Pope 'sorry' for offence to Islam

[Iconoclast]

Pope 'sorry' for offence to Islam
Pope Benedict XVI in Freising, southern Germany
The Vatican said the Pope's remarks had been misinterpreted
Pope Benedict XVI has said he is sorry that a speech in which he referred to Islam has offended Muslims.

In a statement read out by a senior Vatican official, the Pope said he respected Islam and hoped Muslims would understand the true sense of his words.

In Tuesday's speech the Pope quoted a 14th Century Christian emperor who said the Prophet Muhammad had brought the world only "evil and inhuman" things.

The remarks prompted protests from Muslims around the world.


The Holy Father is very sorry that some passages of his speech may have sounded offensive to the sensibilities of Muslim believers
Tarcisio Bertone
Vatican secretary of state

Pope reacts: Full text

The BBC's Christian Fraser in Rome says the speed with which the Vatican has reacted shows just how seriously it views the situation.

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," Abdel Moneim Abul Futuh, a senior official from the opposition party told AFP.

Turkey concerns

Our correspondent says the statement goes as far as it can towards an apology.


HAVE YOUR SAY
Pope Benedict probably should self-criticise Christianity's violent past before commenting on the other faith
John Lin, Illinois

Send us your comments
Key excerpts: Pope's speech
In quotes: Muslim reaction

But the Pope is known to have strong feelings about the relationship between religion and violence and is thought unlikely to retract the sentiment of his speech.

There will still be concerns about whether to go ahead with the Pope's planned visit to Turkey in November, our correspondent says.

The BBC's David Willey in Rome says Pope Benedict, a theologian who has led a sheltered life in the Vatican for more than two decades, may not have understood the potential implications of his remarks.

He says the Cardinal Bertone, the newly-appointed top Vatican official, faces the task of serious damage control in the coming days.

Security at the Vatican is being stepped up, although the pontiff remains closeted with his closest advisers at his summer villa at Castelgandolfo near Rome.

Protests

In his speech at Regensburg University on Tuesday, the German-born Pope quoted Emperor Manuel II Paleologos of the Orthodox Christian Byzantine Empire.

Protester in Srinagar
Street protests have been held in Pakistan, India, Turkey and Gaza
Stressing that they were not his own words, he quoted the emperor 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."

He also said that violence was "incompatible with the nature of God and the nature of the soul".

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.

But German Chancellor Angela Merkel has come to the pontiff's defence, saying the aim of the speech had been misunderstood.

__________________________________________________ _____________

Allah Knows best what lies in ur heart and soon the muslims and and non muslims will know that hate against ISLAM will lead them nowhere but to Islam as thier Region OF CHOICE .
The One And Only religion that exists before and beyound eternity

Anyway lets put this bad episode behind us like we always do .
BUT REMEMBER EEN IF U CHOOSE TO FORGIVE__ DO NOT FORGET THIS AS IT REFLECTS WHAT POPE THINKS OF ISLAM

:w:

[Islamicboy]

Pope the crusader can appolgize all he wants but i will not forgive nor forget. Pope knows exactly why he said what he said.

[Panatella]

It is interesting that the comments by the pope were quotes from someone centuries ago in reference to violence insighted by mohommud. The anger and denial expressed in response by some, came in the form of fire bombs and attacks by gunmen.
How is it rational to deny violence by responding violently?

[Muezzin]

I hope the violence stops now. It doesn't make sense to react in this way, I agree.

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[Mawaddah]

I wonder what was the reason for the Pope to quote those words anyway?

[Muezzin]

I wonder what was the reason for the Pope to quote those words anyway?

That's a question that belongs in a civil debate rather than a riot. :)

[Trumble]

It is interesting that the comments by the pope were quotes from someone centuries ago in reference to violence insighted by mohommud. The anger and denial expressed in response by some, came in the form of fire bombs and attacks by gunmen.
How is it rational to deny violence by responding violently?

It isn't rational at all, of course.

The real tragedy is that behaviour like that just reinforces the opinion that many hold, wrongly, in the West that the Pope (or to be accurate the Emperor he quoted) was correct.

[Far7an]

Subhanallah. This is what I feared.

[Muezzin]

Bad news :-\

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/5353850.stm

Bloody hell. There's always someone willing to do something stupid like this, murder an innocent person, and in so doing condemn Islam even further. I hope they catch the murderer.

[Far7an]

There are always three groups of people when something like this happens.

Those who react: They try to set the record straight, edcuate the people etc.

Those who don't react: They feel it doesn't concern them and they get on with their lives.

Those who over react: Those who feel by blowing up buildings and killing innocent people they will somehow get 'revenge'.

May Allaah guide us to that which pleases him.

[Mawaddah]

Bad news :-\

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/5353850.stm

Ya Salaam.....To what extent are these ignorants taking it?

[Ghazi]

:sl:

Those who react: They try to set the record straight, edcuate the people etc.

All three are wrong in my opinion, the first might have good intention but during these hostile times, don't seem to do anything but a few words people need to challange the problems head on and give solutions to keep everyone happy.

[Iconoclast]

Bad news :-\

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/5353850.stm

That's not good and should not have happened ... but if i say or the other Muslims say LI Forum Strongly Condemns Such Acts of violence it will too political. and no one will believe it as we are used to hearing it from our friends in the west.

1st step lets learn about Islam and Allahs Messenger and please no concessions in following Islam

:w: