STOCKHOLM: Ahmad A, a Muslim man who had planned to burn copies of the Torah and the Bible outside the Israeli embassy in Stockholm, Sweden, decided not to proceed with the desecration out of respect for other religions, according to local media reports.
Despite being granted permission by Swedish authorities to hold a three-person protest, Ahmad A threw his lighter to the ground instead of burning any books, as confirmed by DW.
“I never thought I would burn any books. I’m a Muslim, we don’t burn,” Ahmad A stated, as quoted by broadcaster SVT, addressing the gathered crowd at the planned desecration. The 32-year-old emphasized that the purpose of the protest was to highlight the distinction between exercising the right to free speech and offending other ethnic groups.
The decision by Swedish authorities to allow the burning of holy books had drawn immediate condemnation from Israeli officials and Jewish organizations, including President Isaac Herzog of Israel. However, Ahmad, the organizer of the demonstration, clarified that his intention was not to burn the holy books but rather to condemn those who had recently desecrated the Holy Quran in Sweden, noting that such acts were not forbidden by Swedish law.
Muslim Man’s Message of Interfaith Harmony
“This is a response to the people who burn the Holy Quran. I want to show that freedom of expression has limits that must be taken into account,” explained Ahmad, a Swedish resident of Syrian origin. “I want to show that we have to respect each other; we live in the same society. If I burn the Torah, another burns the Bible, and another burns the Quran, there will be war here. What I wanted to show is that it’s not right to do it,” he added.
The planned burning of the Torah was scheduled just days after another incident in which a man burned pages of the Holy Quran, drawing widespread condemnation from Muslims worldwide. While the Swedish police clarified that a permit to protest did not authorize the burning of holy books, there is currently no law in Sweden that explicitly prohibits such actions. However, if a demonstration endangers security or incites racial hatred, the police have the right to forbid it.
Ahmad A’s decision not to burn the Torah and Bible has been praised by many, as it promotes mutual respect and understanding among different religious communities.
