Islamic Party demands the Pope to apologize to Muslim world

The Party will express its protest to Vatican representative office in Azerbaijan.

AIP leader Haji Hajiaga Nuri told the APA it is surprising that the Roman Pope made such a remark. He said a religious leader such as Benedict XVI making such a statement on the last messenger of God Prophet Muhammad (S) is due to the recently spread islamophobia in Europe and the US.

"Such cases have become intensive in Europe. This might lead to tense atmosphere between religious. And Roman Pope Benedict XVI and the whole Christian world will be responsible for that," the party leader said.

He did not rule out the party's staging protest actions related to the Pope's statement.
In his address to on 12 September, Pope made statement insulting Islam and Prophet Muhammad (S). He linked Islam with the evil and inhuman things.

The world Muslims strongly protested against such irresponsible remark by the Pope. Pakistani parliament has adopted a resolution demanding Benedict to apologize. Most Muslim leaders criticized the Pope for intentionally ignoring the Islamic principles of tolerance as well as its humanitarian teachings that promote peace and oppose violence and hatred.

Saudi Islamic Affairs Minister Saleh Al-Asheikh also condemned the pope's statement, saying it reflected the pontiff's ignorance of Islam. He said such statements would promote hatred and enmity among peoples. "Islam has nothing to do with the evil and inhuman things the pope was referring to," the minister said. Al-Asheikh referred to the efforts made by Muslim organizations to promote dialogue between Islam and Christianity. He also called for more efforts to propagate the message of Islam.