By Mark Durie

A Common Word Between Us and You is an open letter from the Royal Aal al-Bayt Institute for Islamic Thought of Jordan. Dated 13 October 2007. It is addressed to the Pope, and other Christian leaders throughout the world, and is signed by 138 Muslims leaders from around the world. This letter invites Christians to agree together with Muslims on principles of love for God and one's neighbour, emphasising justice and freedom of religion.

These notes here document how the Royal Aal Al-Bayt Institute has several fatwas 'legal verdicts or edicts' posted on its website, which condemn people to death who have left Islam, specifically including Muslim-background Christians. If they are not killed, then these so-called 'apostates' are to be treated as legal non-persons, having no rights before the law. One of the fatwas identifies a Jordanian Christian man by name as an apostate.

There is a contradiction in the actions of the Royal Aal al-Bayt's. On the one hand the Institute is inviting Christians to come together with Muslims based on principles of love and mutual respect, but on the other hand it is condemning Christians to death simply because they have changed their religious beliefs away from Islam. This contradiction and lack of reciprocity should be pointed out by Christians in interfaith dialogue with Muslims; the Aal al-Bayt Institute should be requested to remove such hate-inciting statements from its website; and Christians who have signed letters welcoming the 'Common Word' letter without reservation should withdraw their signatures.

... continues. See full post at http://acommonword.blogspot.com/2008/02/apostasy-fatwas-and-common-word-between.html

Other postings by Mark Durie on 'A Common Word Between Us and You', including the Yale Response, can be found on the same site.