Islamophobia: Nigerian Muslims denounce Qura’n burning in Sweden

The President-General of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, NSCIA and Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, CFR, mni, has, on behalf of the entire Nigerian Muslim Ummah, joined the globe in condemning the heinous act of burning the Glorious Qura’n by Islamophobes in Stockholm, the capital city of Sweden.

The President maintains that the provocative and blasphemous “act 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 bounds. 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.”

He restates 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.”

He described the occurrence of such a horrendous move without any intervention / stop order by the Swedish Police as satirical to the global claim of the country as one of the most peaceful in the European world, knowing that such a development can provoke global conflict between Muslims and people of other faiths.

“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.

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“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,” said the NSCIA President.

He added, “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. 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.

“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 façade.”

NSCIA, therefore, “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. Meanwhile, the Council enjoins the Ummah across the world to remain calm and continue to be peaceful and law-abiding in the face of this provocation.”

Moreover, the Council eulogizes the swift intervention of Turkiye, Morocco and other Muslim countries across the globe, and emphasizes that “no Holy Book should be desecrated and disrespected in such a manner as recurring in Sweden.”

The Council concludes, ‘It is our strongest and surest belief that Sweden would never allow its National flag to be burned in such an ignoble manner, not to mention burning the Bible.”