EUROPE/ITALY - RECTOR OF PONTIFICAL INSTITUTE FOR ARAB AND ISLAMIC STUDIES, FATHER LACUNZA, MAKES STATEMENT TO FIDES SERVICE WITH REGARD TO PREACHERS OF HATRED: “HAVING DEDICATED 30 YEARS TO THE STUDY OF ISLAMIC WRITINGS, PERHAPS I TOO AM CONSIDERED AN ENEMY OF ISLAM?”

Rome (Fides Service) – “There can be no place for people who encourage hatred and incite to kill. This is insanity. It is a matter of public order which the government must face. To use institutional places such as churches, mosques, or squares to incite people to violence and war is inadmissible in a civil and democratic country” Father Justo Lacunza Balda, rector of the Pontifical Institute for Arab and Islamic Studies, tells Fides Service. Father Lacunza, a major expert on Islam, talking with Fides, was commenting a sermon preached last Friday at the Rome Mosque, during which Imam Abdel-Samie Mahmoud Ibrahim Moussa incited those present to “annihilate the enemies of Islam and guarantee everywhere in the world the victory of the Nation of Islam”. The sermon, published by the Italian daily La Republica on 7 June, gave rise to considerable reaction and a statement was released by the Italian Minister of the Interior.




Father Lacunza is concerned for the turn the situation may take: “This has nothing to do with religious freedom. It must be clearly stated that the Italian Constitution does not allow public incitement to violence and hatred of imaginary enemies whose identity, by the way, is not revealed. In no way can Friday’s incident be considered accidental: it is a serious fact, inadmissible in a democratic society. This raises the serious question of relations between cultures and religions in Italy, a matter which affects civil co-existence in this country. The call to a Holy War Jihad, is a threat even to the Muslim community in Italy itself, because it feeds a culture of intolerance, fostering suspicion and rejection of Muslims. I ask myself: because I have dedicated 30 years to the study of Islamic writings perhaps I too am considered an enemy of Islam?”
Father Lacunza said he was surprised to see the change in the direction of the Rome Mosque (first mosque in Rome, inaugurated in 1995) . The previous Imam, Mahmoud Hammad Sheweita, among the few Muslims to condemn the September 11th attack in New York, was known for his tolerance, openness and dialogue and he participated frequently in interreligious meetings. Father Lacunza raises the question of the appointment of the Imams at the Italian Islamic Cultural Centre, next to the Rome Mosque. The appointment involves Saudi Arabia, Morocco and the Al Azhar University in Cairo.
Father Lacunza hopes that these violent words and attitudes will be condemned by Muslim organisations in Italy such as the Italian Islamic Religious Community, the World Muslim League, the Union of Italian Islamic Communities and others. He concludes: “We want and we support full pluralism and political, religious and cultural freedom. But we cannot allow any preacher to foment hatred or incite people to kill”. PA (Fides Service 12/6/2003 EM lines 39 Words: 479)