Rafsanjani urges respect for religions

A senior Iranian cleric and politician has lashed out at the recent desecration of the Holy Qur’an in the United States, urging respect for all divine religions.

Islam has ordered its followers to respect other divine religions, said the Chairman of Iran’s Expediency Council, Ayatollah Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, in a Tuesday meeting with the visiting Patriarch of the Assyrian Church of the East, Mar Khanania Dinkha IV.

“As expected, the Pope (Benedict XVI) and many Christians condemned the inhumane move by a Christian pastor… but few nescient and irresponsible people carried out an inappropriate measure which sparked anger of Muslims,” ILNA quoted Ayatollah Rafsanjani as saying.

He further added that Muslim clerics have always recommended that the followers of Islam refrain from taking “reciprocal moves” because Islam does not permit its followers to dishonor other religions.

The Assyrian cleric, for his part, denounced as politically-motivated measures and statements by certain people in the US.

He expressed hope that these moves in Western countries will have no impact on the interaction among divine faiths.

In the US, Florida pastor Terry Jones put forward the idea of burning the Holy Qur’an on the anniversary of the September 11, 2001 attacks.

Although the pastor called off his plans, other extremists in the United States tore pages and burned copies of the Muslim holy book on the ninth year anniversary of the 9/11 attacks.

Pope Benedict XVI denounced “hatred” and “violence” after millions demonstrated across the globe to censure the desecration of the holy book.

“I pray for the victims and I ask respect for religious freedom and that the logic of reconciliation and peace prevail over hatred and violence,” the pontiff said.