Syria's Grand Mufti Says Arab-Islamic World Will Not Leave Crime of Quran Burning Unanswered

On Wednesday, a Swedish court allowed an Iraqi immigrant to burn the Quran outside of the main mosque in Stockholm on the first day of Eid al-Adha, a major Muslim holiday.

After the incident, the Islamic world sharply condemned the incident and called it an insult to their faith in the Arab-Islamic world. He shared his thoughts on the crime in an interview with Sputnik, stressing the need for a respectful approach towards sacred texts.

The Grand Mufti of Syria, Ahmad Badreddin Hassoun, has said that the act of burning the Holy Quran in Sweden has raised outrage within the Arab-Islamic world. He shared his thoughts on the crime in an interview with Sputnik Arabic, stressing the need for a respectful approach towards sacred texts.

"The Quran is a compilation of all sacred scriptures, so burning its copy is a crime against all religious books, including the Torah and the Bible,” he said.

Ahmad Badreddin Hassoun emphasized that the unity of the Muslim community, known as the Ummah, remains unbroken because the Quran is to be found not only in its verses but also in the hearts of believers.

“The sacred texts were not bestowed upon the Prophet in the form of printed text on paper, but were encapsulated in him, in his heart, and passed down through generations until today,” he said.

The Grand Mufti went on to say that such incidents in Sweden and in European countries in general are carried out with the intention of humiliating people and insulting their religious feelings. He advocated adopting laws that protect against blatant violations of people's beliefs, nationality, and identity. Referring specifically to Sweden, he said he was disappointed that such actions as burning the Quran had been permitted for a second time, which he found unacceptable.

In his message to the Swedish government and people, Ahmad Badreddin Hassoun expressed his respect and hope that they will stand up for democracy, defend freedom, and uphold moral values. However, he strongly criticized the recent events in Stockholm, noting that they have become the true extremists, even worse than Daesh* militants.

“The Arab-Islamic world will not leave these crimes unanswered. Sweden burns sacred books while we spread ideas of friendship and love, and promote religious tolerance,” he stressed.

The burning of the Quran, along with other incidents in which activists publicly tear pages from the holy book and set them on fire, has been observed in several Nordic countries. These actions have sparked protests from Muslims both in Europe and internationally. Whereas authorities in these states generally condemn such acts, they argue that they are protected under freedom of expression laws.

* Daesh (also known as ISIS/ISIL/IS/Islamic State) is a terrorist organization banned in Russia and many other countries.