Sweden's Quran burning incites outrage among Muslims worldwide

Several nations with a large Muslim population have denounced the burning of a Quran during a demonstration in Sweden.

A copy of the Islamic Quran was set on fire on Wednesday in front of Stockholm's main mosque by Salwan Momika, who is reportedly an Iraqi resident in Sweden.

Iraq, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt are among the Middle Eastern countries who strongly condemned the burning.

The "despicable act" was referred to as such by Turkey, a NATO member with a stake in whether Sweden is admitted.

It was "unacceptable" to for such "anti-Islamic actions" to occur "under the pretext of freedom of expression," according to Turkey, which was similarly incensed by a Quran-burning rally earlier this year.

Muslims believe the Quran as a precious text from God and find it highly insulting when it is intentionally harmed or treated disrespectfully.

As Muslims worldwide observed the first day of Eid al-Adha, one of the most significant holidays in the Muslim calendar, the Quran was burned on Wednesday.

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In line with the country's free speech regulations, Swedish police had granted Mr. Momika permission to hold the demonstration. Police then stated that a probe was being conducted into the event for possible racial provocation.

The rally also infuriated people in other countries.

The embassies of Morocco and Jordan have been called back to Stockholm, and Morocco has also called the Swedish charge d'affaires in Rabat to a meeting.

The event, according to Iraq, was "a reflection of a hateful aggressive spirit that has nothing to do with freedom of expression."

Egypt called it a "shameful" conduct that was particularly inflammatory as Muslims observe Eid al-Adha, echoing Iran's complaint that the act of burning the Quran was "provocative" and "unacceptable."

This week, over 1.8 million pilgrims travelled to Saudi Arabia for the annual Hajj pilgrimage. Saudi Arabia declared, "These hateful and repeated acts cannot be accepted with any justification."

Ulf Kristersson, the prime minister of Sweden, stated that it was "legal but not appropriate" to burn the Quran.

In recent months, riots have broken out in Sweden as a result of plans to burn copies of the Quran.

Similar protest requests have earlier been denied by the police, although judges later determined that they should be permitted on