Will Muslim clerics apologise for believing Islam is one and only true religion?

[Guest guest]

Muslims debate Pope's speech reaction

 

By Magdi Abdelhadi

Arab Affairs Analyst, BBC

Monday, 25 September 2006, 15:18 GMT 16:18 UK

 

Despite the predominantly emotional and angry response to the Pope's

controversial remarks about Islam, some Muslim writers and

intellectuals have been extremely critical of the way Muslims have

responded so far.

 

The angry reactions to the Pope's original remarks included the

killing of an Italian nun in Somalia and attacks on Christian

churches in Palestinian territories.

 

But several Muslim writers argued that such violent reactions

appeared to confirm the very things that Muslims have been seeking

to refute.

 

Some concluded that it would have been better to engage in a

rational debate with the Pope.

 

The European Muslim scholar, Tarik Ramadan, blamed Muslim leaders

and scholars for such violent responses.

 

'Let off steam'

 

Leaders who deny their people freedom of expression, he wrote, find

it convenient to allow their people to let off some steam as long as

it is about Danish cartoons or words uttered by the Pope.

 

Mr Ramadan asks rhetorically whether it was wise of Muslims to feel

offended by the Pope's quotation from a 14th Century Christian

emperor while they continue to ignore questions they have faced over

the past five years about the meaning of the term " jihad " and the

legitimate use of force.

 

Khaled Hroub, a Jordanian-born academic, wrote that the aggressive

and intolerant reactions failed to live up to the ideals Muslims

believe in.

 

The Muslim reaction to the Pope's apology has also come in for a lot

of criticism.

 

Mr Hroub wondered whether Muslim clerics can ever be asked to

apologise for believing that Islam is the one and only true

religion.

 

One columnist, Abdelwahab Al Affendi, ridiculed those who demanded a

retraction of the Pope's original remarks.

 

Mr Al Effendi wrote saying that nothing short of the Pope's

converting to Islam will ever assuage the anger of those people!

 

Muslims debate Pope's speech reaction

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/5378606.stm