Ibrahim El-Gohary
Encyclopedia
Ibrahim El-Gohary is a famous Copt who was Egypt
's prime minister during the second half of the 18th century.
. His father, Youssef El-Gohary, made clothes for living. As a young child, Ibrahim excelled in writing and arithmetic. When he grew up, he began to transcribe religious books and distribute them to churches at his own expense. This action drew the attention of HH Pope John XVIII
, who met with Ibrahim and blessed him. The Pope also mediated on Ibrahim's behalf and he became the chief scribe of Master Rizk, another prominent Copt at that time. When Muhammad Abu-'l-Dhahab became ruler of Egypt
, Ibrahim El-Gohary became the chief scribe of all Egypt
, a position equivalent to that of a Prime Minister
today.
Ibrahim had one son named Youssef and one daughter named Demiana. Youssef died at a young age, shortly before his wedding. Demiana died a short time afterwards without having been married.
Ibrahim El-Gohary was very loved by the Egypt
ians. He was also named The Sultan of the Copts for his great love and attachment to his Coptic identity.
The famous historian Abd al-Rahman al-Jabarti
wrote about Ibrahim El-Gohary, saying:
Due to his influential position in the government and his great favour to the Muslim
rulers, he was able to issue fatwas that permitted the Copts to rebuild the destroyed churches and monasteries. This was of particular importance because the Copts were not allowed to build new churches or to repair old ones unless they got official government approval, which was rarely granted.
One of these churches that he built is the Saint Mark's Coptic Orthodox Cathedral
in Azbakeya in Cairo
, that his brother completed and congregated by Pope Mark VIII
in 1800.
Ibrahim El-Gohary also donated many endowment of good land and money for the reconstruction, that amounted to 238 endowments as documented in the Coptic Orthodox Patriarchate.
In 1794 Ibrahim El-Gohary renovated Saint Mary Church (Haret Elroum) which was the Seat of the Coptic Orthodox Pope of Alexandria
at the time.
Ibrahim El-Gohary remained in his position until a coup d'etat
by Hasan Qubtan forced him, along with Murad Bey
and Ibrahim Bey
to flee to Upper Egypt
. Qubtan persecuted the Copts, forbing them to ride horses with saddlesor to use Muslim
s as servants. Hasan Qubtan also confiscated all of El-Gohary's belongings and endowments. On 7 August 1791, Murad Bey
, Ibrahim Bey
and Ibrahim El-Gohary returned to Cairo
and El-Gohary assumed his former position.
, 1511 A.M. (31 May 1795) His eulogy was made by HH Pope John XVIII
, and his funeral was attended by Ibrahim Bey
. He was buried in a private tomb that he had built for himself next to the church of Saint Georges in Old Cairo
.
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
's prime minister during the second half of the 18th century.
Biography
Ibrahim El-Gohary was born to poor Coptic parents in QalyubQalyub
Qalyub is a town in the Al Qalyubiyah governorate of Egypt. It is situated in the northern part of the Cairo metropolitan area, at the start of the Nile Delta. In 1986, it had a population of 84,413 inhabitants, which grew to 106,804 residents by 2006...
. His father, Youssef El-Gohary, made clothes for living. As a young child, Ibrahim excelled in writing and arithmetic. When he grew up, he began to transcribe religious books and distribute them to churches at his own expense. This action drew the attention of HH Pope John XVIII
Pope John XVIII of Alexandria
Pope John XVIII of Alexandria was the 107th Coptic Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St. Mark .Pope John XVIII was born in Fayoum. His lay name was Joseph. He became a monk in the Monastery of Saint Anthony. At the departure of Pope Mark VII, he was unanimously chosen to succeed him...
, who met with Ibrahim and blessed him. The Pope also mediated on Ibrahim's behalf and he became the chief scribe of Master Rizk, another prominent Copt at that time. When Muhammad Abu-'l-Dhahab became ruler of Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
, Ibrahim El-Gohary became the chief scribe of all Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
, a position equivalent to that of a Prime Minister
Prime minister
A prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime...
today.
Ibrahim had one son named Youssef and one daughter named Demiana. Youssef died at a young age, shortly before his wedding. Demiana died a short time afterwards without having been married.
Ibrahim El-Gohary was very loved by the Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
ians. He was also named The Sultan of the Copts for his great love and attachment to his Coptic identity.
The famous historian Abd al-Rahman al-Jabarti
Abd al-Rahman al-Jabarti
Abd al-Rahman al-Jabarti or in Egyptian Arabic el Gabarti was a Somali–Egyptian Muslim scholar and chronicler who spent most of his life in Cairo.-Biography:While little is known of his life, according to Franz Steiner, al-Jabarti was...
wrote about Ibrahim El-Gohary, saying:
- "He had made Egypt great by his capability which endured for long time. He was one of the great world statesmen with a great decisive mind. He treated everyone according to their abilities, and did things that attracted the hearts and the love of the people to him."
Building churches
Ibrahim El-Gohary was known for his love for building new churches and monasteries, and for repairing those that had been destroyed by Muslims.Due to his influential position in the government and his great favour to the Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
rulers, he was able to issue fatwas that permitted the Copts to rebuild the destroyed churches and monasteries. This was of particular importance because the Copts were not allowed to build new churches or to repair old ones unless they got official government approval, which was rarely granted.
One of these churches that he built is the Saint Mark's Coptic Orthodox Cathedral
Saint Mark's Coptic Orthodox Cathedral (Azbakeya)
Saint Mark's Coptic Orthodox Cathedral in Azbakeya, Cairo was the seat of the Coptic Pope from 1800 to 1971.Due to Ibrahim El-Gohary's influential position in the government and his great favor to the Muslim rulers, he was able to issue fatwas that permitted the Copts to rebuild the destroyed...
in Azbakeya in Cairo
Cairo
Cairo , is the capital of Egypt and the largest city in the Arab world and Africa, and the 16th largest metropolitan area in the world. Nicknamed "The City of a Thousand Minarets" for its preponderance of Islamic architecture, Cairo has long been a centre of the region's political and cultural life...
, that his brother completed and congregated by Pope Mark VIII
Pope Mark VIII of Alexandria
Pope Mark VIII of Alexandria was the Coptic Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St. Mark .He became a monk in the Monastery of Saint Anthony...
in 1800.
Ibrahim El-Gohary also donated many endowment of good land and money for the reconstruction, that amounted to 238 endowments as documented in the Coptic Orthodox Patriarchate.
In 1794 Ibrahim El-Gohary renovated Saint Mary Church (Haret Elroum) which was the Seat of the Coptic Orthodox Pope of Alexandria
Seat of the Coptic Orthodox Pope of Alexandria
The Seat of the Coptic Orthodox Pope of Alexandria is historically based in Alexandria, Egypt. It is commonly known as the Holy See of St. Mark, as the Coptic Pope is the successor of St. Mark....
at the time.
Ibrahim El-Gohary remained in his position until a coup d'etat
Coup d'état
A coup d'état state, literally: strike/blow of state)—also known as a coup, putsch, and overthrow—is the sudden, extrajudicial deposition of a government, usually by a small group of the existing state establishment—typically the military—to replace the deposed government with another body; either...
by Hasan Qubtan forced him, along with Murad Bey
Murad Bey
Murad Bey was an Egyptian Mamluk chieftain , cavalry commander and joint ruler of Egypt with Ibrahim Bey. He was of Georgian origin having been born in Tbilisi....
and Ibrahim Bey
Ibrahim Bey
Ibrahim Bey was an Egyptian Mamluk chieftain of Georgian origin.Ibrahim Bey was born as Abram Shinjikashvili into the family of a Christian priest in Martqopi in the eastern Georgian province of Kakheti. As a child, he was captured by Ottoman slave raiders and sold out in Egypt where he was...
to flee to Upper Egypt
Upper Egypt
Upper Egypt is the strip of land, on both sides of the Nile valley, that extends from the cataract boundaries of modern-day Aswan north to the area between El-Ayait and Zawyet Dahshur . The northern section of Upper Egypt, between El-Ayait and Sohag is sometimes known as Middle Egypt...
. Qubtan persecuted the Copts, forbing them to ride horses with saddlesor to use Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
s as servants. Hasan Qubtan also confiscated all of El-Gohary's belongings and endowments. On 7 August 1791, Murad Bey
Murad Bey
Murad Bey was an Egyptian Mamluk chieftain , cavalry commander and joint ruler of Egypt with Ibrahim Bey. He was of Georgian origin having been born in Tbilisi....
, Ibrahim Bey
Ibrahim Bey
Ibrahim Bey was an Egyptian Mamluk chieftain of Georgian origin.Ibrahim Bey was born as Abram Shinjikashvili into the family of a Christian priest in Martqopi in the eastern Georgian province of Kakheti. As a child, he was captured by Ottoman slave raiders and sold out in Egypt where he was...
and Ibrahim El-Gohary returned to Cairo
Cairo
Cairo , is the capital of Egypt and the largest city in the Arab world and Africa, and the 16th largest metropolitan area in the world. Nicknamed "The City of a Thousand Minarets" for its preponderance of Islamic architecture, Cairo has long been a centre of the region's political and cultural life...
and El-Gohary assumed his former position.
Death
Ibrahim El-Gohary died four years later, on Monday, 25 PashonsPashons 25 (Coptic Orthodox liturgics)
24 Pashons - Coptic calendar - 26 Pashons-Fixed commemorations:All fixed commemorations below are observed on 25 Pashons by the Coptic Orthodox Church-References:*...
, 1511 A.M. (31 May 1795) His eulogy was made by HH Pope John XVIII
Pope John XVIII of Alexandria
Pope John XVIII of Alexandria was the 107th Coptic Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St. Mark .Pope John XVIII was born in Fayoum. His lay name was Joseph. He became a monk in the Monastery of Saint Anthony. At the departure of Pope Mark VII, he was unanimously chosen to succeed him...
, and his funeral was attended by Ibrahim Bey
Ibrahim Bey
Ibrahim Bey was an Egyptian Mamluk chieftain of Georgian origin.Ibrahim Bey was born as Abram Shinjikashvili into the family of a Christian priest in Martqopi in the eastern Georgian province of Kakheti. As a child, he was captured by Ottoman slave raiders and sold out in Egypt where he was...
. He was buried in a private tomb that he had built for himself next to the church of Saint Georges in Old Cairo
Old Cairo
Old Cairo is a part of Cairo, Egypt, that contains the remnants of those cities which were capitals before Cairo, such as Fustat, as well as some other elements from the city's varied history. For example, it encompasses Coptic Cairo and its many old churches and ruins of Roman fortifications...
.