Jewish community leaders visited the Great Mosque of Stockholm to gift a Quran from Jerusalem's al-Aqsa Mosque as an act of solidarity after a bullet-riddled copy of the holy book was left at the mosque about a month ago.
The planned visit and gesture were outlined in an open letter addressed to the mosque’s leadership, with organizers saying they intended to “stand united” against threats that target Muslim worshipers and Sweden’s democratic values.
"There are tensions caused by politics. We, as religious leaders, have a responsibility to show that we can come together regardless of all politics. People are dragged down by politics, but we can rise above it," Rabbi Moshe David HaCohen told The Jerusalem Post.
He added that fear is something that exists among both Jews and Muslims, but at the moment, the different groups carry the fear on their own.
"The forces that threaten you and want you to feel uncomfortable are the same forces that threaten us. A society that is unsafe for Muslims is also unsafe for us," Aron Verständig, chairman of the Jewish Central Council, said during the small ceremony.
“Our message is that if someone tries to desecrate a small Quran, we will come here with a larger one,” HaCohen told the leaders of the mosque.
HaCohen expressed his hope that both Judaism and Islam's shared value of shalom, peace, would help "uplift ourselves beyond the politics and divisions created by men,” and rebuild trust within both communities.
2023 incident of Quran, Torah burnings in Stockholm
Earlier incidents regarding the desecration of holy texts drew international attention. In June 2023, a protester tore and burned a Quran outside Stockholm’s central mosque on the Eid holiday, sparking condemnation and regional fallout.
“The Jewish community and the council stood up for the Musim community when it happened,” HaCohen said, adding that when there were threats of burning a Torah in response, it was Muslim mediation that stopped the event.
“We want to step forward and say that we understand. We are also afraid and insecure. The best thing would be if we could stand united. That would create security,” HaCohen said.
“When you feel alone, you tend to fall back on stereotypes and hatred, which creates even more fear. No one talks about hope anymore.”