Egypt strongly condemned the burning of a copy of the Holy Quran in Stockholm, Sweden, on the first day of Eid al-Adha. The Egyptian Foreign Ministry said the act was "odious" and "contradicts the values of respect for others and their sanctities." Egypt also expressed deep concern about the repeated incidents of burning the Quran and the growing phenomenon of Islamophobia and religious desecration in some European countries. A man burned a Quran outside Stockholm's central mosque on Wednesday, following the go-ahead given by a Swedish court. The incident sparked outrage among Muslims around the world, who condemned the act as a provocation and a violation of their religious beliefs. The men, who have not been identified, were granted permission by a Swedish court on Wednesday. Sweden rarely bans protests, even ones that might be considered forms of incitement in other countries. The incident took place during Eid Al-Adha, one of the holiest days of the year for Muslims. The men tore out pages from the Quran, wiped them on their shoes, and set them on fire. They were surrounded by a group of counterprotesters. Al-Azhar, the highest religious authority in Sunni Islam, also condemned the burning of the Quran. Al-Azhar called for a boycott of Swedish products and urged Islamic governments to take serious and unified positions against violations of the Quran. Al-Azhar also called for fatwas and religious authorities worldwide to issue a fatwa on the obligation to boycott Swedish products.. The Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs also expressed its condemnation and denunciation of the burning of the Quran. The Saudi Foreign Ministry said the act was "heinous" and "incites hatred, exclusion, and racism." The Saudi Foreign Ministry also called on the Swedish government to take action to prevent such incidents from happening in the future. Turkey condemned a decision by Swedish authorities to approve a small Quran-burning demonstration outside a mosque in Stockholm The Iraqi government also strongly condemned the burning of the Quran. The Iraqi government called the act "horrific" and said it "hurt the feelings of millions of Muslims." The Iraqi government also called on the Swedish government to bring the perpetrators to justice. Morocco also condemned the burning of the Quran. The Moroccan Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned its ambassador to Sweden "for consultation for an indefinite period." The Moroccan Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the act was "unacceptable" and "contradicts the values of tolerance and coexistence." The incident has sparked outrage among Muslims around the world. The incident has also raised concerns about the growing problem of Islamophobia in Europe.
