On the first day of Eid al-Adha, a major Muslim holiday, a Swedish court granted permission to an Iraqi immigrant to burn the Quran outside the main mosque in Stockholm. The incident has drawn sharp condemnation from the Islamic world, which sees it as a disrespectful insult to their faith. Syria's Grand Mufti, Ahmad Badreddin Hassoun, shared his thoughts on the matter in an interview with Sputnik Arabic, highlighting the importance of respecting sacred texts.
According to Hassoun, the Quran is a compilation of all sacred scriptures, making the act of burning it a crime against all religious books, including the Torah and the Bible. He emphasized that the unity of the Muslim community, the Ummah, remains unbroken as the essence of the Quran resides not only in its verses but also in the hearts of believers. The sacred texts were not merely printed on paper but were embodied within the Prophet and passed down through generations.
The Grand Mufti expressed his belief that incidents like the Quran burning in Sweden, as well as similar occurrences in other European countries, are carried out with the intention of humiliating people and insulting their religious sentiments. He called for the enactment of laws that protect against such blatant violations of people's beliefs, nationality, and identity. Hassoun expressed disappointment with the fact that such actions, including the burning of the Quran, had been permitted for a second time in Sweden, considering it unacceptable.
In his message to the Swedish government and people, Hassoun expressed his respect and hope that they would uphold democratic values, defend freedom, and uphold moral principles. However, he strongly criticized the recent events in Stockholm, noting that those involved had become true extremists, even worse than Daesh militants. He emphasized that the Arab-Islamic world would not let these crimes go unanswered, highlighting the stark contrast between Sweden's burning of sacred books and the promotion of friendship, love, and religious tolerance advocated by Muslims.
The burning of the Quran, as well as other incidents where activists publicly tear pages from the holy book and set them on fire, have been observed in several Nordic countries. These actions have sparked protests from Muslims both within Europe and internationally. While authorities in these countries generally condemn such acts, they argue that they are protected under freedom of expression laws.
