TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The chairperson of the Islamic organization Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) Mohammad Mukri on Monday urged fellow Muslims to not be provoked by the burning of a Quran by Swedish-Danish right-wing extremist, Rasmus Paludan, outside of the Turkish Embassy in Sweden.

“We truly regret that such an incident took place. But do not be provoked into committing actions that will only further disrupt the situation. Everything must be dealt with accordingly and adhering to Islamic teachings,” said Mukri in a statement published on the website run by Nahdlatul Ulama on January 23.

Mukri urged Indonesians to avert from draining their energy into responding or avenging the extremist’s actions. He then called for people to show the international community about Islam’s peaceful nature in the wake of global condemnation of the Quran burning.

“We should make viral the peacefulness and kindness of Islam to the world,” he said.

As previously reported, the Indonesian Foreign Affairs asserted that the extremist’s act is blatant blasphemy and deeply offended religious tolerance. They also insisted that showcasing freedom of speech should have been done in a more responsible manner.

Swedish Foreign Affairs Minister Tobias Billstrom has also responded to the incident in a Tweet that reads: “Islamophobic provocations are appalling. Sweden has a far-reaching freedom of expression, but it does not imply that the Swedish Government, or myself, support the opinions expressed.”

Ahmad Faiz Ibnu Sani

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