The Secretary-General, Hissein Brahim Taha, has called upon Member States to take collective measures to prevent the recurrence of incidents involving the desecration of the Holy Qur’an and insults directed towards Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him.
This was disclosed in an extraordinary meeting held at the headquarters of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in Jeddah.
The meeting, known as the Executive Committee meeting, was convened at the invitation of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the current Chair of the Islamic Summit and the Executive Committee of the OIC. The primary objective of the gathering was to address the consequences stemming from the recent incident of a copy of the Holy Qur’an being burned in front of the Central Mosque in Stockholm, Sweden, on the first day of Eid al-Adha.
During the meeting, the Secretary-General expressed his dismay over the “despicable act of desecration” that occurred on such an auspicious occasion for Muslims worldwide. He emphasized the urgent need to discuss an appropriate response to this incident.
Furthermore, Mr. Taha highlighted that acts of desecration against the Holy Qur’an and insults to Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, should not be treated as ordinary cases of Islamophobia. He underscored the importance of conveying a clear message to the international community, emphasizing the prohibition of promoting religious hatred as stipulated by international law.
The Secretary-General’s call for unified and collective action among Member States serves as a reminder of the significance of protecting religious symbols and upholding respect for all faiths. It is expected that the OIC will work closely with its member nations to implement measures aimed at preventing similar incidents and fostering an environment of religious tolerance and harmony.
