Saudi Foreign Minister Saud Al Faisal expressed "deep sorrow" at "the allegation that Islam was spread by the sword." King Abdullah, he said, had confirmed that "Islam is the religion of moderation, which does not tolerate extremism and shutting off doors for dialogue ."
Afghanistan's foreign ministry said the pope "showed an inadequate understanding of Islam" and pointed to the "demanding need for measures toward reconciliation of different beliefs."
Three days after Benedict's lecture, the State Department released its "International Religious Freedom Report 2006." Iran, Saudi Arabia and Afghanistan didn't get kudos.
"Conversion by a Muslim to another religion is widely considered to be apostasy, a crime punishable by death if the accused did not recant," said State about Saudi Arabia. "Proselytizing by non-Muslims, including the distribution of non-Muslim religious materials such as Bibles, was illegal."
In Iran, said State, "the government does not protect the right of citizens to change or renounce their religious faith. Non-Muslims may not engage in public religious expression and persuasion among Muslims, and there are restrictions on published religious material. Apostasy, specifically conversion from Islam, may be punishable by death."
While Afghanistan's new constitution "commits the state to abide by the international treaties and conventions requiring protection of religious freedom," it is still true that "(c)onversion from Islam is considered apostasy and is punishable by death under some interpretations of Shari'a."
Abdul Rahman encountered this fact in March, when Afghanistan discovered he had converted to Christianity. "We are Muslims, and becoming a Christian is against our laws," said prosecutor Abdul Wasi. "He must get the death penalty."
When Rahman was granted asylum by Italy, he publicly thanked Pope Benedict for intervening to save him. But Afghanistan did not affirm Rahman's right to be Christian, it merely declared him unfit to stand trial.
If the leaders of Saudi Arabia, Iran and Afghanistan -- and other countries with similar laws and practices -- truly believe Islam must not be compelled and need not fear reasoned discourse, they should legalize proselytization and conversion now and let their people seek the truth in freedom.