‘Over 1.5 billion Muslims hurt’: Reaction to Quran desecration in Sweden

Muslim world has erupted in anger after Sweden allowed a far-right racist politician Rasmus Paludan to burn a replica of the Muslim Holy e-book Quran in entrance of the Turkish embassy constructing in Stockholm.

Here are a few of the first reactions:

Türkiye

“We condemn in the strongest possible terms the vile attack on our holy book, the Quran, in Sweden today (21 January), despite our repeated warnings earlier,” a Turkish Foreign Ministry assertion stated.

Calling the act “an outright hate crime,” the ministry stated: “Permitting this anti-Islam act, which targets Muslims and insults our sacred values, under the guise of freedom of expression is completely unacceptable.”

“This despicable act is yet another example of the alarming level that Islamophobia and, racist and discriminatory movements have reached in Europe.”

Pakistan

“This senseless and provocative Islamophobic act hurts the religious sensitivities of over 1.5 billion Muslims around the world,” stated a press release from the Pakistani Foreign Ministry.

Such actions are “not covered under any legitimate expression of the right to freedom of expression or opinion, which carries responsibilities under international human rights law, such as the obligation not to carry out hate speech and incite people to violence.”

“Pakistan’s concerns are being conveyed to the authorities in Sweden. We urge them to be mindful of the sentiments of the people of Pakistan and the Muslims worldwide and take steps to prevent Islamophobic acts,” the assertion added.

Kuwait

The incident “hurts Muslims’ sentiments across the world and marks serious provocation,” Kuwaiti Foreign Minister Sheikh Salem Abdullah Al Jaber Al Sabah stated in statements cited by the state news company KUNA.

He known as on the worldwide group “to shoulder responsibility by stopping such unacceptable acts and denouncing all forms of hatred and extremism and brining the perpetrators to accountability.”

Saudi Arabia

“Saudi Arabia calls for spreading the values of dialogue, tolerance, and coexistence, and rejects hatred and extremism,” the Saudi Foreign Ministry stated in a press release.

UAE

The United Arab Emirates stated it was in opposition to “all practices aimed at destabilising security and stability in contravention of human and moral values and principles”.

Qatar

Qatar condemned the Swedish authorities’ permission to burn the Holy Quran and name on the worldwide group to shoulder its tasks to reject hatred and violence.

Iran

Calling it an try to stoke hatred and violence in opposition to Muslims, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Nasser Kanaani stated some European nations underneath the false pretext of advocating freedom of speech “allow extremist and radical elements to spread hatred against Islamic sanctities and values”.

Kanaani stated regardless of the robust emphasis on human rights in Islam, Europeans proceed to “institutionalise anti-Islamism and Islamophobia” of their societies.

He added that the desecration of the Quran is a “clear example of spreading hatred and fueling violence against Muslims”, which has “nothing to do with freedom of speech and thought”.

Egypt

Egypt expressed its robust condemnation of the disgraceful act that provokes the sentiments of a whole bunch of thousands and thousands of Muslims around the globe.

Egypt warned of the hazards of the unfold of such acts that offend religions and gasoline hate speech and violence, calling for upholding the values of tolerance and peaceable coexistence and stopping offense to all religions and their sanctities by such extremist practices that contradict the values of respect for faith.

Organization of Islamic Cooperation

The Organization of Islamic Cooperation bloc stated the “provocative action… targets Muslims, insults their sacred values, and serves as further example of the alarming level reached by Islamophobia” and requested Sweden to punish these behind a “hate crime”.

Source: TRTWorld and businesses