JORDAN/WEBSITE: Editor in Chief of Islamica magazine stresses the significance of Muslim scholars open letter to Pope Benedict

Senior Muslim scholars, taking up Pope Benedict's call for a frank dialogue, have written him an open letter listing factual errors in his recent speech on Islam that sparked protest across the Muslim world. Sohail Nakhooda, the editor in chief of Islamica magazine said on Sunday (October 15) the letter, a reaction to the Popes speech a month ago, was unusual in that it brought together several Muslim leaders from eight Mathhabs (sects). "It was the coming together of several Muslim dignitaries and leader," Nakhooda said. "Their concerns coalesce into a letter that was written and agreed upon by almost 38 scholars." The scholars included grand muftis of Egypt, Oman, Uzbekistan, Istanbul, Russia, Bosnia, Croatia and Kosovo as well as a Shi'ite ayatollah, Jordanian Prince Ghazi bin Mohammad bin Talal and Western-based academics. The politely worded letter challenged the former theology professor on his own area of expertise and gave him poor marks for misreading the Koran, failing to use terms correctly and citing obscure and possibly biased sources. "The open letter which has been published now goes over the main contentious points that the Pope raised to do with Jihad and forced conversion, the issue of reason and faith and religion in the modern world, and also brings out a positive message of how Muslims and Christians need to work together to build a better relationship with each other," Nakhooda said, adding that the letter had been received well by Arab and Western media. "They've been able to underscore that Muslims have been hurt by the particular speech that Pope gave," he said. Islamica magazine, an international quarterly on Muslim affairs, posted the open letter on its website on Saturday (October 15) and handed a copy of the letter to the Vatican nuncio (ambassador) on Thursday (October 12) in Amman, where Islamica has an editorial office. Speaking in Regensburg in early September, Benedict quoted a 14th century Byzantine emperor as saying Islam was evil and irrational and had been spread by the sword. The speech sparked protests across the Muslim world. Several churches were attacked in the Middle East and an Italian nun was murdered in Somalia. Benedict has said he did not agree with the emperor he quoted.

ITN Source | October 15, 2006

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