Al-Azhar re-calls for boycotting Sweden products in protest at burning of copy of Noble Quran

CAIRO – 29 June 2023: Egypt’s top Sunni Islamic institute of Al Azhar, renewed its call for boycotting all Sweden products in a protest against the burning of a copy of the Quran (Muslim Holy Book) by an extremist in the Swedish capital, Stockholm, on Wednesday.

“Al-Azhar reiterates the call to boycott Swedish products and calls on ‎Islamic governments to take serious and unified stances towards ‎violations of the burning the Qur’an copies,” Al Azhar said in a statement.

“Al-Azhar calls on world Fatwa centers and bodies to issue a fatwa ‎obligating a boycott of Swedish products, in support of the Noble Qur’an,” the statement read, besides calling upon “the governments of Muslim and Arab countries to take serious and unified stances towards those violations that are by no means acceptable.”

Morocco has summoned the Chargé d'Affaires of Sweden to Rabat for consultations over burning copies of the Noble Qur’an in Sweden.

“The Swedish government authorized, once again, a demonstration during this day [Wednesday] during which a copy of the Holy Qur'an was burned outside a mosque in Stockholm,” said Moroccan Foreign Ministry in a statement on Wednesday.

“This new, irresponsible, hostile act disregards the feelings of more than a billion Muslims in this sacred period that coincides with the season of Hajj and Eid al-Adha,” the statement added.

Al Azhar also voiced its gratitude to the Kingdom of Morocco, king and people, for taking an action against Sweden after summoning the Chargé d'Affaires.

“While Al-Azhar encourages taking such honorable stances, it calls on Islamic and Arab countries to take similar positive stances to express their rejection of these repeated violations and permanent provocations of the masses of Muslims around the world,” Al Azhar said in another statement.

Al-Azhar also expressed gratitude to Russian President Vladimir Putin, who carried a copy of the Noble Qur’an, defended the sanctities of Muslims, and expressed his respect for Islam.

Meanwhile, the Muslim Council of Elders, headed by Grand Imam of Al Azhar Ahmed Al-Tayeb condemned the burning of the copy of the Noble Quran.

The Council affirmed “its categorical rejection of such criminal acts that express abhorrent hatred and unacceptable racism.”