UK: Scunthorpe Muslims' reaction against Koran book burning

Muzaffar Ahmad, the president of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Association, said the pastor's views were "beyond belief" and not accepted by the local community.

Ahmadiyya Times | News Watch | UK Desk
Source/Credit: BBC News | Humberside
By BBC | September 10, 2010

While the Koran book burning fury sweeps across continents, a Muslim group in Scunthorpe are taking a stand against the hostility.

The Ahmadiyya Muslim Association invited a local Christian group to their mosque in Scunthorpe to exchange religious scriptures, aimed at encouraging peace, respect and solidarity between all faiths and communities.

The event, hosted before afternoon prayers on Friday 10 September 2010, was a response to the book burning plans by Rev Terry Jones in Florida.


The US pastor threatened to burn copies of the Koran on the anniversary of 9/11 but has postponed his plans.

Muzaffar Ahmad, the president of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Association, said the pastor's views were "beyond belief" and not accepted by the local community.

"We thought this is not the views of any of the Christians other than that particular group," explained Mr Ahmad.

"We asked our neighbours and other people around us and they said that they would be very happy to exchange holy books as a sign to show that we all respect each others views, religion, leaders and books as well, so that's why we're doing this."

Mr Ahmad hopes the scriptural exchange will promote solidarity between all communities globally.

"It will at least tell people locally that we all live in harmony, we respect each other and it will tell rest of the world that this is not the way to behave, aggression doesn't get you anywhere."

Scunthorpe has the largest Muslim population throughout the East Yorkshire and Northern Lincolnshire region.


Read original post here: Scunthorpe Muslims' reaction against Koran book burning