VII. The Contemporary Period, 1945–2000 > E. The Middle East and North Africa, 1945–2000 > 3. The Middle East and Egypt, 1943–2000 > m. Egypt > 1961
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  The Encyclopedia of World History.  2001.
 
 
1961
 
New labor law. Employees were required to work no more than 42 hours per week (six days per week).  1
Reform at al-Azhar. A government decree ordered the university's curriculum and administration to be modernized. The measure ended over a century of resistance from faculty and students to attempted reforms.  2
Suppression of the Sufi orders by government decree. Yet Sufism continued to thrive. In 1964, it was reported that 60 different Sufi orders were still operating.  3
 
1962
 
Founding of the Arab Socialist Union (ASU), an attempt to create a mass political party to generate enthusiasm and motivate people to support the government's programs. The party had over 7,000 local chapters in villages, neighborhoods, schools, and workplaces. In practice, it functioned as a patchwork of wards controlled by political bosses and rural notables. Serving as secretary-general of the ASU (1965–67, 1968–69), ALI SABRI became one of the most prominent politicians in the country.  4
 
1963
 
Guarantee of university admission to all secondary school graduates.  5
Founding of the Middle East's first Islamic bank, the Mit Cham Savings Bank in Cairo. The leading organizer was the Egyptian economist Ahmad al-Najjar.  6
In some Islamic circles, modern banking was viewed as problematic because Islamic law forbade lending at interest, though not lending itself or profit sharing. In Islamic banking, depositors enter into long-term or short-term contracts with a bank and receive a portion of the bank's profits, instead of earning interest.  7
 
1966, Aug. 29
 
Execution of SAYYID QUTB (b. 1903), the leading intellectual of the Muslim Brotherhood, for political activities against the state. In his writings, he condemned the corruption of the modern world and accused contemporary Muslim societies of abandoning the principles of Islam. He encouraged true believers to withdraw from their societies in order to attain spiritual purification and regeneration.  8
 
1967, June 9
 
Nasser publicly assumed responsibility for Egypt's defeat in the war against Israel. He promised to resign as president, but changed his mind after huge crowds filled the streets throughout the country and expressed their support for him. In the following months, he organized a purge of the army and security forces, and quashed an attempted coup by disgruntled military leaders who had been blamed for Egypt's poor performance in the war.  9
 
1970, Sept. 28
 
Death of Pres. Nasser of a heart attack at Cairo airport. He was succeeded in office by V.P. ANWAR EL-SADAT.  10
 
1970–81
 
Era of SADAT. He had first come to prominence as a member of the Free Officers' Society in the Revolution of 1952, and subsequently remained one of Nasser's most trusted associates. At the time of his ascension to the presidency, he was widely regarded as a mere interim figure. But he surprised everyone by successfully outmaneuvering and eliminating his rivals. His style of rule was autocratic, and in many respects he held more power than his predecessor. His major domestic achievement, yielding both good and bad results, was the infitah (opening) of the Egyptian economy to private enterprise and outside investment. Sadat also abandoned the legacy of Nasser in foreign policy. He showed little interest in pan-Arabism, soon spurned the Soviet alliance, and aligned Egypt with the West. After redeeming Egyptian honor in the 1973 war with Israel—which was neither a victory nor a defeat—he boldly opened direct negotiations with Israel. These talks eventually produced the Camp David Accords (1978) (See 1978) and formal peace between the two countries. During the last years of his rule, he became increasingly unpopular at home, particularly among leftists, Coptic Christians, and religious extremists. Soldiers belonging to the latter group assassinated him (1981) but failed to shake the political system that he bequeathed to his country.  11
 
1971, March 7
 
Egypt stopped renewing its cease-fire agreement with Israel.  12
 
May 14
 
The “corrective revolution.” Sadat organized a purge of his rivals in the state and the army. His most notable victim was the chairman of the ASU, Ali Sabri. Henceforth Sadat's position as president was secure.  13
 
May 27
 
Egyptian-Soviet treaty of friendship, by which Egypt continued to obtain large amounts of Soviet military aid.  14
 
Sept. 2
 
Egypt officially changed its name from the United Arab Republic to the Arab Republic of Egypt.  15
 
 
 
The Encyclopedia of World History, Sixth edition. Peter N. Stearns, general editor. Copyright © 2001 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Maps by Mary Reilly, copyright © 2001 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

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