Zaman Online
09.17.2006 Sunday – ISTANBUL 00:57
OIC Responds to Pope
By Suleyman Kurt, Mukremin Albayrak, Ankara
Saturday, September 16, 2006
zaman.com
The Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) convened to discuss
whether there was a change in the function of the Papacy.
OIC Secretary-General Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu said they would give a
legal response to the pope.
Pope Benedict XVI’s recent remarks linking Islam to violence have
offended Muslims all over the world, prompting fierce anger in Turkey,
Pakistan, Egypt, India and Indonesia.
The Pakistani Parliament condemned the Pope’s comments, and the Muslim
Brothers called on the governments of Islamic countries to break
relations with the Vatican if the Pope does not apologize..
Chairman of the World Union of Muslim Clerics Yusuf Kardawi stated the
pope made `an unforgivable mistake’ against Muslims and demanded an
apology.
The Islamic Fiqh Academy (IFA), a subsidiary organ of the Organization
of the Islamic Conference (OIC) has begun an inquiry into the pope’s
statements in order to prepare a legal response.
Speaking to Zaman Daily, Ihsanoglu stated that the pope’s remarks had
damaged dialogue efforts between Christianity and Islam.
`There would have been no rationalism in Christianity without Ibn Sina
and Ibn Rushd,’ Ihsanoglu said.
The OIC secretary-general also opened the papacy’s new function to
discussion.
`Why did the pope make such a remark? Is the papacy changing its
principle?’ Ihsanoglu asked.
The pope’s remarks sparked reactions from Christians, too.
`The pope still seeks to do intellectual exercises like a university
professor,’ Turkish-Armenian Patriarch Mesrob Mutafyan said,
expressing that several examples like the Crusades should not be
forgotten.
Ali Bardakoglu, head of Turkey’s Religious Affairs Directorate, found
the Vatican’s latest statement regrettable and said, `The pope should
take the floor and apologize. This would contribute to the world peace
more than a correction made by his spokesman.’
Bardakoglu’s statements had repercussions from all over the world.
`Some of the strongest words came from Turkey, possibly putting into
jeopardy Benedict’s plan to visit there in November,’ the New York
Times wrote.
Le Figaro stated the pope’s opposition against Turkey’s membership to
the E.U. when he was a cardinal had not been forgotten in Turkey.
`Above all, this is a surprising statement. Why has he made such a
statement? It is difficult to understand this, this was not on the
agenda,’ The OIC secretary-general said and pointed out that the pope
had referred to a controversial text written in the 14th century.
During a visit to his homeland Germany this week, Pope Benedict XVI
criticized Islam and the concept of "jihad" or holy war by citing a
14th-century Byzantine emperor who said the Prophet Mohammed had
brought the world "evil and inhuman things."
Turkey’s leading theologians termed the pope’s words as `ignorant’ and
demanded an apology from the Vatican.
Professor Mehmet Aydin from Selcuk University Theology Faculty said it
was unfortunate that the Vatican was led by a pope who made such
remarks about Islam.
`Pope Benedict offended the Muslim world and displeased Pope John
XXIII,’ Aydin said and pointed out the efforts of inter-religious
dialogue started by Pope John XXIII had amounted to nothing.