Minister Of Religion Yaqut Kutuk Aksi Rasmus Palus Bakar Mushaf Al-Qur'an, Call It A Form Of Terror And Varying Harmoni

Minister of Religion Yaqut Cholil Qoumas (Photo: DOK ANTARA)

JAKARTA - Minister of Religion Yaqut Cholil Qoumas condemned the burning and sweeping of the Al-Qur'an prayer rooms in Sweden and the Netherlands. Yaqut called the act a form of terror that threatens religious harmony. "It is clear that terror and extreme actions cannot be justified and could damage the harmony of religious communities. I clearly condemn such extreme actions," he said in Jakarta, as reported by Antara, Thursday, January 26. Rasmus Paludan, leader of Denmark's extreme far-right Stram Kurs party, carried out the burning of the Al Qur'an in front of the Turkish Embassy in Stockholm, Sweden, on January 21, 2023. A day later, the Al-Qur'an mushaf action was carried out during an anti-Turkey demonstration in The Hague, the Netherlands. The Minister of Religion emphasized that all actions that insult religious symbols, let alone holy books, cannot be justified under any pretext, including the pretext of freedom of expression. "Please convey your aspirations and expressions, but not with extreme, provocative actions, let alone to insult religious symbols and holy books. It can interfere with social harmony and divide the community," he said. He said that when he was given the mandate of the G20 Presidency in 2022, the Indonesian government was trying to build togetherness with the motto "Recover Together, Rise Stronger". The Moto, he continued, includes a strong message about the importance of togetherness in advancing the world and carrying out post-COVID-19 recovery. Actions against religious symbols such as the burning and laying of the Qur'an, according to him, will damage efforts to create togetherness and peace. "It is clearly detrimental to all religious communities and cannot be justified. Protests from various countries, including in Indonesia, as well as from the community and religious leaders are a reflection of how such actions injure the fighting and destroy the spirit of harmony of the people," he said. However, Yaqut appealed to Muslims in Indonesia to prioritize polite methods and show the values of Islamic relations in responding to such actions. "It is natural for people to be angry to see this incident. However, the form of response must be within the corridor of law and with a noble custom," he said. The Minister of Religion also encouraged religious leaders to jointly try to prevent the impact of these actions from spreading, among others by providing enlightenment to religious communities about efforts to realize a peaceful religious life.