The highest religious authority in the center of Islam, the apartheid theocracy of Saudi Arabia, says Pope Benedict’s comments are “lies,” and they prove that reconciliation between religions is impossible.

Saudi Arabia’s highest religious authority, Grand Mufti Abdul-Aziz al-Sheik, said in remarks published Saturday that the pope’s comments on Islam were “all lies.”

“These are all lies. The prophet (Muhammad), peace be upon him, came as a mercy to the world,” the daily al-Riyadh newspaper quoted al-Sheik as saying.

He said the pontiff’s remarks showed reconciliation between religions was impossible.

“Everybody should know by now that all claims about religions’ reconciliation have just been proven to be lies in reality,” al-Sheik said. “How can they think of reconciliation while insulting Islam and the prophet?”