ISLAM-CHRISTIAN DIALOGUE

261 burning in effigy, governments deman- ding retractions, the recall of ambassa- dors, churches burned, a religious sister killed, Arab Christians denigrated, exam- ples are numerous, etc. This freedom of expression is repeatedly retaliated by the arab world under the co- ver of “religious offense” and mobs mo- ved by national institutions, leaders etc. only too glad to find a pretext to accuse somebody else for their own weaknesses. I did not find in al Ahram or publicity made to the explanations given by the pope to the ambassadors from the arab league, except that al ahram cited the council of ulemas as still requiring an excuse. In reality, a major part of Benedict XVI’s lecture was addressed to the Christian world, which in his view are so have lost the “fear of God.” But here as well the pope’s words found their confirmation in the facts. Hand in hand with the swell of verbal and physical violence on the part of Muslims, on the other side, the pope was the target of criticism from Christian area. Freedom of creed and religious practice and adherence: this does not exist in the Arabic world, except in Lebanon. All citi- zens have not the same rights and duties under one country law: non Muslims have a different legal treatment, I add, same between women and men. During my attendance in Cairo at the world Conference on population in 1994, the Vati- can had closer views on bioethics and family values with Moslem representatives rather with the Occident countries. Links between Christian and Moslem leaders started to be tight and no offence is intended. It is unfor- tunate that no Muslim leader speak high against violence perpetrated on the basis of religion when such is being perpetrated. Killing in the name of Allah is another point raised by the pope. The dialogue with Islam that he wants to create is not made of fe- arful silences and ceremonial embraces. It is not made of mortifications which, in the Muslim camp, are interpreted as acts of submission. He proposes to the Muslims that they separate violence from faith, as prescribed by the Qur’an itself. He proposes to the Muslims that they separate violence from faith, as prescri- bed by the Qur’an itself; John Paul II, who prayed humbly in Assisi together Muslim mullahs, and when visiting the Umayyad mosque in Damascus listened in silence to the invectives his hosts hurled against the perfidious Jews. No fatwa was issued for the slitting of Karol Wojtyla’s throat. It was a mere coincidence that Ali Agca, who shot him, was a Muslim – and that all terrorists as I call them are Moslem. Although they do not represent Islam of course, but disclaimers by religious lea- ders are not being publicized, that I know. Reason and religious belief: this covers a large part of the conference but I am not in a position to discuss as outside my in- tellectual capacity. I submit a comment I read that “Benedict XVI is hopeful. He would not have been so daring if he did not believe in the real pos- sibility that an interpretation of the Qur’an that marries faith with reason and freedom can be reopened within Islamic thought. (reading Qoran in today’s context) But the voices in the Muslim world that are accep- ting his offer of dialogue are too weak and too few, and almost not to be found. And the pope is too much alone in a wayward Europe. And then there is the violence that hangs over Christians in Islamic countries, and also outside of them – when, to silence the pope, members of his flock are killed, and all the better if they are innocent, like a religious sister, a woman.” Dear Galal: I am grateful to your mail as it obliged me to reflect and to think over a major pro- blem of this century. But people like us who know rather well both sides of the Mediterranean Sea can help to eliminate the misunderstandings. I am convinced that the core of the spirit of the Pope,