Muslim Nations Should Take ‘Coordinated’ Moves in Face of Quran Desecration in West: Malaysian Academic
Professor Mohammad Roslan bin Mohammad Nor, who heads the Department of Islamic History and Civilization of Universiti Malaya in Malaysia, made the remarks while addressing an online forum dubbed “Unassailable Quran” which was organized by IQNA with the participation of academic figures from different countries on Tuesday.
“The response from Muslims should be coordinated in a move to reject Islamophobic acts as well as hatred against religion. So we cannot have single countries who act on their own. We would like to have a combination and coordinated move between Muslim countries, especially OIC, and we have to lobby some non-Muslim countries who have sympathy towards the Muslims for them to make sure that they can also put forward their voice to defend the Quran from this kind of far group people in the West,” he said.
“Muslim nations and states should come together in a concerted effort to make sure that the Western nation has respect for the religion,” he added.
“If such events become uncontrollable, we need to take measures; one of them is considering boycott towards the products that come from the countries that do not put any effort to stop the Quran desecration,” added Roslan.
He noted that the Quran is the “most sacred text in Islam” as it is “considered the literal word of God”.
Quran burning is an “unacceptable” act, that is happening in the West, he said, adding, some Muslims believe that the targeting of Islamic Holy symbols is evidence of a wider climate of hatred towards Muslims and is encouraged by the European far-right groups.
These groups are pushing their agenda using a “conspiracy theory” that claims Muslims will replace the native population of Europe, which is “baseless and lacks any evidence.”
The scholar warned that the recent Quran burnings may be aimed at creating “communal tension in Europe between non-Muslim and the Muslim communities.”
He also lauded the “different approach” that Malaysia has adopted in the face of Quran desecration as the country’s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim announced in late January that one million copies of the Holy Quran will be printed and distributed worldwide.
There is a need to look into the notion of “freedom of expression” that these desecrations are carried out under its guise, he said, noting that there are “red lines” that should be respected.
“There is no such thing as absolute freedom … we cannot cross the borders,” Roslan stressed.
More efforts should be made in terms of responding to the issue, the lecturer said, adding, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) member states “should play more pivotal roles in explaining about Islam to the east as well as to the west to reduce the hatred and tension.”
“Quran desecration opens up more doors toward propagating Islam and making sure that others understand Islam” because they will encourage non-believers to study and understand the Quran.
