Pope Francis has strongly criticized the recent incident of Quran burning in Sweden, expressing his anger and disgust at the desecration of the Muslim holy book.
In an interview with the United Arab Emirates newspaper Al Ittihad, the Pope emphasized the importance of respecting any book that is considered holy, as a means of showing respect to those who hold it sacred.
“I feel angry and disgusted at these actions.”
During the celebration of Eid al-Adha on Wednesday, a distressing incident occurred in Stockholm where an individual tore up and burned a Quran outside a mosque. This act has received condemnation from various quarters, including the governments of Turkey and Saudi Arabia.
In response to this incident, the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), consisting of 57 member states, has called for collective action and emphasized the importance of utilizing international law to combat religious hatred.
The OIC said in a statement: “We must send constant reminders to the international community regarding the urgent application of international law, which clearly prohibits any advocacy of religious hatred.”