Ankara to hold Quran reverence outside Turkish embassy in Stockholm

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
24 Jan 11:33
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In response to the recent extremist and Islamophobic act, Turkey is to hold a Quran reverence event outside its embassy in Sweden.

Protesters demonstrate in Istanbul after Rasmus Paludan, leader of the Danish far-right political party Hard Line, and who also has Swedish citizenship, burned a copy of the Quran (Reuters)

The Quran veneration action will take place Tuesday in front of the Turkish embassy in Stockholm, according to Turkey's Religious Affairs Directorate (Diyanet) head Ali Erbas, in the same location where far-right activists previously burned the Muslim holy book.

After receiving permission from authorities, Rasmus Paludan, the leader of the far-right Danish political party Stram Kurs, burned a copy of the Quran in front of the Turkish embassy in Stockholm on Saturday.

Many countries condemned the burning of the Quran, including Turkey, which called it a "vile attack" on the holy book and "another example of the alarming level that Islamophobia and racist and discriminatory movements have reached in Europe."

"A reverence act for the Quran will take place in front of the Turkish embassy at the site where the Quran was desecrated," Erbas said on Monday, as quoted by the Anadolu news agency.

Erbas noted that the program will include a reading of surahs (the Quran's chapters) from the Muslim holy book with explanation and translation in Turkish, Swedish, and English, according to the report.

"Our task is to eradicate evil and turn it into good. Muslims should always remain vigilant, reading, understanding, protecting, and respecting our holy book. We must instill this spirit in our children and youth," Erbas added.

The Turkish foreign ministry said on Saturday that Paludan's actions were a clear violation of Sweden's obligations under a tripartite memorandum signed with Turkey and Finland to settle disagreements over NATO membership, specifically its clause on preventing terrorist organization propaganda.

Moreover, Sweden's Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson has condemned as "deeply disrespectful" the weekend burning of a Quran in Stockholm, which has raised tensions with Turkey as the Nordic country seeks Ankara's ratification of its NATO bid.

Turkey has unilaterally canceled Swedish Defense Minister Pal Jonson's upcoming visit to Ankara, where he was scheduled to discuss Stockholm's NATO membership application.

Following such anti-Turkish and anti-Islamic actions, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan stated on Monday that Sweden should not expect Turkish support for its NATO membership bid.