Muslims throughout the world have vehemently denounced the burning of the Holy Quran during a police-authorized rally in Sweden’s capital.
Pakistan, Turkey, the UAE, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Iran, and other Muslim countries have all sharply condemned the incident.
Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan has lambasted Sweden over the incident, saying Ankara will never submit to a provocation or threat-based approach.
“We will teach the arrogant Western people that insulting the sacred values of Muslims is not free expression,” he stated.
The United Arab Emirates summoned Sweden’s envoy to protest the mutilation of the Holy Quran.
Qatar has also criticised Sweden’s permission to burn copies of the Quran on Thursday, calling it a “heinous” conduct to have occurred on Eid.
“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs warns that allowing repeated violations of the Holy Qu’ran under the guise of free expression fuels hatred and violence, threatens peaceful coexistence, and reveals abhorrent double standards,” it stated.
The burning was described as a “dangerous, provocative step that inflames the feelings of Muslims around the world” by Kuwait’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
It urged the world community and nations to “take immediate action to condemn feelings of hatred, extremism, and religious intolerance.”
On Thursday, Iraq summoned Sweden’s ambassador to the country in response to the event.
It condemned “the repeated acts of burning copies of the holy Koran by individuals with extremist and disturbed minds” and termed the conduct “racist” and “irresponsible.”
“They are not only racist, but they also promote violence and hatred,” stated the Iraqi government in a statement.
