In a recent act of religious tolerance and respect, Ahmad A., a Muslim man in Sweden, made headlines by announcing that he would not go through with his plan to burn copies of the Torah and the Bible outside the Israeli embassy in Stockholm. The local media reported that Ahmad had initially received permission from Swedish authorities to hold a small protest, but he surprised everyone by choosing not to desecrate the holy books.
“I never thought I would burn any books. I’m a Muslim, we don’t burn,” Ahmad said, according to broadcaster SVT. He clarified that his intention was not to burn the books, but rather to draw attention to the distinction between exercising freedom of speech and offending other religious communities.
The news of Ahmad’s decision spread quickly, and many Israeli officials and Jewish organizations applauded his choice. Israel’s President, Isaac Herzog, was among the first to denounce the Swedish government’s decision to allow the burning of holy books.
Ahmad, the organizer of the demonstration, explained that his primary goal was to condemn those who had recently desecrated Qurans in Sweden, although such acts are not prohibited by Swedish law. He wanted to demonstrate that freedom of expression has limits and that mutual respect among different religious communities is crucial for peaceful coexistence.
“I want to show that we have to respect each other; we live in the same society. If I burn the Torah, another the Bible, another the Quran, there will be war here. What I wanted to show is that it’s not right to do it,” Ahmad stated.
The scheduled burning of the Torah came just days after another individual burned pages of the Quran, resulting in widespread condemnation from Muslims worldwide. Rasmus Paludan, a Swedish-Danish right-wing extremist, burned a copy of the Quran in January as a protest against Sweden’s NATO membership application and discussions with Turkey regarding joining the alliance. Moreover, during the Muslim festival of Eid al-Adha on June 28, an Iraqi refugee in Sweden set fire to Quranic pages in front of Stockholm’s largest mosque, leading to further condemnations from the Muslim community.
While Swedish law does not explicitly forbid burning holy books, the police clarified that a protest permit does not grant formal authorization to engage in such actions. However, if a demonstration poses a security risk or incites racial hatred through speech or actions, the police have the authority to prohibit it.
Read more: Swedish Government allows Burning of Torahs, Bibles outside Israeli Embassy
Ahmad’s decision not to burn the Torah and the Bible serves as a powerful example of religious tolerance and respect. It highlights the importance of fostering understanding and dialogue among different faiths and demonstrates that peaceful coexistence is possible even in the face of religious differences. Ahmad’s actions have won the hearts of many, and his message of unity resonates as a reminder that mutual respect is essential for a harmonious society.
