Desecration of Holy Quran in Sweden is the most disrespectful and disgraceful act. SalwanMomika, a 37 years old man committed this sinful and disgraceful act with the permission of Swedish courts and Government. The Swedish Police was providing protection to SalwanMomika and his accomplices in the performance of this agonised act of religious discrimination. The sad incident of the desecration of the Holy Quran took place outside Stockholm’s main mosque on the day of Eid-ul-Azha. This is not the first time that, such hateful and disgraceful act took place in Sweden. Indeed, there have many such like disrespectful acts took place in Sweden and many other western states. Like earlier incidents, this incident was well planned and executed on the most esteemed day (Eid-ul-Azha). Despite request of the Mosque Administration, police did not listen and allowed the incident. “The mosque suggested to the police to at least divert the demonstration to another location, which is possible by law, but they chose not to do so.” Indeed, this act and many other such like acts are worst form of Islamophobia, thus must be countered and combated.
It is worth mentioning that, First International Day to Combat Islamophobia was observed on March 15, 2023. Islamophobia has emerged as a new form of racism world-wide. The outcome of the Islamophobia is prejudices and a discriminatory attitude against Muslims and Islam which includes; media trials of Islam and Muslims, targeting Mosques, burning of the copies Holy Quran, discriminatory travel bans, hate speech and the targeting of girls and women for their dress. Indeed, the essence of Islam is peace for every human being. March 15, was chosen by UN for observance of International Day to Combat Islamophobia in reminiscence of the terrorist act of the Christchurch Mosque shootings in New Zealand. On March 15, 2019, Brenton Harrison Tarrant, 28 years old Australian origin killed 51 Muslims during Friday Prayers in an act of terrorism. Islamophobia is continuing unabated worldwide without any effective measures from global power centers.
The Organization for Defending Victims of Violence (ODVV) in its report on Anti-Muslim Hatred and Discrimination to the 46th session of the HRC clearly stated that, “Islamophobia is an exaggerated fear, hatred and hostility toward Islam and everything associated with it such as Muslims, Mosques, Islamic Centers, Holy Qur’an, Hijab, and the like. It rests in the mind and reflects in attitudes, and could be manifested through violent actions, like burning mosques, vandalizing properties, abusing women wearing scarf, or insulting Prophet or sacred symbols of Islam.” This all is going-on all over the globe including in the civilized societies of the west, Sweden being the latest example. The western world is considered as the architect of Islamophobia, considering Islam as the most popular and fastest growing religion in the European and American continents. Following the west, India is taking a lead role in this unholy anti-Islam and anti-Muslim campaign. The blasphemous remarks against the Holy Prophets (PBUH) by the top leaders of ruling BJP in India and earlier strategies of ridiculing Muslims through communal riots, depriving Muslims from citizenship through Citizenship Amendment Act-2019, GharWapsi Programme and forceful conversion of Muslims into Hinduism are clear indications as how this campaign is reshaping to marginalize and exploit 220 million Muslim population of India.
There are perceptible nexus between those campaigning against Islam and Muslims in the west as well as in India. The primary objective of both is to contest and stop the rising popularity of Islam and increase in the number of Muslims world over, portraying them as the existential threat for non-Muslims. This is an un-natural and irrational fear, devised, molded and disseminated among the non-Muslims to unite and steer hatred against Islam and Muslims through all possible ways and means of defamation. The earlier incidents of burning of the Holy Quran in Sweden, Norway and other European countries and US represent a prejudiced mind-set which has developed in the traditionally tolerant societies of the west. The Muslim immigrants in Europe, Scandinavian countries and US have largely contributed towards further enrichment of traditional values of this region with a visible uplift of economy and homogeneity. On their part, these countries assimilated and accepted the Muslims in their societies. There were indeed, more room for excellence and talent development in the national discourses of western societies. Since, the population is same, the traditional values and culture are same, what has impacted the people who rose to the level of desecration of Mosques, burning of Holy Quran and prejudices against Muslims.
It is a well-planned strategy and wilful act, aiming a wider and longer design to create hatred against Islam which is the religion peace and love. Alas! Those who burnet the Holy Quran, could have read it; the message it carried and the teachings it imparts. The teachings of Islam began with an abiding message of peace. Peace brings harmony among the human beings. The harmony in turn purges hearts of hatred, fear and biases. Once a society reaches to such a level, it would end the conflicts and wars and fosters love among the masses. The sentiments of hate against Islam, Muslims and burning of Holy Quran and desecration of Mosques and places of prayers in the west are indirectly defaming the traditionally tolerant western societies too. It represents the mushroom growth of an intolerant society in the so-called civilized West. In last one decade, hundreds of such hateful incidents against Muslims and Islam have taken place in the West and US where governments were found in a sympathetic role towards doers of these acts of Islamophobia.
— The writer is Professor of Politics and IR at International Islamic University, Islamabad.
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