Dialog of Civilizations in Pakistan: An Interview with Qibla Ayaz and Munawar Rumalshah
Joshua White Wednesday, 1 March 2006
March 7, 2006, Peshawar, Pakistan
Dr. Qibla Ayaz is Dean of the Faculty of Islamic & Oriental Studies at the University of Peshawar. Rt. Rev. Munawar Rumalshah is Bishop of Peshawar for the Church of Pakistan, a church affiliated with the Anglican Communion. Both men participate in the Interfaith Advisory Council in Peshawar, which was recently established under the leadership of Akram Khan Durrani, Chief Minister of Pakistan's North-West Frontier Province, with the assistance of the Institute for Global Engagement in accordance with a memorandum of understanding signed by the Institute and the Chief Minister on 9 October 2005.
Let's start with the issue of the cartoons recently republished in Denmark, which have caused a furor across the Muslim world, including protests here in Peshawar. The attitude of many in the West is that while the cartoons were insensitive, the reaction in the Muslim world was often disproportionate or manipulated for political ends. What's your perspective?
Dr. Qibla: Well, my understanding of the whole issue is that, first of all, Muslims must know that these cartoons are in no way the doing of any Christian individual or Christian organization. These cartoons were the doing of people who have no respect for any religion, including Christianity. My opinion is that it was unfair on the part of the Muslims to take on churches or temples or those of other faiths....
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