Morocco has recalled its ambassador to the Vatican after the comments made on Tuesday by Pope Benedict XVI on Islam and Prophet Mohammad (PBUH).
HM King Mohammed VI has also sent a written message to Pope Benedict XVI in protest of the latter's offending statements about Islam.
On September 12 in the university of Regensburg, Germany, Pope Benedict XVI quoted a 14th-century Byzantine Emperor who called Islam "evil and inhuman," and accused Prophet Muhammad of spreading the faith "by the sword," thus sparking wrath among Muslims around the world.
According to a press release issued on Saturday by the Moroccan Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Moroccan ambassador Ali Achour has been recalled for consultation, starting from Sept. 17, by order of HM King Mohammed VI.
Achour was appointed as ambassador to the Holy See last January by HM. King Mohammed VI.
Mohamed El Yazghi, the leader of the Socialist Union of Popular Forces, the main party in Morocco's governing coalition, welcomed the move.
"It is a totally normal reaction from Morocco which is putting on record its disapproval of the comments of Benedict XVI, especially given that previous popes and the representatives of Islam had entered into a relationship of debate, reflection and getting to know each other," he said.
Abdelilah Benkirane, a leader of the Islamist Justice and Development party (PJD), thanked the king, saying he had made a "wise decision".
"We ask God to thank and glorify him", he said, urging the pope to make a public apology.
A university researcher specialising in Islam, Mohamed Ayadi, told the media that the king's decision was an attempt to preempt any popular protests.
He is "taking the lead to avoid any street protests... In several Muslim countries, it was street that led protests against the publication of caricatures of Prophet Mohammed in Europe," Ayadi said.
In other developments, the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) has called for developing dialogue between Muslims and Catholics around the world after the controversy triggered by the insulting comments made by Pope Benedict XVI about Islam and Prophet Mohammad (PBUH).
"The proper response to the Pope's inaccurate and divisive remarks is for Muslims and Catholics worldwide to increase dialogue and outreach efforts aimed at building better relations between Christianity and Islam,” the Council said in a press release.
The council also said it will seek a meeting with the Vatican representative in Washington D.C to discuss the issue.
The CAIR said that this incident can be an opportunity for Christians around the world to know more about Islam, Prophet Mohammad, and the Islamic concept of Jihad.
"Jihad is a central and broad Islamic concept that includes struggle against evil inclinations within oneself, struggle to improve the quality of life in society, struggle in the battlefield for self-defense (e.g., - having a standing army for national defence), or fighting against tyranny or oppression,” the CAIR explained.
The Council also called on Muslims to “maintain good relations with the people of other faiths, and to engage in constructive dialogue.”
Strong reactions against the Pope's remarked sparked off when he quoted on Tuesday, during his visit to Germany, a 14th century Byzantine Christian Emperor as saying “Show me just what Muhammad brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached.”
Many religious leaders and organisations condemned the comments. Some voices warned that this could lead to more misunderstanding and violence around the world. Reactions to the speech have come from such leaders as Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf, who said efforts to link Islam and terrorism should be clearly opposed.
Street protests have been held in Pakistan, India, Turkey and Gaza.
In the West Bank city of Nablus, two churches were firebombed on Saturday in attacks claimed by a group which said it was protesting against the Pope's remarks.
Earlier today the head of the Roman Catholic Church voiced deep regret at the Islamic world's outraged reaction to a speech he gave in Germany this week but stopped short of retracting his remarks, arguing that they had been misinterpreted.
Reading the statement, new Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone said the Pope's position on Islam was in line with Vatican teaching that the Church "esteems Muslims, who adore the only God".
"The Holy Father is very sorry that some passages of his speech may have sounded offensive to the sensibilities of Muslim believers," the statement said.
But Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood said the statement did not go far enough and called on the pontiff to apologise in person.
"The Vatican Secretary of State says that the Pope is sorry because his statements had been badly interpreted, but there is no bad interpretation," said Abdel Moneim Abul Futuh, a senior official from the opposition party.
Tags: Morocco Fes, Maghreb news
15 comments:
This is such a clear example of how a butterfly's wings can cause a ripple that results in a tsunami on the other side of the world. Has anyone, a single person who makes all this hoo ha gone to read the original speech and what the pope actually said? Here it is: Have you? Please read his words and inform your readers. We can show that some musulmans can still think for themselves. Please.
Salam,
I am one who thinks for themselves and I too found the Pope's words insulting. His failure to make a proper appology just makes things worse. I read his words several times and find nothing redeeming in them.
His words must be seen in the spirit of the times - and that spirit is dark. In troubled times he should have thought more before saying such things.
So tell me exactly what it was that he said that offend so? Please can you quote the exact sentences for me? Perhaps then I will understand better.
Thank you.
Somehow I don't think Kalila gets it, and as such, is one of the few.
However. it is pretty clear from the context that the remarks are at best ill-chosen and at worst inflamatory. He is known to have no love of Islam, but in his position he should have avoided such remarks. I support Morocco's decision to withdrasw their ambassador.
But no one can give me the quote from the speech that he made that is making them so unhappy? It is funny how people find it easy to follow the herd of sheep rather than think for themselves. I will now "bahhhh" out of this discussion before we start another senseless riot here because I think the readers here also want to to use fighting instead of words.
Hi Kalila,
Thank you for airing your views. It is good to get a range of opinions and we welcome yours. At least you managed to get everyone to read the full text and understand the context.
Thanks again.
I think the irony is nearly overwhelming. Honestly, words nearly fail me - are these Musliim swine for real? Sorry, excuse my redundant question - to the nun they've killed and the congregations they've left homeless by burning those churches, they are all too real alright! Well, as a (formerly) non-extremist Catholic I can honestly tell you, the over-reaction to the Pope's WORDS, following on from the treatment of that Danish cartoonist, has left me feeling extremely hostile toward Muslims everywhere and hoping that my church rises up to use it's far superior firepower to wipe this ugly blemish of a religion from the face of the planet! Yes, that's right, I, a non-hostile Catholic, has become so angered by these animals that I now hope they DO bring their f***ing Jihad here and get wiped out once and for all by my God-fearing, peaceful church. It's at times like this I actually get behind the likes of George Bush as the lesser of two evils. Whilst he doesn't represent MY religion, at least he'll try and protect me and my family from these vile, unhinged barbarians. I really hope it has come to the point that Christians the world over draw a line and finally stop pandering to these filth - we never wanted violence or hostility, but they brought it. What is wrong with these people that they aren't happy until they have someone (e.g. Salman Rushtie, cartoonists, the Pope, country's and Presidents) to sentence to DEATH - they really are animals and my only regret is that the Pope even tried to open discourse with these vermin. See the rewards for trying to pander to these violent wretches? He's got them threatening to send SUICIDE bombers into his f***ing home!! Seriously like, what is this like???? I'm too angry to type. Dirty Muslim scum, dirty, dirty, dirty.
Matt
It is attitudes like that that are at the seat of the problem. The last comment is typical of what decent Muslems have had to put up with for years now. I hope the person that wrote them becomes wiser when he grows up.
On the other hand I would like to say how fair and even handed your blog is. Please keep up the good work.
See, again an insult from what is, apparently, a 'grown-up' Muslim. There's a reason Muslims have had to put up with comments like these from people like me - they're murdering reptiles. I have grown up Anthea. I've grown up in a world where 'decent Muslims' (according to their families) have been hell-bent on bombing America and Britain, and anywhere else they don't get their way (Bali, etc). I bet you probably want my head on a stake now Anthea, don't you?
Matt
Matt - maybe you should spend time in an Islamic country and see for yourself how generous, honest and peace-loving a majority of the people are.
Sadly the news media has beaten up the image of Islam and failed to see that the root of the problem lies in politics, not religion as most experienced observers point out.
As an Irish catholic who has travelled widely in the middleeast, I agree with Jason. The problem is political.
The present Pope has an attitude problem and does not speak on behalf of all catholics. I pray that in future he will pick his words more carefully.
Jason, whilst I appreciate your attempt at a level-headed response, the reaction by Muslims to WORDS spoken by the Pope would seriously deter me from wanting to spend time with any Muslims, even in my own country let alone travelling to one of theirs. Over-reaction simply doesn't sum it up - these are not the responses of a people taught to reason. Calling on suicide-bombers to go into Vatican City is too disgusting for words, as is Eamonn's comment which is nearly too pathetic to comment on. However, as I am also Irish, I will stoop only to point out that Eamonn you are a disgrace to your country and would do well to READ ABOUT what you are commenting on you imbecile - the Pope said NOTHING to anger these sand-rats, and distancing yourself from the Pope puts you firmly where you deserve to be.
Matt
Salam,
It is fascinating the way the moderate voices are attacked. Returning to Lalla Kalila for a moment, I read the words of the Pope again and still find them provocative.
"The emperor must have known that surah 2, 256 reads: "There is no compulsion in religion". According to the experts, this is one of the suras of the early period, when Mohammed was still powerless and under threat. But naturally the emperor also knew the instructions, developed later and recorded in the Qur'an, concerning holy war. Without descending to details, such as the difference in treatment accorded to those who have the "Book" and the "infidels", he addresses his interlocutor with a startling brusqueness on the central question about the relationship between religion and violence in general, saying: "Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached"."
One has to ask why he allows himself to talk this way when so many of us are attempting to heal the rifts caused by politicians, the media and fundamentalists on all sides.
M'salama
Matt, your comment about your "God-fearing peaceful church" made me smile.
Just remember our small but undefeated army- Tiocfaidh Ar La.
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