THE GREAT IMPORTANCE OF THE COMPLEX RELATIONSHIP WITH THE ISLAMIC WORLD
by Glauco D’Agostino
The first comments from some Vatican experts and observers point to listening as the greatest quality of the “Pastor Pope”. Reductive, in our opinion, because the task of the highest Representatives of the Faith, in this case the Pontiff of the Holy Roman Church, is above all to build “bridges”, as the root of his title itself indicates. His Holiness Pope Francis, beyond the controversies about his actions, has been above all this; he has honoured his mission by opening arms to other ways of interpreting the Essence of the One God, not only by listening to them, but taking on the effort to give dignity to their manifestation of faith. Therefore, well beyond listening, he proposed himself as an actor and spiritual guide of the attitude, universal but multiple and complex, to the Divine.
Pope Francis visiting the Blue Mosque of Istanbul in 2014
Islamic World Analyzes pays homage to Pope Francis in his transition to the goal of Eternity, recognising his value in terms of commitment, religious tension on the Path of the One and dialogue with other religious confessions. His scathing denunciation of the “throwaway culture”, interpreted in an ideological key by the most backwards part of secularised societies, was instead an authentic Christian option of service to the duties of compassion, solidarity and human brotherhood. Witness was his recent Christmas message in which he stated that the killing of Palestinian children by the Israeli occupation forces in the Gaza Strip is “cruelty, not war”.
Pope Francis and the Grand Imām of Al-Azhar Aḥmad aṭ-Ṭayyib
Pope Francis with Shaykh Muḥammad bin Zāyid Āl Nahyān, UAE President and Abu Dhabi Ruler
From an Islamic perspective, we acknowledged the appreciation received from the Document Human Fraternity for World Peace and Living Together Pope Francis and the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar Aḥmad aṭ-Ṭayyib signed in Abu Dhabi in 2019, in particular where it warns of the danger of extremism and blind fundamentalism, citing the “vortex of atheist and agnostic extremism,” and blaming and judging it as a danger. But we had not overlooked the risk that, without the appropriate insights, we would give way to another equally dangerous ideology, cosmopolitanism (different from national multiculturalism), which attempts to erase identities by underlining the individualistic nature of men-brothers relationships (https://www.islamicworld.it/wp/the-human-fraternity-dialogue-in-diversity-versus-cosmopolitanism/). At that same juncture, we had stressed the need to oppose the same fundamentalist idea of the West-East opposing civilizations. It seems in vain since some Heads of State and Government persist in identifying the West as a glue of founding values, rather than a much more prosaic and transient military-industrial block. And yet, the message of the two high-ranking religious representatives opened a breach above all in the prevailing cold cynicism of the decadent West.
The last period of Francis’ pontificate also meant underlining the international role of the Church as an autonomous and independent state player, not necessarily in continuity with the historical opposition to imperial and then national power, but in the reaffirmation of its authority deriving from its status as holder of legal capacity in relations between States; a concept, in my opinion, not fully explored in political science circles, where it tends to confuse in this case the roles of religious and state institutions, which remain very distinct, albeit complementary. A problem that, in many cases, also afflicts the Islamic world in some of its components. The Pontiff of the Holy Roman Church emphasised how the Holy See is a subject of international law with the full legitimacy to intervene even in international crisis issues.
Pope Francis, contrary to what is generally said about his action, has exercised this role to the extent possible, intervening, not always unanimously shared, on the Ukraine and Palestine conflicts, but also in favour of ethnic and religious minorities, first of all in Myanmar and the Amazon.
Islamic World Analyzes, as is its task, reports below some reactions of States and exponents of the Islamic world that it considers particularly relevant to refute a principled opposition between Muslims and Christians.
- Grand Imām of Al-Azhar: His Eminence Shaykh Aḥmad Muḥammad Aḥmad aṭ-Ṭayyib, calling Francis “his brother,” stated that He “strengthened relations with Al-Azhar and the Islamic world, through his visits to various Muslim and Arab countries, and through his courageous and fair positions, particularly in denouncing the aggression on Gaza and confronting the scourge of Islamophobia”;
- Grand Āyatollāh ‘Alī Sistāni: The Supreme Shiite religious authority in Iraq said Francis was “greatly respected by all for his distinguished role in serving the causes of peace and tolerance, and for expressing solidarity with the oppressed and persecuted across the globe”;
- Islamic Republic of Iran: “I offer condolences on the passing of Pope Francis to all Catholics worldwide and his followers,” said President Mas‘ūd Pezeshkian, continuing: “Pope Francis dedicated his life to promoting Christ’s teachings of peace, justice, freedom, and interfaith dialogue … Among the highlights of his life and leadership were his humanitarian positions against anti-human behaviors in the world, especially his explicit positions and condemnation of the Israeli regime’s genocide in Gaza, and the demand to end the killing of innocent Palestinian women and children”;
- Ḥizb Allāh: The Party of God noted Francis’s “clear positions calling for an end to the Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip… and his support for the Palestinian cause”;
- Ḥamās: “The world mourns the passing of a prominent global religious figure, His Holiness Pope Francis, the Supreme Pontiff of the Roman Catholic Church, who dedicated his papacy to fostering interfaith dialogue and promoting peace across the globe”;
- Palestinian National Authority: “Today, we lost a faithful friend of the Palestinian people and their legitimate rights,” said President Maḥmud ‘Abbās, underlining that Pope Francis “recognized the Palestinian state and authorized the Palestinian flag to be raised in the Vatican”;
- Türkiye: President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said, “A respected statesman, Pope Francis was also a spiritual leader who valued dialogue between different faith groups and took the initiative in the face of human tragedies, especially the Palestinian issue and the genocide in Gaza”;
- United Arab Emirates: President Shaykh Muḥammad bin Zāyid Āl Nahyān expressed his “deepest condolences to Catholics around the world on the passing of Pope Francis, who dedicated his life to promoting the principles of peaceful coexistence and understanding”;
- Egypt: President ʿAbd al-Fattāḥ as-Sīsī said that the death of Pope Francis “is a profound loss for the entire world, as as he was a voice of peace, love and compassion” who “worked tirelessly to promote tolerance and build bridges of dialogue … and was a champion of the Palestinian cause, defending legitimate rights and calling for an end to conflict”;
- Hāshemite Kingdom of Jordan: Queen Rania wrote, “In a world that can often feel heartless, Pope Francis always had love to spare — for the less fortunate, refugee families, and children in war zones, in Gaza and around the world. Humanity has lost an invaluable champion for peace and compassion today”;
- Lebanon: President Joseph Khalil Aoun, the only Christian Head of State in the Arab world, called Francis a “dear friend and strong supporter” of his country, adding: “We will never forget his repeated calls to protect Lebanon and preserve its identity and diversity”;
- Algeria: President ʿAbd al-Majīd Tabuʾn called Francis an “immense personality” and said he “wrote his name in golden letters in modern history”;
- Kingdom of Morocco: King Muḥammad VI paid tribute to Francis’s dedication to “peace, dialogue, tolerance” and religious coexistence.
- League of Arab States: Secretary-General Aḥmad Abū l-Ghaiṭ stated that “Francis’s compass on the Palestinian question has always pointed in the right direction” and recalled “his daily communication with the residents of Gaza, through hundreds of direct phone calls in recent months, as they endured brutal Israeli aggression and bombardment”;
- Muslim World League: Secretary-General Muḥammad bin ʿAbd al-Karīm al-ʿĪsā stated that the Pope was a man of “wisdom, just stances, and positive contributions, particularly to the Islamic world and its causes”;
- Indonesia: President Prabowo Subianto wrote, “The Pope’s message of simplicity, pluralism, solidarity with the poor and marginalized, and compassion for others will forever serve as a guiding light for us all”;
- Nigeria: President Bola Ahmed Tinubu said: “I join the Catholic faithful and Christians worldwide in mourning the passing of Pope Francis, a humble servant of God, tireless champion of the poor, and guiding light for millions … He was a steadfast advocate for the developing world, where he consistently spoke against economic injustice and ceaselessly prayed for peace and stability in troubled regions”;
- Bangladesh: Nobel laureate Muhāmmod Iunūs, interim government leader, called Pope Francis “a true friend and kindred spirit”. He recalled his “profound connection” with the late Pontiff, whom he described as “a towering figure of moral clarity, humility and compassion in our time”.
