MANILA: Muslim authorities in the predominantly Catholic Philippines condemned on Tuesday Qur’an burnings in Scandinavia, as they urged respect and unity among the global community.
Two protesters set fire to a copy of the Qur’an outside the Iraqi Embassy in Copenhagen on Monday.
It was the second time in less than a week that an ultranationalist Danish organization burned the holy book of Islam, following similar acts by different groups in neighboring Sweden.
Swedish and Danish officials have condemned the desecration of the Qur’an, but permitted the incidents under laws protecting freedom of expression, triggering widespread protests in Muslim communities across the world.
The National Commission on Muslim Filipinos said in a statement to Arab News that the acts were “not an exercise of freedom but a misuse of it” and that it stood “united in strong condemnation against the recent trend of Qur’an burning in several countries, including Sweden, Denmark, and others.”
NCMF is the body governing Muslim affairs in the Philippines, where they constitute roughly 5 percent of the population of 110 million.
“The deliberate desecration of this revered religious text not only offends the religious sentiments of Muslims but also jeopardizes the principles of coexistence and empathy that underpin our diverse society,” NCMF spokesperson Yusoph Mando said.
“As a society, we must recognize the fine line between free expression and promoting hate speech.”
The Philippine commission called on authorities of the countries where the Qur’an burnings took place to investigate them and “take appropriate legal measures against those responsible for promoting hatred and causing public disorder.”
As in many Muslim countries, protests in response to the incidents have turned violent, and the NCMF called on people to “exercise restraint and respond to hate with patience and understanding, embracing the true teachings of Islam — that of peace, forgiveness, and empathy.”
Muslim Filipinos join condemnation of Qur’an burnings in Europe
https://arab.news/mmngy
Muslim Filipinos join condemnation of Qur’an burnings in Europe
- Qur’an burning in Denmark latest in a string of similar incidents in Europe
- NCMF says Qur’an burning ‘not an exercise of freedom but a misuse of it’
Indonesia’s first woman president awarded honorary doctorate by Princess Nourah University
- Megawati was recognized for her leadership and contributions to social, legal affairs
- She has received 10 other honorary degrees from Indonesian and foreign institutions
JAKARTA: Megawati Sukarnoputri, who served as Indonesia’s fifth president and was the country’s only female head of state to date, has been awarded an honorary doctorate by Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University in Riyadh, becoming the first foreign national to receive the title.
Megawati, the eldest daughter of Indonesia’s first President Sukarno and chairwoman of the country’s largest political party, the PDIP, served as president from 2001 to 2004.
The 79-year-old was awarded an honorary doctorate in organizational and legal affairs in Riyadh on Monday during a ceremony overseen by Princess Nourah University’s acting president, Dr. Fawzia bint Sulaiman Al-Amro.
“This recognition was given in appreciation of her efforts during her presidency, her significant contributions to social, organizational, and legal fields, and her role in strengthening institutional leadership in Indonesia,” the university said in a statement.
This is Megawati’s 11th honorary doctorate. She has received similar degrees from Indonesian and foreign universities, including the Moscow State Institute of International Relations in 2003 and the Soka University of Japan in 2020.
She has also been awarded the title of honorary professor by several institutions, including by the Seoul Institute of the Arts in 2022.
“We gather at the Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University, a university that stands as a symbol of women’s progress in education, knowledge and public service … To see so many intelligent women, I feel very proud,” Megawati said in her acceptance speech.
“Women’s empowerment is not a threat to any values, culture or tradition. It is actually a condition for nations that believe in their future … A great nation is one that is able to harness all of its human potential. A strong nation is one that does not allow half of its social power to be left on the sidelines of history.”
Megawati is the longest-serving political leader in Indonesia. Indonesia’s first direct presidential elections took place during her presidency, consolidating the country’s transition to democracy after the downfall of its longtime dictator Suharto in 1998.
