When the Pope met Al-Azhar's Sheikh el-Tayeb

They have been commended for their attempt to build bridges between the two monotheistic religions, ever since Francis's predecessor - Pope Benedict XVI - had left a deep rupture in Muslim-Christian relations that lasted for much of Benedict's papacy.  

The Muslim world and the Church: a brief history

As Pope Francis turns heads with his overtures to the Muslim world, similar attempts to better relations with Muslims have been made by previous popes in the recent past.

"Over the centuries many quarrels and dissensions have arisen between Christians and Muslims", reads the Nostra Aetate, a declaration published in 1965 encouraging better relations between Christianity and other religions.

The statement promulgated by then Pope Paul VI, dedicated a significant portion to Islam and Muslims, urging for "all to forget the past" and that, "a sincere effort be made to achieve mutual understanding; for the benefit of all men…"

Succeeding Paul VI in 1968, Pope John Paul II would work to improve relations with the Muslim world. Known to be the most well travelled Pope in history, John Paul visited Muslim majority nations such as Pakistan and Bangladesh.

In the aftermath of 9/11, the Pope continued to reach out to Muslims, on many occasions calling out the ensuing Islamophobia

On a trip to Nigeria in 1982, he said to Muslim leaders "We adore God and profess total submission to him. Thus, in a true sense, we can call one another brothers and sisters in faith in the one God." Images of the Paul II kissing the Quran at the Vatican or visiting the Umayyad Mosque in Syria (the first time a Pope visited a mosque) helped cement his legacy as a fierce advocate for Muslim-Christian solidarity.

In the aftermath of 9/11, the Pope continued to reach out to Muslims, on many occasions calling out the ensuing Islamophobia. He was also a fierce opponent of the Iraq War which, many argued, the Pope saw as potentially derailing the understanding and trust built over the previous year between the Church and Muslim religious authorities. 

A period of hostility

Much of the goodwill built over the previous few decades was to slowly evaporate with the election of Pope Benedict XVI. In what was arguably one of the most controversial moments of his papacy, the Pope - speaking at his home University of Regensburg in 2006 - quoted a Byzantine Christian emperor who espoused the view that nothing good had come of Islam.

"Show me just what Muhammad brought that was new and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached" cited the Pope, allegedly quoting a Byzantine emperor. Muslims swiftly rebuked this and other disparaging claims by Benedict, as is evident in a letter written to the Pope by dozens of prominent Muslim religious scholars.

Protests against the Pope's insensitive insinuations about Islam were seen across the Middle East and the other Muslim majority nations.

Much of the goodwill built over the previous few decades was to slowly evaporate with the election of Pope Benedict XVI

Though the Pope was forced to apologise and repeatedly said his speech was not meant to cause offence, the damage had been done. As Muslims witnessed the War on Terror rip through the Islamic world - a war being equated to an alleged clash of Christian and Muslim civilisations - his remarks could not be have come at a more tempestuous time. 

While Benedict's time as the Head of the Church did involve his trip to Turkey and a meeting with Saudi King Abdullah at the Vatican, his general lack of interest in meaningful dialogue with Muslims, in addition to the Regensburg address left behind a schism in Muslim-Christian relations. Although Pope Francis's efforts are not unique, they come at a turbulent time in recent Islamic history, and are held in high esteem.

Pope Francis, while revisiting some of the symbolic gestures made by previous heads of the Papacy, has also shown great courage in challenging some of the Islamophobic elements of European society, especially in light of the ongoing refugee crisis.

On his trip to Lesbos earlier this year, where thousands of refugees are residing, the Pope took 12 families, all Muslim, with him to the Vatican. This was a remarkable gesture when most European governments are hesitating and many actively refusing to take in Muslims, often citing Islam as not being compatible with European and western values.

Moving forward

The cordial meeting between the figureheads of the two monotheistic religions is undoubtedly a positive one. Nevertheless, there is always room for more. 

The Pope has called the battle against IS that is plaguing the Middle East, a 'Just War'. This notion unfortunately misses the political context in which IS was born, its roots in the illegal invasion of Iraq; a war the then Pope John Paul II had denounced vehemently.

Much of the rise of Islamophobia in Europe and the West is intimately linked with wars in the Muslim world - a phenomenon the Pope would be well advised to address.

Much of the rise of Islamophobia in Europe and the West is intimately linked with wars in the Muslim world - a phenomenon the Pope would be well advised to address.

As for Muslim leaders, the daunting task that lies ahead for the likes of el-Tayeb is no secret. From Pakistan to Egypt, minority rights including those of Christians have frequently been trampled on, or worse, completely ignored.

It is also worth noting that el-Tayeb, who in his meeting with the Pope made a commitment to promoting democracy and individual freedoms, leads an institution that remains the under the firm control of a military led government.

In what might be considered the most controversial moment of his time as al-Azhar's leader, he lent his support to the 2013 coup by the military junta that overthrew the Muslim Brotherhood leader and the then president Mohammed Morsi. In addition, his continued support for the regime runs counter to his commitment to democracy.

Al-Azhar has historically been under the firm control of the ruling state, understandably making el-Tayeb's role a tough one to navigate. Unfortunately, failure to promote a viable democracy at home will only make this latest attempt at promoting interfaith unity look like nothing more than a news headline.


Usaid Siddiqui is a Canadian freelance writer. He has written for PolicyMic, Aslan Media, Al Jazeera America and Mondoweiss on current affairs. Follow him on Twitter: @UsaidMuneeb16

Opinions expressed in this article remain those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The New Arab, its editorial board or staff.