Hawzah News Agency (Qom, Iran) –  Ayatollah Ali Reza A'rafi, the head of the Islamic seminaries in Iran, in a statement condemned the burning of the pages of the Quran, the holy book of Muslims, by extremist anti-Islamists in Sweden. Parts of this message says:

“Disrespect to the Holy Quran and ignorant actions in the burning of the Quran, which from time to time happens as a disgrace and hatred, this time it occurred in the days of mourning of Imam Hussein (AS) in one of the European countries more shameful and disgraceful and aroused the wrath of the freedom and truth-seekers, and the followers of the divine religions in the world, especially in the Islamic Ummah and unfortunately, as always the politicians of Europe and the West in the name of freedom of speech either endorsed the hateful act or passed by it, and the Despicable groups also accompanied it.”

“Offence to the dear book that has brought civilization, culture, liberation, and freedom to human beings and each of its verses is full of divine and human wisdom, knowledge, truths, and virtues. Assault for such a book is nothing but an excuse for evil hatred, while Islam and Muslim scholars have always emphasized wise interaction between human beings, empathy between the divine religions, and respect for their sanctities.”

The message continues: “Now that the voice of dear Islam is resonating in the world and its flag is waving, the arrogant, irrational and ignorant groups have polluted their hands in the shadow of fear and passivity to fight with enlightenment and fight with human and divine values, unaware of the following: “و مکروا و مکر الله و الله خیر الماکرین و یریدون لیطفئوا نورالله بافواههم و الله متم نوره.” meaning “and (the unbelievers) plotted and planned, and God also planned, and the best of planners is God. They want to extinguish the light of God with their mouths, but God will perfect His light, although the disbelievers dislike it.”

“The most ridiculous story of our time is the attack on the divine scripture and the heavenly book and the version of human salvation and liberation in the name of freedom of speech. The Holy Qur'an is not only the cornerstone of Islamic civilization, but it also considered the point of evolution of monotheistic thought and divine and human knowledge, but human civilization, in general, was revived in the light of this revelatory achievement and the caravan of science, ethics, and virtue moved with it.”

“The ignorant and anti-Islamic currents and the oppressors should know that despite all the enmities, hatreds and oppressions that have been inflicted on Muslims and the Islamic Ummah and Islamic countries, and despite all these wicked movements, the sun of Islam will not fade, rather, it will be more radiant, and the monotheistic thought, the Qur'anic knowledge, and Islamic morality and rationality will go further than before, and will be welcomed by the world, and will conquer the strongholds of the human mind and conscience, and will replace the oppressors and the weak.”

The Islamic Republic of Iran and its cultural, scientific, and academic centers, especially Islamic seminaries, supreme authorities, leaders, elders, scholars, professors, institutions, and institutes, along with all the wise men of the world and the glorious nation of Islam, condemn this villainous move and its arrogant associations with it, and they call on the nations of the world to take a clear stand against this extremism and to call on international institutions to enact restrictive laws and a common religious charter.”

It concludes “The Islamic seminaries shake hands with everyone for free dialogue, logical discussion, and scientific debates, and of course, they will stand against insults, slander, oppression, and arrogance by the grace of God.” “We appreciate and thank all the wise and free people of the world, Muslims, scholars of the divine religions, personalities and scientific and cultural centers who declared their positions against this irrational act”

Ali Reza Aarafi

The head of the Islamic Seminaries of Iran

Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Mustafa International University

13 Muharram 1442

September 2, 2020