Muslim Representation, From Derbent to Stockholm
Asharq Al-Awsat, Lebanon, July 5
On the morning of Eid al-Adha, Swedish police established a security checkpoint in front of the capital’s Grand Mosque, as Salwan Momika, an Iraqi citizen living in Stockholm, prepared to burn a copy of the Quran and trample it with his feet, thereby confirming his alliance with an extreme right-wing movement. It is known that Momika—who is a former refugee—is endeavoring to acquire the backing of the anti-Muslim faction for his foray into politics. Hours later, President Vladimir Putin of Russia visited the Great Mosque in Derbent, situated on the coast of the Caspian Sea. While he stood in front of the television cameras, Putin held a copy of an old Quran to his chest and surrounded it with his hands as he spoke to the crowd of worshippers sitting in front of him. President Putin discussed Russia’s respect for the Quran—and for all holy books—as well as their rejection of any act that insults or hurts its followers. He also spoke of the contrast between this and other countries where holy scriptures are insulted yet the state does nothing to show respect for its citizens’ beliefs. The burning of the Quran has become a central issue in Europe’s policies on cultural pluralism, immigration, and integration. This is not the first instance of such an incident; similar occurrences happened in April 2020 and January 2021. Unfortunately, this sparked clashes between police and protesting immigrants, leading to reported injuries and arrests as well as the burning of cars. What is new in the latest incident is its connection to the rioting that occurred in France after the death of Algerian teenager Nahel Merzouk at the hands of police on June 27. Additionally, several other incidents have further contributed to escalating the situation. It appears that President Putin’s message to the Muslim world has been well-received, with Al-Azhar Mosque expressing its gratitude for the Russian leader’s stance against the Swedish government’s lax response to the burning incident. While this doesn’t mean that Russia has gained the unanimous sympathy of the Islamic world, it does suggest that Putin’s speech at the old mosque offered an answer to the question on so many Muslims’ minds: Who will support us when our identity and sacred places are insulted or threatened? The answer given by the Russian president must disturb Western nations, as it opens the door for the return of old alliances between Moscow and the Arab world. This shift in the international relations system calls for new considerations in Eurocentric dialogue. Rather than focus on issues such as freedom of expression and respect for sacred beliefs, as in the past, the West must now pay close attention to the potential consequences of such an incident, like the unrest that occurred in Paris. Given this new outlook, Muslims in Europe are presented with a potentially auspicious moment. Rather than the enforced cultural assimilation Europeans have advocated in recent months, there is now a chance for political assimilation within a pluralistic framework, as Britain and the United States did before. Therefore, I believe that Muslims should take advantage of this moment by actively engaging in political life and vigorously participating in national and local elections. This is the only means to obtain their desires legally. —Tawfiq Al-Saif (translated by Asaf Zilberfarb)
