The Vice-President of the International Union of Muslim Scholars, Sheikh Abdullah bin Bayyah, revealed that there are efforts being undertaken by the Royal Aal al-Bayt Foundation in Jordan to hold a conference next June with a number of Muslim scholars and Pope Benedict XVI. Bin Bayyah remarked, in a special statement to Al Watan, that if any Pope of the Vatican fails to engage with the Muslim world, his mission would be a total failure.

He stressed that he could not imagine a global peace without the existence, first, of peace between Muslims and Christians. Bin Bayyah pointed out that the Royal Aal al-Bayt Foundation sent some negotiators to the Vatican to make the necessary arrangements for this meeting, saying: “It cannot be affirmed that the dialogue would be useful.”  Bin Bayyah commented: “As yet, there are not enough signs to identify the real intentions of the Pope with regards to his relationship with Muslims.”