’s largest Orthodox population (an estimated 4 million Egyptians, or 5% of the population), mainly members of the Coptic Orthodox Church.}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=BBC - Religions - Christianity: Coptic Orthodox Church |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/christianity/subdivisions/coptic_1.shtml |website=www.bbc.co.uk |quote=The Coptic Orthodox Church is the main Christian Church in Egypt, where it has between 6 and 11 million members.}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |author=Matt Rehbein |title=Who are Egypt's Coptic Christians? |url=https://edition.cnn.com/2017/04/09/middleeast/egypt-coptic-christians/index.html |website=CNN |quote=Coptic Christians make up the majority of Egypt's roughly 9 million Christians. About 1 million more Coptic Christians are spread across Africa, Europe, the United Kingdom and the United States, according to the World Council of Churches.}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Coptic Orthodox Church — World Council of Churches |url=https://www.oikoumene.org/en/member-churches/coptic-orthodox-church |website=www.oikoumene.org |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Who are the Coptic Christians of Egypt? |url=https://artsandculture.google.com/story/who-are-the-coptic-christians-of-egypt/OwURxfFc2NC4uA |access-date=2022-09-20 |website=Google Arts & Culture |language=en}}</ref>
 [[File:Kairo Hanging Church BW 1.jpg|thumb|upright|The [[Hanging Church]] of [[Cairo]], built in the third or fourth century CE, is one of the most famous [[Copt]]ic Churches in [[Egypt]].]]