VATICAN CITY (CNS): International Islamic scholars have published an open letter to Pope Benedict XVI, taking issue with what they described as mistakes and oversimplifications of Islam in a recent papal speech to German academics.
The cordial critique of the Pope’s speech was offered in a “spirit of open exchange”, said the 38 Muslim leaders who signed the text. It was published online last Sunday by the Los Angeles-based Islamica magazine.
The scholars took issue with several points made by the Pope in his September 12 speech at the University of Regensburg, Germany, including remarks about “holy war” and the suggestion that Islam may be less inclined to reject violence as an unreasonable affront to God.
However, the scholars praised the Pope’s speech for its critical assessment of materialism in modern life.
They also said they appreciated the Pope’s subsequent clarifications about his speech and his expressed regret over the offence taken by many Muslims.
Signatories of the letter included grand muftis of Egypt and several other countries, as well as Islamic authorities and academics from the Middle East, Asia, North Africa, Europe and North America.
