Mufti Rushan Abbyasov, the Deputy Chairman of the Religious Board of Muslims (RBM) of the Russian Federation, expressed his deep concern over the ongoing sacrilegious actions in Sweden. In an interview with TASS, Mufti Abbyasov emphasized the need for followers of Islam, Christianity, and Judaism in Sweden to actively condemn these acts, as failing to do so could lead to grave consequences for the country.
"With great condemnation and indignation in our hearts, we follow the ongoing sacrilegious actions in Sweden, which considers itself civilized," - Mufti Abbyasov stated. - "I believe that Swedish citizens, followers of all three Abrahamic religions: Islam, Christianity and Judaism, all people of goodwill, all those who have not lost their spiritual guidance and want to preserve interreligious and interethnic peace in their country should speak out loudest now."
According to Mufti Abbyasov, those responsible for organizing these abominable actions are provocateurs driven by their own ulterior motives or acting under the orders of others. He expressed his utmost concern that such actions are being allowed to take place with the tacit approval of the Swedish authorities, who shield the insult to the religious sentiments of billions of people under the pretext of "democracy."
"The beliefs, religions and sacred symbols must be treated with the utmost respect and reverence. Disregarding these values can lead to grave consequences, not only for Sweden but for the entire nation," Abbyasov emphasized.
Last week, a significant gathering of over 3,000 people took place in the central square of Malmö, a city in southern Sweden, to protest against the burning of the Quran. The demonstration, organized by local Muslim organizations under the banner "With the Quran against Islamophobia," aimed to show solidarity and opposition to such acts. Participants were provided with 500 copies of the Quran, and a collective prayer was held to emphasize unity and respect.
Similarly, on Sunday, another demonstration with the slogan "Stop burning our Quran" took place at Medborgarplatsen Square in Stockholm, drawing an estimated 4,000 people according to police estimates. This rally was held in response to an incident on June 28, when an Iraqi immigrant named Salwan Momika tore pages from the Quran and set them ablaze. It is worth noting that this act occurred on Eid al-Adha, one of the major religious holidays celebrated by Muslims worldwide. The event sparked outrage and prompted a strong response from the community.
Following these incidents, the Swedish police received three additional requests for demonstrations involving the burning of religious books. These requests included plans for protests in Stockholm and Helsingborg, culminating in a demonstration on July 15 where the Torah and Bible were burned in front of the Israeli embassy.
GSV "Russia - Islamic world"
Based on materials from TASS