MUHAMMADIYAH.ID, YOGYAKARTA – The Central Board of Muhammadiyah condemns the burning of the Quran and humiliation of Prophet Muhammad by a group Stop Islamization of Norway (SIAN) taking place near the parliament building on Saturday (29/8/2020).

General Chairman of the Central Board of Muhammadiyah Haedar Nashir stated that clashes at anti-Islam rally in Norway showed Islamophobia in this modern era which should respect differences in religion, race, ethnicity, and groups. The same conflicts had previously occurred in Sweden on Friday.

“Ironically, the intolerant protest to Islam happened in Sweden and Norway as countries which often award Nobel Prize for peace and humanity. Indeed, an initiator of the Nobel Prize Alfred Nobel was from Sweden,” asserted Haedar.

Thus, Muhammadiyah expects firm action from authorities towards the anarchism and intolerance.

Muhammadiyah appreciates Islamic countries and other parties that highly uphold   have protested the anarchism through appropriate protocols of international relations among nations and countries. Religion and religious communities have rights to live in any country, particularly in a democratic country.

“Hence, Muhammadiyah propels all Muslims in the world, especially in Indonesia, to remain calm and wise to respond to the fight in Sweden and Norway. We should avert to overreact and not to show Islamic characters which highly uphold peace and noble values of life,” advised Haedar.

He contended that islamophobia in European and Western countries is recently getting greater, and it should be impeded. It ensued due to some motives and circumstances.

First, excessive sentiment and fear towards Islam have widely spread in Europe, and the tendency is elevating. Second, they misunderstand of ISIS, terrorism, and Islamic world. In a number of countries, reality and bias cannot be distinguished. Third, liberal democracy in Western countries allows people to freely express rights which do not represent civilization of a modern world.

“The conditions become an agenda of global dakwah to disseminate an idea of Islam which is developed and brings a mercy to all creation. Muslims also should be able to adapt to culture of a country where they live in. A proverb of ‘where the land is stepped, there the sky is upheld’ is in line with an Islamic principle to promote safety, peace and rahmatan lil ‘alamin,” asserted Haedar.