Hawzah News Agency - Calls to boycott French goods are growing around the world after President Emmanuel Macron's comments against Islam and Muslims.

Macron on Wednesday accused Muslims of separatism and vowed not to give up cartoons depicting Prophet Muhammed (PBUH).

The leader's comments came in response to the beheading of a teacher, Samuel Paty, a 47-year-old teacher, who was attacked on his way home from the junior high school where he taught in Conflans-Sainte-Honorine, 40 kilometres northwest of Paris.

Condemnation

On Sunday, Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan condemned Macron's statements on Twitter.

"It is unfortunate that he has chosen to encourage Islamophobia by attacking Islam rather than the terrorists who carry out violence, be it Muslims, White Supremacists or Nazi ideologists. Sadly, President Macron has chosen to deliberately provoke Muslims, incl his own citizens, through encouraging the display of blasphemous cartoons targeting Islam & our Prophet PBUH."

Hallmark of a leader is he unites human beings, as Mandela did, rather than dividing them. This is a time when Pres Macron could have put healing touch & denied space to extremists rather than creating further polarisation & marginalisation that inevitably leads to radicalization.  

Turkey's Communications Director Fahrettin Altun on Sunday said the EU is increasingly becoming dangerous for Muslims.

In a series of tweets, he said that offensive caricatures, separatism against Muslims, and mosque raids isn’t about freedom of expression, but its about reminding Muslims they will never belong in EU.

"Here’s what Europeans against Islam and Muslims need to understand, We won't go away because you don’t want us, We won't turn the other cheek when you insult us, We will defend ourselves and our own at all costs."

Meanwhile, Egypt's world renowned Islamic institution denounced Macron's remarks about Islam.

Scholars at Al Azhar University on Sunday called Macron's statement 'racist'.

They say that French President's remarks have nothing to do with the true essence of  Islam.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Saturday slammed Macron over his policies toward Muslims, saying that the French president needed "mental checks."

"What can one say about a head of state who treats millions of members from different faith groups this way: first of all, have mental checks," Erdogan said in a televised address.