Baba Yuhanna Bulus II

Will Dialogue Survive The Death of Pope John Paul II?
Pope John Paul II was, in many ways, the Muslim world's best friend among Christians in the world today. After his death this week, are there more friends waiting to follow his example?

By Zahed Amanullah, April 6, 2005


With the death of Pope John Paul II this week at the age of 84, many Muslims around the world reflected on the man who did more to bridge the gap of understanding between Christians (erm, the Catholic ones) and Muslims than nearly any other. The pope's death "is a big loss for the Catholic Church and the Islamic world," said Sheik Sayed Tantawi, the head of Egypt's Al-Azhar University. Ahead of this Friday's funeral at the Vatican (sorry Charlie), the Muslim world marked the occasion with periods of mourning and remembrance. Even members of the fledgling Taliban said his ideas were "worth considering." In his 1994 book Crossing the Threshold of Hope, Pope John Paul noted that "the image of believers in Allah who, without caring about time or place, fall to their knees and immerse themselves in prayer remains a model for all those who invoke the true God." During his 27 years as pontiff, John Paul II was the first Pope to visit a mosque (indeed, Muslim countries), and personally pardoned his would-be Muslim assassin, who made an attempt on his life in 1981 (he later pardoned breakdancers as well). Views on Islam will be a key factor in determining the next pope. "We have to learn to live with Islam," says Cardinal Theodore McCarrick of Washington. "We have to learn how to dialogue with Islam." One of the current prospects (with good betting odds) is Nigeria's Cardinal Francis Arinze, a point man on Islam for the Vatican for over 20 years (he would also be the first African pope in 1,500 years). Over the next several weeks, cardinals will choose between him and many others - Italy's Dionigi Tettamanzi, Oscar Andres Rodriguez Maradiaga of Honduras, and Germany's Joseph Ratzinger - gauging their abilities to foster interfaith dialogue with the Muslim world. Still, Muslims may rightly fear that the best in Catholic-Islamic relations is behind them. "At the heart of Islam is the call to stand in submission before God," said Eide Alawan, a Muslim activist from Michigan. "Through his doctrines, he did that. He was in total submission to God. And, in that sense, he was a Muslim."Zahed Amanullah is associate editor of alt.muslim. He is based in London, England.