Publick nakedness in Cairo

Submitted by Joaquim R (Canada), Nov 21, 2006 at 10:31

"Somewhere along this route we had a few startling exhibitions of Oriental simplicity. A girl apparently thirteen years of age came along the great thoroughfare dressed like Eve before the fall (...). Occasionally we saw stark-naked men of superb build, bathing, and making no attempt at concealment. "

Mark Twain, in 1868 Cairo, as written in Innocents Abroad, Chapt LVIII

What strikes me in this anecdote is not that the girl was naked -- she was probably a prostitute -- but that no one stopped her or agressed her in the street. These people were no less muslims than contemporary cairenes. Current islamic hysteria belongs more to Al-Wahab than to Muhammad.

I wish someone would write a book about this, to remind everyone that Islam is not synonymous with Taliban-styled street police.

Joaquim, in Canada

Note: Opinions expressed in comments are those of the authors alone and not necessarily those of Daniel Pipes. Original writing only, please. Comments are screened and in some cases edited before posting. Reasoned disagreement is welcome but not comments that are scurrilous, off-topic, commercial, disparaging religions, or otherwise inappropriate. For complete regulations, see the "Guidelines for Reader Comments".