The burning of a Quran during a protest in Sweden has been denounced by several nations with a large Muslim population.
Salwan Momika, an Iraqi man allegedly residing in Sweden. , . a copy of the Islamic text was set on fire on Wednesday in front of Stockholm's main mosque.
Countries in the Middle East, such as Iraq, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt, strongly condemned the burning.
Turkey, a member of NATO who can influence whether Sweden joins, referred to it as a "despicable act.".
Turkey, which was also offended by a protest involving the burning of the Quran earlier this year, declared it "unacceptable" to permit such "anti-Islamic actions" to occur "under the pretext of freedom of expression.".
Muslims view any intentional harm or display of disrespect toward the Quran as a grave offense because they view it as the sacred word of God.
On Wednesday, the Quran was burned as Muslims worldwide observed the first day of Eid al-Adha, one of the most significant holidays in the Muslim calendar.
According to free speech regulations, Swedish police had granted Mr. Momika permission for the demonstration. The incident is being looked into for possible incitement of hatred, the police later stated.
Other nations were also incensed by the protest.
Sweden's charge d'affaires in Rabat has been summoned by Morocco and its ambassador to Stockholm has been recalled.
According to Iraq, the incident "reflects a hateful aggressive spirit that has nothing to do with freedom of expression.". ".
While Egypt called it a "shameful" act that was particularly provocative as Muslims marked Eid al-Adha, Iran echoed Iraq's criticism, calling the act of burning the Quran "provocative" and "unacceptable." Iran also criticized the act.
This week's annual Hajj pilgrimage brought about 1.8 million pilgrims to Saudi Arabia, which declared: "These hateful and repeated acts cannot be accepted with any justification. ".
The burning of the Quran was "legal but inappropriate," according to Sweden's Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson.
Recent riots in Sweden were brought on by plans to burn copies of the Quran.
Recently, police had denied requests for similar protests, but courts later decided that they should be approved on the grounds of freedom of expression.
