Rome (AsiaNews) –Thirty-eight Islamic leaders have signaled acceptance of the regret expressed by the Pope for the reactions to his words in Regensburg on 12 September, and his assurance that the controversial quotation he cited did not reflect his personal views. An open letter to Benedict XVI was published today in the American Islamica Magazine by a group of 38 Muslim leaders and theologians, both Sunni and Shiite.
Signatories of the letter included the Grand Muftis of Istanbul, Russia, Bosnia, Croatia, Kosovo, Uzbekistan and Oman, and for the Shia community, Ayatollah Muhammad Ali Taskhiri of Iran and the religious adviser for King Abdallah II of Jordan, as well as theologians from the George Washington University (USA) and Cambridge (Great Britain).
The long text of the letter analyses the lectio magistralis of Regensburg and comments on some parts, like that referring to forced conversions to Islam. About this, the Muslim leaders wrote that "if it is true that Islam spread partly as a result of conquest, the greater part of its expansion came as a result of prayer and missionary activity."
They continue: "History shows some Muslims have violated Islamic tenants concerning forced conversions and the treatment of other religious communities, but history also shows these are by far the exception."
The letter highlights "positive" aspects of the doctrine of Benedict XVI, like his "efforts to oppose the positivism and materialism in human life" and his desire for "frank and sincere dialogue, recognizing its importance in our world".
In the five-page text, the leaders said that Christianity and Islam "make up more than half the world's population and are responsible for contributing to peace in an increasingly interconnected world". This is why debate should move away from anger on the streets toward a frank and sincere dialogue of hearts and minds that furthers mutual understanding and respect between the two religious traditions.
Finally, in the last paragraph, the 38 signatories said: "Muslims also appreciated that on 25 September, before an assembly of ambassadors from Muslim countries", the pontiff "expressed total and profound respect for all Muslims".
