CAIRO: Egypt’s highest Islamic seminary Al-Azhar Al-Sharif, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, and the Muslim Council of Elders have condemned the desecration of the Qur’an by Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank.
Israeli settlers tore and burned copies of the book in the old city of Al-Khalil in the southern West Bank on Monday, sparking Palestinian and Arab anger.
Al-Azhar denounced “extremist terrorists from the Zionist entity” for the sacrilege.
It added that the act “demonstrates Zionist barbarism, terrorism and hateful racism amid the international community's silence and failure to play a serious role” to ensure the sanctity of people.
Al-Azhar affirmed that the Qur’an will remain “a guiding book for humanity, directing it to the values of goodness, truth and beauty.”
It added its sanctity will not be compromised by the actions of those who encourage intolerance and hatred and “whose hands are stained with the blood of innocent Palestinians.”
Al-Azhar said it “firmly believes that God has ensured the preservation of the Holy Qur’an.”
It added that these “Zionist crimes, which fuel violence and hatred and violate international conventions, reaffirm once again the necessity of Arab and Muslim unity” to counter such acts.
The Muslim Council of Elders, headed by Egypt’s Grand Imam Ahmed Al-Tayyeb, said “abusive behavior” harms peace efforts, the security and stability of societies, and undermines human values.
The council called for effective measures to prevent attacks on religious beliefs.
The OIC called it an act of provocation, adding it was “an assault on Muslims’ religious beliefs, and a breach of the values and principles of human rights that would encourage extremism, intolerance and violence around the world.”
It emphasized the significance of criminalizing disrespect for religious symbols.
