Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Dr. Nayaf Falah Mubarak Al-Hajraf has condemned the burning of a copy of the Holy Qur'an in the Swedish capital, Stockholm, which was carried out by an extremist. He warned that this would inflame and provoke Muslims around the world. He also affirmed the GCC's firm stance calling for the importance of spreading the values of dialogue, tolerance and peaceful coexistence, and rejecting hatred and extremism. He called on the international community to assume responsibilities to stop such unacceptable acts. The Arab Parliament too strongly condemned the burning of a copy of the Holy Qur'an by an extremist in the Swedish capital, Stockholm, stressing its total rejection of such disgraceful acts. In a statement issued Sunday, the Arab Parliament called on the international community to assume its responsibilities and criminalize these unacceptable acts, which fuel feelings of hatred and violence and destabilize security and stability. The Arab Parliament called for the enactment of international laws that criminalize insulting religious sanctities, affirming the need to spread the values of tolerance and coexistence. The Muslim World League (MWL) too condemned the absurd, provocative and disgraceful act of burning a copy of the Holy Qur'an in Stockholm, Sweden, which was carried out by an extremist. This came in a statement by the League, in which Dr. Mohammed Bin Abdul Karim Al-Issa, the secretary-general, warned of the risks of practices that provoke hatred that only serve the agenda of extremism, pointing out that such reckless behavior offends, among other things abuse of the concept of freedoms and their human values. He reaffirmed that these barbaric risks will only increase Muslims in faith and steadfastness in their values that always call for peace and coexistence. In Jeddah, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Secretary-General Hissein Brahim Taha strongly condemned the despicable act of extremist right-wing activists by burning a copy of the Holy Qur'an in Stockholm, Sweden, Saturday with the Swedish authorities' permission. He warned that this provocative act, which was committed by extremist activists, targeting Muslims and insulting their sacred values, constitutes another example of the disturbing level reached by Islamophobia, hatred, intolerance and xenophobia. The OIC secretary-general urged the Swedish authorities to take the necessary measures against the perpetrators of this hate crime, calling for intensifying the international efforts to prevent the recurrence of such acts, and for solidarity in the fight against Islamophobia. In Muscat, the Sultanate of Oman has strongly condemned the burning of a copy of the Holy Quran by extremists in Sweden and denounced such acts of provocation to the feelings of Muslims and incitement to violence and hatred. In a statement, the Omani Foreign Ministry stressed the need for international efforts to consolidate the values of tolerance and coexistence and criminalize all acts that promote the ideology of hatred and offending religions and beliefs. In Amman, the Jordanian Foreign Ministry too condemned the burning of a copy of the Holy Qur'an in Stockholm on Saturday, the Jordan News Agency (Petra) reported. The ministry reaffirmed Jordan's rejection and condemnation of this act, which fuels hatred and violence and threatens peaceful coexistence. The ministry emphasized that spreading and promoting a culture of peace and acceptance of the other, raising awareness of joint values of respect, enriching values of harmony and tolerance, and rejecting extremism, intolerance, and incitement to hatred, is a collective responsibility that everyone must adhere to. — SPA
