TURKISH WEEKLY: CAIRO — The Vatican joined Al-Azhar, the highest seat of learning in the Sunni world, on Tuesday, February 26, in condemning the reprinting of a controversial cartoon of prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) in Denmark.
"Both sides vehemently denounce the reprinting of the offensive cartoon and the attack on Islam and its prophet," officials from both religious bodies said in a statement seen by IslamOnline.net.
Concluding a two-day meeting of their joint interfaith committee in Cairo, the two sides also denounced any insult to any religion.
Seventeen Danish newspapers reprinted on Wednesday, February 13, a drawing of a man described as Prophet Muhammad with a ticking bomb in his turban.
The move came following the arrest of two Tunisians and a Dane of Moroccan origin for allegedly plotting to kill the cartoonist who had drew the caricature in 2005.
"We call for the respect of faiths, religious holy books and religious symbols," read the statement.
The two sides urged Muslim and Christian religious leaders, intellectuals and educators to instill such respect in society.
"Freedom of expression should not become a pretext to insult religions and defaming religious sanctities." Vatican Condemns Prophet Cartoon >>>
Hat tip: Always On Watch
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