BAGHDAD: Players at an Iraqi League football match held copies of the Holy Quran in protest desecration of the sacred book in in Sweden, which sparked outrage and condemnation across the Muslim world.
The incident occurred on Friday ahead of the fixture between Al-Shorta and Al-Qasim when match officials and players from both team held up the Holy Quran, with some kissing it, to show their reverence for the sacred text.
They were joined by many spectators. One group of fans held up a banner that read: “The Quran is our eternal law, and defending it is obligatory for every Muslim.”
The gestures followed the provocative move, which was approved by Swedish authorities that saw an Iraqi-origin man desecrate and burn a copy of the Holy Quran outside the largest mosque in Stockholm on the first day of Eid-ul-Azha.
The action has drawn condemnation and protests from across the Muslim world, with several countries including Iraq, Turkiye, UAE, Jordan and Iran summoning their Swedish ambassadors.
Much respect to Iraqi footballers and referees as they hold the Quran before a match in reply to the burning of the Quran in Sweden.#quran #quranburning #quranburninginsweden pic.twitter.com/eCg8KyQhMb
— Mohammed Al-Hilli (@malhilli) July 1, 2023
Iraq’s judiciary has also requested the extradition of the man responsible for the incident named as Iraqi refugee Salwan Momika, who performed the heinous act.
The Iraqi ministry said he was Iraqi and urged the Swedish government to hand him over so he could be tried in accordance with Iraqi law. “Legal justifications and freedom of expression do not justify allowing offense to religious sanctities,” the foreign ministry statement said.
Many Iraqis have also staged angry protests and hundreds briefly stormed the Swedish embassy in Baghdad on Thursday, and demanding to server diplomatic ties with Sweden.
