The burning of a religious book in Sweden has led to widespread protests and criticisms. According to multiple sources including the BBC, a copy of the Quran — the holy book of Islam — was burned by Salwan Momika, an Iraqi living in Sweden, outside Stockholm’s central mosque on Wednesday. It is definitely not the only incident of burning holy books, a grave violation of religious freedom. Religious books including the Quran and the Bible were burned in many countries in the past many times including several times in the last decade. Burning religious books often lead to tensions and clashes. Against the latest burning, many protesters stormed the Swedish embassy in Bagdad and many leaders unsurprisingly protested and criticized.
There are definitely legal, campaign based and other efforts in many countries to end the burning of holy books. Enacting legislation that prohibits the burning of religious books and imposes strict penalties for offenders is an important step. According to multiple sources, many countries including Germany, France and Canada enacted laws to end religious book burning. Also, many countries put emphasis on the need for respect and understanding among different faiths, carry out campaigns to promote religious tolerance and collaborate with religious leaders and organizations to develop guidelines for addressing the root causes of burning holy books, also rendered an assault on the tolerance of diverse beliefs. But challenges exist since a portion of people in different religions continue to engage in provocative acts including the burning of holy books as a form of protest and/or aggression in many countries.
It is pertinently notable that there are religious, cultural and other factors that lead to the burning of religious books of different religions in many countries and make it difficult to end it. Religious intolerance and an intention to assert dominance and eradicate or undermine other religious beliefs and practices are important causes of burning holy books. The perception of religious books as the symbols of enemies also leads to burning. Among others, historical grievances and cultural clashes can contribute to the destruction of religious texts. Conflicts and subversion based on religions encourage many to burn religious books of other religions. Political motivations and provocations sometimes act as crucial factors. Religious books are also burned to incite fear and provoke violence.
The burning of holy books — which not only violates the principles of freedom of expression but also undermines the foundations of peaceful coexistence — definitely needs to be ended across the world. Legal steps are crucial against those who deliberately burn religious books. But emphasis needs to be given to addressing the root causes of burning holy books. For this, addressing religious intolerance, hate speech and the incitement of violence may be helpful in many countries. Carrying out campaigns and positive messages with mainstream and social media may be effective in reducing holy book burnings in many settings. Countries also need to highlight the importance of preserving intellectual freedom and embracing diverse viewpoints.
Amir M Sayem
Chief Editor
Dhaka Opinion Magazine
