10.20.06
Ayatollah Makarem Shirazi Responds
Your Excellency Pope Benedict XVI
With greeting,Considering your utterances in Germany rebuking and reproaching Islam and the rule of Islamic warfare, hurting the feelings of all Moslems, I, as one of the Moslems’ religious authorities, having many followers all around the world, and writer of more than 130 books in various Islamic sciences, including more than 40 books about commentary of Holy Quran, invite you to participate in a scientific and logical debate with live broadcast with me to discuss about two issues:
1-Does Islam advocate violence or it invites to peace, amity and kindness?
2-Did Islam spread throughout the world through the force of sword or the extreme logic, reasoning and attraction of Islamic culture?I will be glad to declare that I leave its time and location to you, and do not have any condition for it. I hope you would declare your agreement with this.
Wishing your ever success.
(source: http://www.makarems hirazi.org/ english/modules. php?name= News&file=print&sid=294)