what is the popes(catholics) view of islam?

Question

I need an answer for an RE essay

if you have any links it would be much appreciated

Answer 1

The Catholic Church teaches, "The plan of salvation also includes those who acknowledge the Creator, in the first place amongst whom are the Muslims; these profess to hold the faith of Abraham, and together with us they adore the one, merciful God, mankind's judge on the last day."

"It is my ardent hope that Muslim and Christian religious leaders and teachers will present our two great religious communities as communities in respectful dialogue, never more as communities in conflict."
-- Pope John Paul II, Meeting with Muslim Leaders in Omayyad Great Mosque, Damascus, May 6, 2001. http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/speeches/2001/documents/hf_jp-ii_spe_20010506_omayyadi_en.html

Christians and Muslims, following their respective religions, point to the truth of the sacred character and dignity of the person. This is the basis of our mutual respect and esteem, this is the basis for cooperation in the service of peace between nations and peoples, the dearest wish of all believers and all people of good will.

As an illustration of the fraternal respect with which Christians and Muslims can work together, I would like to quote some words addressed by Pope Gregory VII in 1076 to a Muslim prince in North Africa who had acted with great benevolence towards the Christians under his jurisdiction. Pope Gregory spoke of the particular charity that Christians and Muslims owe to one another “because we believe in one God, albeit in a different manner, and because we praise him and worship him every day as the Creator and Ruler of the world.”
-- Pope Benedict XVI, Meeting with the President of the Turkish Religious Affairs Directorate in Ankara, Turkey, November 28, 2006. http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/speeches/2006/november/documents/hf_ben-xvi_spe_20061128_pres-religious-affairs_en.html

Dialogue are already taking place all over the world. Just in the United States there is the
- Midwest Dialogue of Catholics and Muslims
- Mid-Atlantic Dialogue of Catholics and Muslims
- West Coast Dialogue of Catholics and Muslims

For more information, see the Catechism of the Catholic Church, section 841: http://www.usccb.org/catechism/text/pt1sect2chpt3art9p3.htm#841 and http://www.usccb.org/seia/islam_index.shtml

With love in Christ.

Answer 2

In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful and Compassionate

The following articles describe in great detail the current pope's interpretation of Islam. (This shouldn't necessarily, however, be taken as Catholicism's traditional understanding of Islam.)

"A Muslim’s Commentary on Benedict XVI’s 'Faith, Reason and the University: Memories and Reflections'" by Aref Ali Nayed:
http://www.masud.co.uk/ISLAM/misc/commentary_on_benedict.php

"A Muslim Response to the Pope: For they Know Exactly what the Do" by Zaid Shakir
http://www.zaytuna.org/articleDetails.asp?articleID=107

"Broadening the Scope of the Pope" Hamza Yusuf Hanson video file:
http://www.zikrcast.com/podcast/VidStream/ZVCast_Ep3Strm.mov

Letter to the Pope from the world's leading Muslim scholars:
http://www.islamicamagazine.com/letter/

Answer 3

Our pope has made a few comments about the Islamic religion mild ones at that, but I am sure deep down he would have the whole middle east nuked if he could, and maybe one day that will happen.

Answer 4

The same as the view of the rest of Christianity - that it is a false, manmade religion that draws heavily upon Christianity, but rejects key elements of Christianity, replacing them with novel doctrinal ideas of its human founder, who also wrote its "holy" book.

Answer 5

Read the Documents of Vatican II.