Meeting between Pope and supreme Sunni imam cancelled
posted at 4:22 pm on March 23, 2007 by Allahpundit
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The imam in question being Mohammed Sayyid Tantawi, head of Al-Azhar University in Cairo, spiritual authority for a billion Sunni Muslims, and occasional advocate for suicide bombings against U.S. troops and Israeli settlers.
Naturally he was the one who cancelled, not the Pope. Apparently Benedict had less of a problem with Tantawi’s concept of martyrdom than Tantawi’s colleagues had with Benedict’s speech last summer:
[I]n Cairo, sources at the Al Azhar university said the change of plan was due to pressure from Muslim ‘Ulema’ scholars in Egypt and also from the Muslim Brothers, the Arab world’s largest group of political Islamists.
This explanation appeared to be confirmed by the statements of Ahmad Mahmoud, professor of Sharia law at the Al-Azhar university.
“The offensive observations by Pope Benedict XVI against Islam make this visit not positive,” he told the Gulf News agency, going on to rebuke Benedict for having “abolished” the Vatican department for inter-religious dialogue. In fact, Benedict merged it with the Pontifical Council for Culture in a bid to put a more cultural slant on dialogue.
According to Egyptian daily Al Akhbar, the invitation issued by the Vatican to Tantawi earlier this year aroused fresh anger in Islamic world still reeling from the Regensburg incident.
Another Egyptian daily, Al Osboe el Yom, said on Thursday that by accepting the invitation Tantawi seemed to have “forgotten the pope’s insults” and was therefore “offending all Muslims”.
They’re going to try again, maybe, in May. Meanwhile, Abdelkareem Nabil Suleiman is sitting in an Egyptian jail thanks to the good people of Al-Azhar. Exit question: Will Benedict mention it to Tantawi when they meet?
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Benedict is too busy trying to scrub off the evil after meeting with Don King this week.
Number 2 on March 23, 2007 at 4:36 PM
Hmmm.. this guy cancels…
Amanawannakillajew cancels…
Brits sailors taken prisoner…
Iran in “manuevers”….
I question the timing…
Romeo13 on March 23, 2007 at 4:41 PM
Of course, all over the middle east, Sunni Muslims are protesting in the streets demanding to know why their leaders aren’t putting more effort into “diplomacy” with the enemy.
Oh wait…..that didn’t happen.
JadeNYU on March 23, 2007 at 4:48 PM
“Where are we in numbering the Crusades, again?”
“I think it’s twelve, your Holiness.”
“well, we can’t have 13, bad luck. Ok, Crusade #14, front and center!”
mojo on March 23, 2007 at 5:08 PM
“The offensive observations by Pope Benedict XVI against Islam make this visit not positive,”
We’re making progress. The Pope didn’t lie, he just told the ugly truth about Islam.
Canadian Infidel on March 23, 2007 at 5:10 PM
Pope Benedict is turning out to be a really weak Pope, and I’m an orthodox Catholic. He is going down as one of the weaker Popes in Church history; he has only had one encyclical in the last two years, and it was about love. He just doesn’t get the Muslim threat or else has been cowed by dhimmitude. He understands the dangers of secularism, but he does not know how to govern, thus making the problems of atheistic secularism worse. What a disappointment!
It is time for a Pope that is outside the postmodern European atmosphere. I linked to the type of Catholic we need leading the Church: a type of Catholic like Father Nnorum from Nigeria. Cardinal Arinze, also from Nigeria, or Cardinal Pell from Australia would be a great Popes.
januarius on March 23, 2007 at 5:15 PM
Exit answer: no
starflyer on March 23, 2007 at 5:29 PM
I was going to say that I only want to see that meeting if it’s in a steel cage, but I don’t think Benedict has that kind of fire in his belly. That Nigerian guy looks pretty solid, though.
ReubenJCogburn on March 23, 2007 at 6:25 PM
januarius, I disagree. Pope Benedict started something very important with the speech he made. I saw immediate reaction by many Islamic scholars who tried to respond to the idea that their religion is lacking in reason. He opened a new arena. Perhaps a necessary battlefield. I think the man is brilliant and has been the right Pope for this time.
Considering the number of leftists in the Vatican, I fear you may have your “leader-type” pope sooner rather than later, but will he be Catholic?
Connie on March 23, 2007 at 9:10 PM