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In 1934, after the creation of [[Italian Libya]], Mussolini adopted a policy for encouraging comparisons with Islam, calling the local population "Italian Muslims of the fourth shore of Italy", building or restoring mosques and Koranic schools, preparing service facilities for the pilgrims going to [[Mecca]] and even making a High School of Islamic Culture in Tripoli. Behind the apparent humanitarian intent, [[fascists]] and some sectors of the Islamic world were recognizing [[France]] and the [[United Kingdom]] as common enemies and Mussolini wanted to exploit this to his advantage.<ref name=rapporti>{{cite web|url=http://www.arab.it/vari/fascismo.htm|title=I rapporti tra il fascismo e il mondo arabo-islamico|access-date=November 16, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{harvnb|Randazzo|2008|p=134}}</ref> These common interests were generated from the aversion to the agreements of the [[Treaty of Versailles]] of 1919, dominated by the [[United States]], France, and the United Kingdom, which had neither fully satisfied the requests brought forth by Italy, nor the requests from this part of the Islamic world.<ref name=rapporti/>
In order to earn the favor of the Arabs and to seal himself the alliance, Mussolini, although a signatory of the [[Lateran Treaty]] with the [[Holy See]], decided to be bestowed the title of ''Protector of Islam''.<ref>{{harvnb|Ham|2007|p=24}}</ref> According to the interpretation of Mussolini, with the Italian government taking over the place of the [[Ottoman Libya|Ottomans in Libya]], such a title was up to him concerning law since, in some manner, he was heir of the authority of the caliph.<ref>{{harvnb|Lanna|Rossi|2003|p=242}}</ref> On March 20, 1937, in the outskirts of [[Tripoli]], Mussolini recieved the Sword of Islam from Iusuf Kerisc, a leading Berber supporter of the Italian occupation against the Libyan resistance, during a lavish ceremony. After entering Tripoli among salutes of cannons and at the head of a rank of 2,600 cavalrymen, Mussolini reaffirmed his closeness to the Muslim population, guaranteeing "peace, justice, wellness and respect for the laws of the Prophet."<ref name=pdf>{{cite web|url=http://www.mediastudies.it/IMG/pdf/La_Spada_dell_Islam.pdf|title=La Spada dell'Islam|access-date=November 16, 2015}}</ref>
In spite of the approval from the media of the regime, the ceremony provoked hilarity among the Italian people because of its absurd and paradoxical connotations.<ref>{{harvnb|Cifarelli|2004|p=183}}</ref><ref>{{harvnb|Antonini|1999|p=112}}</ref> One of the photographs of the event, depicting Mussolini on the saddle of horse held by the halter by a [[Groom (profession)|groom]], in his official version was retouched and published deleting the groom, in order to make it appear that Mussolini was able to ride his own mount without anyone's help.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mediastudies.it/IMG/pdf/Propaganda_e_falsificazioni_fotografiche.pdf|title=Propaganda politica e falsificazioni fotografiche tra le due guerre mondiali|access-date=November 16, 2015}}</ref> The detail is often cited as one of the more typical examples of the ''art of falsification'' established in the totalitarian regime.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.corriere.it/politica/12_luglio_05/la-rimozione-leghista-bossi-pg-battista_69e21476-c661-11e1-8ab7-67e552429064.shtml|title=La rimozione leghista. Bossi, chi era costui?|access-date=November 16, 2015}}</ref>
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