Pope Benedict’s comments about Islam could hurt religious harmony, government and religious leaders in the world’s most populous Muslim countries, Indonesia and Pakistan, said on Friday. A growing chorus of Muslim leaders have called on the Pope to apologise for the remarks he made in a speech in Germany on Tuesday when he used the terms “jihad” and “holy war”.
Pakistan’s National Assembly, parliament’s lower house, unanimously passed a resolution on Friday condemning the Pope’s comments. “This statement has hurt sentiments of the Muslims,” the resolution said. “This is also against the charter of the United Nations. This house demands the Pope retract his remarks in the interest of harmony among different religions of the world.”
Islamic scholars say the Pontiff’s comments show how little he understands Islam and some have said Islamic countries should threaten to break off relations with the Vatican.
See also Islam Online, 15 September 2006