Vatican City (AsiaNews) – What really concerns Benedict XVI is "is a clear and radical refusal of the religious motivation of violence" and in the speech he delivered at Regensburg University "it wasn't among the Pope's intentions to make a detailed study of jihad or of Muslim thought on this subject, much less to offend the sensibilities of Muslim believers".

This is how the Holy See has responded to the angry criticism coming from Muslin leaders in Turkey, Kuwait and Germany who this afternoon attacked Benedict XVI for a few remarks—taken out of context and published in the Turkish press—made in a speech on Tuesday to German academics.

Ali Bardakoğlu, current president of Turkey's Religious Affairs Directorate, the highest Islamic authority in Turkey and whose function is similar to that of grand mufti of his country, said he read the Pope's speech with amazement and horror. In his opinion the speech was provocative, hostile and prejudicial and revealed the conceited, unfortunate and arrogant attitude of someone who knows he has the economic power of the West behind him. If a man of religion or a scholar criticises the history of a religion or the members of a religion discussion is possible, but when bad things are said about what is sacred, about the holy book and the prophet, this is a sign of arrogance and hostility that gives rise to hearsay and fuels religious strife. For this reason, he expects Benedict XVI to apologise to Islam as a whole.

Kuwaiti Shia leaders Haken al-Mutairi and Sayed Baqer al-Mohri and Aiman Mazyek, secretary-general of the Central Council of Muslims in Germany, were probably even more critical in their reactions.

In a statement signed by the director of the Vatican Press Office Fr Federico Lombardi, the Holy See said that "it wasn't among the Pope's intentions to make a detailed study of jihad or of Muslim thought on this subject, much less to offend the sensibilities of Muslim believers."

Instead, in his speech the Pope reiterated the need to "cultivate an attitude of respect and dialogue toward other religions and cultures, obviously toward Islam too"

With regard to the reactions of Muslim leaders concerning the allegedly improper remarks in his speech in Regensburg University Father Lombardi said that it was necessary to point out that a close reading of the speech would show that "what is important to the pope is a clear and radical rejection of the religious motivation of violence".

Father Lombardi noted that, on the contrary, the Pope's address was primarily an invitation to the West to stop scorning God and avoid the cynicism that believes that mocking the sacred is a right. Taking the religious dimension into consideration is in fact an essential premise for a fruitful dialogue between the great cultures and religions in the world.

In concluding his speech at Regensburg University Benedict XVI said that the more profoundly religious cultures in the world view the exclusion of the divine from the universality of reason as an attack against their most intimate convictions. When faced with the divine, reason is deaf and pushes religion into the realm of subcultures. In doing so it is incapable of taking part in any dialogue between cultures.

For Father Lombardi, it is clear that Pope's intention is to "cultivate an attitude of respect and dialogue toward other religions and cultures, obviously toward Islam too."