ISN’T it funny that you could get cancelled for disrespecting someone’s sexual preference or even worse for judging them for the colour of their skin but the same doesn’t apply when blatantly disrespecting their religion and thereby their belief… oh wait correction: the same doesn’t apply when the disrespect is towards the Muslims of this world and especially those residing in the global north. Don’t be fooled, the game doesn’t end just there… it starts with disrespect and normalizes under “free speech” till there comes a point where the marginalized, in this case, Muslims feel threatened over and over again. Having spent the last four years in Sweden completing my undergrad and many beautiful summers in this beautiful Nordic country, I write this article with an inside-out perspective. Being born and raised in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, I also write this with an outside-in perspective – hence a unique piece!
Lo and behold, Europe is currently undergoing a convergence of far-right ultra-nationalists and those who sympathize with PKK terror… ultimately resulting in the propagation of racial and religious animosity against Muslims. Stockholm, with its selective liberal approach, tends to be the epicentre where under the guise of freedom of speech/expression, the country is experiencing a disturbing rise in a volatile atmosphere characterized by prejudice and an intense fear of Islam, akin to a modern-day crusade.
Several months ago, the Kingdom of Sweden granted permission for Rasmus Paludan, a controversial figure known for his anti-Muslim views and affiliation with a Danish-Swedish far-right political party, to conduct an offensive act involving the desecration of the Holy Quran. This event took place outside the Turkish embassy in Stockholm on January 21, 2023, while being supervised by local law enforcement. It is worth noting that in subsequent judgments in the following months since then, the burning of other sacred texts, including the Torah, was not permitted – hence the title of this article “Sweden’s Selective Freedom”. In what has now become a recurring event, on June 28, 2023, the Kingdom once again authorized another session where the Quran was set on fire. The aftermath of this particular session is still unfolding. Muslims around the world are protesting and asking for basic respect and dignity.
The ask however seems to be falling on deaf ears. Among other things, hurting the sentiments of over 1.8 billion Muslims around the world could have many negative consequences for the country. Importantly for Sweden, this provocative occurrence will not aid Sweden’s heightened interest in and aspirations for a NATO membership following the Russia-Ukraine war due to Turkey’s justified opposition. Political leaders from Pakistan have also expressed their strong disapproval while Morocco has called back its ambassador to Sweden as a strong sign of disappointment. While many justify the act, the truth is that events like this are carried out in bad taste with specific aims and objectives. What those aims and objectives are is a topic for another time.
To exacerbate the religious tensions further this time around, amidst the Eid-ul-Adha religious celebration last week, two individuals positioned themselves outside the central mosque in Stockholm and set fire to a copy of the Quran, having obtained approval from a Swedish court. Following this, NATO leader Jens Stoltenberg justified the incident using the pretext of “freedom of speech”. It seems as if the line between what is freedom of speech and what is considered hurtful, derogatory, and demeaning is only blurred when it comes to Muslims. Masking the concept of “freedom of speech” as “hate speech” is deceptive. Engaging in book burning represents an ill-advised regressive act reminiscent of medieval savagery, a practice that the Western world relinquished in favour of progress and enlightenment. Maybe hard to comprehend for many but it needs to be understood and taken seriously that the global Muslim population, consisting of over 1.8 billion individuals and representing 24% of the world’s population, regards the Quran not merely as a book, but as a sacred revelation and a life guide. Purposefully fuelling the emotions of such a vast number of people is not only a display of heartless disrespect but also harmful political manoeuvring… in other words the catalyzation of Islamaphobia.
A large chunk of Europeans, particularly those that reside on the right side of the socio-political spectrum defend the reprehensible and despicable act using the guise of freedom of speech. It is crucial to emphasize and reiterate that freedom of speech does not equate to the freedom to spread hatred against marginalized communities. Just like homophobia and racism are not palatable, being Islamaphobic is equally hurtful to those that are targeted over and over again. Europe is grappling with a wave of neo-Nazi, right-wing, and anti-Muslim hysteria, be it the Meloni Brothers of Italy or Germanys AfD party, which is often employed as a strategy to gain votes. The animosity and divide between “us” vs “them” is deep and events like those of 28th June only make matters worse. What is even more sad and disheartening is the fact that these events are far from being considered isolated and represent what could be called the tip of a very large and problematic iceberg. Sweden has now become a safe haven for the PKK, which has been classified as a terrorist organization by the EU Council of Europe the US State Department, and Turkiye.
The Swedish government hastily did, too little too late, craft a statement aimed at preserving its reputation, expressing disapproval towards the desecration of Islam’s most sacred scripture and labeling it as an effort to undermine their NATO aspiration. However, their decision to permit this provocation unquestionably conveyed a clear message to Muslims worldwide: the Nordic nation lacks respect for those that follow Islam and the all-embracing liberal image is nothing but a big facade. At this point, the kingdom must take cautious measures to address the growing extremism within its borders. In and beyond Sweden, it is important to realize the dangers of normalizing acts of hatred under the guise of protecting freedom of expression. If not, the value of pluralism, diversity, and the co-existence of multi-ethnic communities will be put at risk further polarising not just the country but more so the global community. If not, many like myself will continue to feel threatened, disrespected, and unwanted in a country that otherwise prides itself on being all-inclusive!
—The writer is contributing for national press, based in Islamabad.
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