Quran Burning in Europe
As Quran desecration continues in Sweden: A woman interrupts a Quran-burning by spraying activist with a fire extinguisher
Media reports: Swedish police detained a woman on August 18, 2023 who sprayed an anti-Islam activist with a fire extinguisher as he staged a Quran burning stunt outside the Iranian Embassy in Stockholm, the Associated Press reported. Video of the scene showed the woman rushing up to Salwan Momika and spraying white powder toward him before she was intercepted by plainclothes police officers who led her away. Momika, who appeared stunned but unhurt, then resumed his demonstration, which had been authorized by police. Read More
Repeated Quran burning is a new Crusade against Muslims
By Abdus Sattar Ghazali: Iraqi refugee Salwan Momika, who previously came under fire for desecrating the Quran in Sweden, set the Muslim holy book on fire again, this time in front of the Swedish Parliament in Stockholm on Monday. Momika and Salwan Najem stomped on the Muslim holy book, set its pages ablaze before slamming it shut, as they did at a protest outside Stockholm's main mosque in June. The duo also staged a similar protest outside Iraq's embassy in Stockholm on July 20, where they stomped on the Quran but did not burn it. Read More
Desecration of Quran by Anti-Muslim groups continue in Europe
By Anadolu Agency / NPR: Members of the far-right group Danish Patriots, known for their anti-Islamic and ultra-nationalist stance, burned two copies of the Quran in Denmark's capital, Copenhagen Monday. The incidents took place in front of the Iranian Embassy and later in front of the Iraqi Embassy in Copenhagen. It was the second time in just a few days protesters from an ultranationalist group called Danish Patriots burned the Quran, following similar acts by different groups in neighboring Sweden. The acts have set off public protests in Iraq, Iran, Lebanon, Pakistan and elsewhere. Read More
Iraq expels Swedish ambassador following Quran desecration again
By Abdus Sattar Ghazali: Iraq Thursday expelled the Swedish ambassador only hours after Iraqi protesters angered by the desecration of the Quran stormed the Swedish embassy in central Baghdad, scaling the walls of the compound and setting it on fire. Salwan Momika, an Iraqi refugee in Sweden Thursday kicked and partially damaged the Quran but did not burn. Stockholm police spokesman Mats Eriksson confirmed that police had granted permission for a demonstration involving two people outside the Iraqi Embassy in Stockholm on Thursday. Read More
Western states oppose the UN resolution against Quran burning
By Abdus Sattar Ghazali: Major western countries - France, Germany, the UK, and the US – on Wednesday voted against a resolution in the UN Human Rights Council condemning the recent burning of the Muslim holy book, the Quran.The draft resolution was presented by Pakistan on behalf of the 57-member Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). The resolution was adopted with 28 countries voting in favor, 12 countries voting against it, and 7 countries abstaining at the 53rd regular session of the UN Human Rights Council. Those voted against included Belgium, Costa Rica, the Czech Republic, Finland, France, Germany, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Montenegro, Romania, the UK, and the US. Read More
Protest rallies across Pakistan over Quran burning in Sweden
By Abdus Sattar Ghazali: Rallies were held across Pakistan on Friday to protest the desecration of the Holy Quran in Sweden as the nation observed “Youm-i-Taqaddus-i-Quran” (Quran Sanctity Day). Former Prime Minister and leader of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Pakistan (PTI) Imran Khan had earlier called for rallies on Friday to protest the burning of the Holy Quran in Sweden. Read More
Burning of the Quran and the Counter-offensive: Why the West is Panicking
by Dr Ramzy Baroud: Desecrating, then burning the Holy Quran in Sweden has, once again, raised a political storm of condemnation, but also of justification, if not outright approval. Such acts are protected by law, top Swedish and EU officials have declared. But why are the rights of those who oppose western agendas, colonialism, imperialism, Zionism and military interventions not equally protected by law? Read More
Putin joins global condemnation of Quran burning in Sweden
By Abdus Sattar Ghazali: Russian President Vladimir Putin has criticized Western countries that allow the burning of the Quran on grounds of free speech, saying such acts are criminalized by Russia. Putin made the remarks during a meeting with Muslims at the Juma Mosque in Dagestan's Derbent on Wednesday, where he was given a copy of the Quran as a gift. He expressed criticism towards Western nations that do not consider Quran burning a crime, emphasizing that Russia penalizes such actions. Read More
Quran burning anew in Sweden sparks outrage in the Muslim World
By Abdus Sattar Ghazali: Following approval from a Swedish court, a copy of the Holy Quran was burnt outside the main mosque in Stockholm on Wednesday which coincided with the beginning of the Muslim festival of Eid al-Adha. According to Swedish public broadcaster SVT, 37-year-old Iraqi immigrant, Salwan Momika, had requested authorization for the burning of Quran. He wants the Holy Quran banned. He tore out pages from the Quran, rubbed them on his shoe, and put part of them on fire. The burning of a Quran outside the mosque in Sweden on one of Eid al-Adha sparked outrage Thursday in several Muslim countries with widespread condemnations of Sweden. Read More
Top Swedish court approves Quran burning
Daily Sabah: The verdict by a Swedish court may pave the way for more controversial burnings of the Muslim holy book Quran. A Swedish appeals court on Monday said police had no legal grounds to block two gatherings where protesters had planned to burn copies of the Quran earlier this year. The burning of Islam’s holy book outside the Turkish Embassy in Stockholm in January sparked outrage in the Muslim world, leading to weeks of protests, calls for a boycott of Swedish goods and further stalled Sweden’s NATO membership bid. Read More
Norway withdraws permission for Quran burning after T'urkey’s warning
Middle East Monitor: Norway cancelled its permission to burn the Quran, Islam's holy book, after Ankara warned against it, Turkey's Foreign Minister said on Thursday, Anadolu News Agency reports. Speaking at an event in the Turkish capital, Ankara, Mevlut Cavusoglu, said that the acceleration of globalisation and change has led to some outcomes in humanity, such as an erosion of national identities and a loss of language consciousness. "You saw what happened in Sweden, the Netherlands and Denmark. The same thing was going to happen in Norway. Today, we summoned the Norwegian ambassador. And they withdrew the permission they granted," Cavusoglu said. Read More
Russia condemns Quran burning near its consular department in Denmark
By Abdus Sattar Ghazali: The Russian embassy in Denmark has condemned protests that involve the burning of the Quran, one of which took place near the consular department, Russian news agency Tass reported Friday. "A series of sacrilegious protests involving the burning of the Quran - a holy book for Muslims - took place in Copenhagen on January 27, including in front of the consular department of the Russian embassy in Denmark. The public mockery of the feelings of believers, organized with the connivance of the Danish government, is not a manifestation of freedom of speech and democracy, but a rude and dim-witted provocation designed to incite interreligious discord and inter-civilizational conflict. Any opportunities for such antics should be completely eliminated, and their organizers should be brought to account," the embassy said in a statement on Telegram. Read More
Third wave of Islamophobia in Europe on the rise
By Yusuf Kaplan: The war that started with Russia's invasion of Ukraine inevitably shook the balance of power in Europe. Scandinavian countries, especially at the behest of the Anglo-Saxons, decided to guarantee their security as NATO members. Sweden and Finland then applied for NATO membership. However, Sweden and Finland's NATO application is in Turkey's hands, and Turkey's approval is the only hurdle: The U.S. is piling pressure on Ankara, but when Turkey stipulates that Sweden distances itself from the terrorist organization PKK as an indispensable prerequisite for Sweden's approval of NATO membership, Sweden has undergone legislative changes, initially showing a willingness to do its "homework". Read More
Turkey warns citizens of 'Islamophobic', 'racist' attacks in EU, US
By TRT World: Turkey has issued a strong travel advisory, warning its citizens against "possible Islamophobic, xenophobic and racist attacks" in the Europe and United States. In two separate travel advisories on Saturday, the Turkish Foreign Ministry recommended its citizens in the United States and European countries to "act calmly in the face of possible xenophobic and racist harassment and attacks" and to "stay away from areas where demonstrations may intensify." Read More
Danish politician stages another Quran burning stunt
By Abdus Sattar Ghazali: In yet another provocative act on Friday, far-right Danish politician Rasmus Paludan burned a copy of the Holy Quran in front of a Copenhagen mosque and also outside the Turkish embassy in Denmark. The incident took place days after Paludan, the leader of Denmark’s far-right party Stram Kurs (Hard Line), committed a similar act outside the Turkish Embassy in Stockholm on Jan 21. On Friday, Paludan burned the holy scripture with a helmet on his head just across from the Islamic Society mosque after noon prayers in the Dortheavej district of Copenhagen. Read More
Erdogan Says Swedish NATO Application out of Question after Qur’an burning in Stockholm
By Juan Cole: Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said on Monday that Sweden can forget about membership in the 30-member North Atlantic Treaty Organization. Erdogan is demanding that Sweden cooperate with Turkey in repressing Kurdish activist expatriates in Sweden, all of whom he views as terrorists. He also says he is furious about the stunt pulled by Danish-Swedish Islamophobe Rasmus Palodan of burning the holy Qur’an near the Turkish embassy. Paludan is the leader of the far right “Hard-Line Party” (Stram Kurs). No subtleties for these fascists, I guess. Pal Jonson, the Swedish Defense Minister, had been slated to visit Turkey on Jan. 27, but Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar has canceled that meeting over the controversy. Read More
Quran burning sessions in pagan rituals
By Selçuk Türkyılmaz: The anti-Islam and anti-Turkey demonstrations in North European countries repeating regularly makes it essential to approach the events from different angles. It is believed that European nations hold a common perspective when it comes to anti-Islam and anti-Turkey sentiment. When generalized, it is possible to talk about certain common points, especially with respect to West European countries. However, going into detail, it is seen that the common perspective loses validity. This thus makes it essential to discuss different categories. The colonialist heritage must be taken seriously. Hence, it would help to re-identify the extremism in terms of anti-Islam and anti-Turkey sentiment today, especially in North European countries. Read More
Worldwide condemnation of Quran burning in Sweden
By Abdus Sattar Ghazali: The Muslim Islamic world condemns the burning of a copy of the Quran, Islam’s holy book, by a Swedish-Danish right-wing extremist, Rasmus Paludan, in the Swedish capital, Stockholm. Rasmus Paludan, the leader of the Stram Kurs (Hard Line) Party, under the protection of police and with permission from the government, burned a copy of the Quran outside the Turkish Embassy in Stockholm on Saturday, the Anadolu Agency reported Sunday. Read More
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The Journal of America Team:
Editor in chief:
Abdus Sattar Ghazali
Senior Editor:
Prof. Arthur Scott
Special Correspondent
Maryam Turab
