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CAIRO: Egypt’s Al Azhar has condemned the burning of a copy of the holy Quran by a group of extremist far-right activists in the southern Swedish city of Malmo on Friday.
In a statement issued yesterday, Al Azhar voiced strong rejection of such racist acts that violate liberties without any respect for others’ beliefs or sanctities, which coincided with International Day in Support of Victims of Torture due to religion or faith.
Applying a double standard in dealing with followers of different religions will only help foment Islamophobia and hate speech, which conflicts with the principles of respect for freedom and rights of others and their faiths, Al Azhar said.
It urged to take necessary measures to prevent such despicable acts and inflict stringent punishment on perpetrators.
Meanwhile, the Organisation of Islamic Co-operation (OIC) described the burning as an “act of incitement and provocation” and “contradicts with global efforts to combat extremism and incitement to hatred based on religion and faith”.
The OIC Islamophobia Observatory, a body that monitors Islamophobic incidents across the world, welcomed the measures taken by the Swedish authorities against those who burned the Muslim holy book.
In a statement, the Observatory called on the Muslim community in Sweden “to exercise restraint and avoid violence”.
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