CAIRO: Mohammed Mokhtar Gomaa, Egypt’s minister of religious endowments, on Tuesday denounced the recent spate of incidents in which copies of the Qur’an were burned in Sweden and Denmark.
He called for authorities in the countries to take swift action “to prevent these abuses, and amend any laws that support and encourage religious hatred and allow offense to the religious sanctities of all religions.”
Gomaa added: “Let everyone know that Muslims are one nation, whose people may run out of patience. What is happening in these two countries represents the utmost provocation of Muslims’ feelings.”
This most egregious of assaults calls for a decisive warning about the potential consequences, the minister said, and he was astonished by the silence about the incidents among international media institutions that claim to support the preservation of human rights and reject violence and hatred. This has damaged their credibility and exposed their double standards, he added.
He also warned of the consequences of such abusive behavior in a world that is being torn apart and cannot endure more conflicts, especially religious ones.
Insulting the Qur’an is a racist crime, Gomaa said, and Muslims “will not allow insulting our book, our religion and our noble messenger (the Prophet Muhammad), until our last breath.”
Muslims worldwide have reacted with anger and outrage to the repeated anti-Islamic activities in Western countries in recent months, including the burning of copies of the Qur’an under the pretext of freedom of opinion and expression.
The incidents in Sweden and Denmark prompted many Islamic countries to adopt strong diplomatic stances and lodge formal protests with the countries.
The Egyptian Foreign Ministry, for example, last week summoned the charge d’affaires of the Swedish Embassy in Cairo to convey to the envoy Egypt’s strong condemnation and complete rejection of the “unfortunate and repeated incidents.”
