The Chairman of the Justice Committee in the Swedish Parliament made certain remarks that were critical of Islam, the Holy Qur’an, and Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), which were denounced by the General Secretariat of the Muslim World League (MWL), which has its headquarters in Makkah.
In a statement, MWL’s secretary general and the head of the Organisation of Muslim Scholars, Sheikh Mohammed Al-Issa, said that a prominent individual who serves as the chair of the Justice Committee in the Swedish parliament was responsible for the recent attack against Islam. This is a blatant sign that Islamophobia and extremism are on the rise in the official organisation led by this person.
Sheikh Al-Issa pointed out that Sweden and the Islamic world get along well, and Muslims like and respect the Swedish people for their civility and friendliness. In such a case, the nasty and immoral statements only speak for the speaker and the organisation he leads.
The MWL statement emphasised that the insults levelled by the parliament member demonstrated his misunderstanding of Islam’s veracity and that they were based on ideas advanced by extremists and had no bearing whatsoever on Islam’s veracity or its tolerance.
Al-Issa urged the good people of Sweden to unite in opposition to a growing tendency that seeks to rift Muslims and other members of Swedish society on the one hand, and Sweden and the Islamic world on the other. He claimed that these trends are based on extremist ideas that often lead to clashes and conflict between civilizations.
The head of the MWL expressed the hope that the Swedish consciousness, with its national and human values, believes in fraternity, love, and respect among the Swedish people as well as sustaining friendship between nations and peoples. He also emphasised the significance of fortifying the alliance between civilizations within the context of their many shared characteristics.
Dr. Al-Issa thought that no excuse could be used to justify practises that incite hatred and offend religious sentiments, whether they are directed against Islam or other faiths, cultures, or ethnicities. Even though they were done in the name of freedom, he condemned them since they went against human principles. He added that the Swedish Muslims love their nation, are proud of it, and are willing to make sacrifices for it.
Dr. Al-Issa emphasised that the panel chief’s remarks only served extremist objectives to stifle the voice of reason and dealt a setback to attempts to develop bridges and rapprochement between nations and peoples.
The head of the MWL cautioned Muslims in Europe in general and in Sweden in particular against falling prey to extremists who want to sow a climate of animosity among various facets of society, highlighting that such anti-Islamic statements must in turn encourage Muslims to hold fast to their values, which emphasise the necessity of building rather than destroying, rapprochement rather than disunity, and keenness in upholding the cohesion of societies. He emphasised the significance of supporting the state while adhering to its laws and constitution, regardless of its name.
Islam forbids trading insults for insults, as well as any negative speech or conduct that breaches the Sharia, especially that which incites enmity and escalates it, according to Sheikh Al-Essa. Such matters must be handled wisely in accordance with the core values upheld by the Holy Qur’an and the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).
The MWL leader further emphasised that Islam is a religion of truth that is unaffected by provocation of any kind and that its approximately two billion adherents regard it as a religion of mercy and peace for all of humanity.
