Mauritania: scholar calls for Sweden boycott after Qur’an burning

Mauritanian scholar Mohamed El-Hassan Ould-Dedew has said that Sweden and Swedish goods must be boycotted after a copy of the Holy Qur’an was burned outside the Turkish Embassy in Stockholm last weekend. Al-Dedew said that all Islamic countries should cut relations with the government of Sweden until it apologises officially for allowing the protest by Danish far-right extremist Rasmus Paludan to go ahead.

“The Swedish government’s expression of sympathy with Muslims is not enough because the reality belies it,” said the scholar. “Muslims must boycott all Swedish products until they apologise.”

Sheikh Al-Dedew called on the media to raise awareness of the harm caused by this violation. Imams in the mosques and the Islamic media must do their share in this respect.

READ: 41 Kuwait MPs call to boycott Sweden over extremist’s burning of Holy Qur’an

He explained that his fatwa — legal opinion — stems from the necessity of venerating God’s sanctities, according to His Book and His Prophet’s example. Muslims, he pointed out, have a duty to denounce evil and try to change it.

A number of Arab and Muslim countries have already expressed their strong condemnation of Paludan’s act and demanded an official apology from Sweden. The Turkish government summoned Sweden’s ambassador in Ankara, cancelled a visit that was scheduled to be made by the Swedish defence minister a few days from now, and cancelled a joint meeting with Sweden and Finland that was scheduled for next month.

READ: Russia slams NATO chief’s response to burning copy of Holy Qur’an in Sweden