Abdelwahab Meddeb on the regrets of Benedict XVI

In an interview with Chiara Penzo, the Franco-Tunisian Abdelwahab Meddeb considers that the Pope should have "refrained from regretting" the controversy provoked by his comments. "The Muslim world has missed a good opportunity to reconsider itself. In his Regensburg talk, the Pope put his finger on the origins of what I call in my work 'Islam's illness', which is also the basis of Islamism. The question of violence in Islam is a reality. When the Pope evoked the close relationship between this religion and violence, he spoke the truth, even if Islam should not be separated from reason. I would have liked an open-minded and enlightened imam to take a hold  of his speech and open up the debate, recognising that Benedict had a point, to a degree. Because there is no single Islamic doctrine, but texts that deserve debate and analysis. The Muslim world could use some intellectual effervescence."

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