The Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) has condemned the provocative and blasphemous act of burning the Qur’an in front of the main Mosque in Stockholm, Sweden.
Daily Trust reports that Salwan Momika, a 37-year-old Christian refugee man from Al-Hamdaniya District, east of Mosul, Iraq, stomped on the Islamic holy book and set several pages alight in front of the Swedish capital’s largest mosque on 30 June, 2023.
Police reportedly granted him a permit for the protest in line with free-speech protections in the country.
In a statement on Saturday, Deputy Secretary-General, NSCIA, Prof. Salisu Shehu, described the act as abominable and heinous.
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“It is a clear affirmation of the growing high level of Islamophobia while evidencing the impunity of Islamophobes whose hatred for Islam and Muslims knows no bound.
“Actions and utterances credited to these Islamophobes smack of gross insensitivity, and disrespect for the feelings and sensibilities of nearly two billion Muslims in the World,” Shehu said.
He said that this is one too many attacks on Mosques in Sweden, especially recalling that of 2015 and another in December 2022, following which a damaged copy of the Qur’an was left chained up and hanging outside the entrance of the Mosque.
According to him, it is ironical that a blasphemous act of the current magnitude would be allowed in a country often celebrated as one of the most peaceful in the entire Europe.
“The council is particularly shocked that the supposedly intelligent and civilised Swedish Police would fail to restrain, thereby tacitly granting permission for an individual to carry out such an obvious offensive and provocative act of burning a Holy Book.
“This seemingly without regard to the consequences or its potential to result in or snowball into a religious crisis not only in Sweden or Europe but also across the world. This begs the question for a determination of the insensitivity or culpability of the Swedish Police in this matter.
“It is pertinent to state here that Sweden and its fellow European countries that allow and, in some cases, even try to justify blasphemy and desecration of Islamic religious symbols under the guise of freedom of speech, should know that Muslims all over the World are consciously and critically observant of their hypocrisy and double standards,” Shehu said.
He added that by all measures, European countries that permit or tacitly support sacrilegious acts against Islamic symbols of faith and veneration have fallen short of justice, fairness, honour and decorum.
He said, “They have caused irredeemable damage to their image as civilized and humane nations. In the eyes of the Muslim World, their proclamation of democracy, human rights, freedom of religion and similar grand standing postures are nothing but a facade.
“The council calls on the Swedish Authorities to as a matter of urgency investigate the matter, make the report public, and ensure that justice is not only done but seen to be done.”
He urged Muslims across the world to remain calm, continue to be peaceful and law-abiding in the face of this provocation.
He also commends the proactive and strong response made by Turkiye, Morocco and other Muslim countries on this matter.
He said that no holy book should be desecrated and disrespected in such manner as recurring in Sweden and that the NSCIA belief that Sweden would never allow its national flag to be burnt in such ignoble manner, not to talk of burning the Bible.
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