(Vatican Radio) Dr Mohammed Sammak is adviser to the Grand Mufti of Lebanon and secretary
of the Committee for Muslim-Christian Dialogue in the nation. He is also the
author of more than 20 books on Arab affairs, interreligious dialogue and politics
and religion and was one of the guests at the 2010 Synod of Bishops for the Middle
East. Speaking to Vatican Radio's Susy Hodges, he expressed his hopes regarding
the legacy of Pope Benedict's visit to Lebanon and spoke of the advantages of conviviality
between Christians and Muslims. Listen to the extended interview with Mohammad
Sammak: Sammak has long
been in favour of peaceful conviviality between Christians and Muslims and reiterates
that "Christians should remain in the Middle East" , saying he hopes the Pope's visit
will "encourage this line." Asked if peaceful conviviality can survive amidst all
the current turmoil in the Middle East, Sammak says it must as "there is no other
way (for Christians and Muslims) to live together except by respecting each other
and their differences. The only way to deal with these differences, he continues,
is to "accept them and respect them and live with them." Referring specifically
to the issue of the ongoing emigration of Christians from the Middle East, Sammak
believes that this phenomenon "is very dangerous for Christian Muslim relations because
it indicates that Islam does not accept the other." He says it is the duty of Muslims
to prove that this perception is "not true" and adds that Lebanon's model of conviviality
should "be followed" by others.