In Arnhem, Muslims hand out the Koran for free: 'Reading more about another faith never hurts, right?'

“Look at that. This is the Quran.” A woman in the center of Arnhem looks briefly at the green-covered book that is offered to her. She seems to hesitate, but then responds immediately. “The Koooooran? What am I supposed to do with it?”

They have come to Arnhem from all over the country, about fifteen Muslims, young and old, mainly men and some women who are in the city on Saturday afternoon handing out Qurans. They have erected a white party tent and brought along a hundred books, which are occasionally replenished in an Action Bag from a car parked further away. Every passerby who wants will receive a free Quran and a free message: that according to Islam, hatred must be answered with love. The Koran distributors belong to the national Ahmadiyya Muslim community, a small movement within Islam that has about three thousand members in the Netherlands.

Failed Quran burning

The distribution campaign is a response to a demonstration that got out of hand last Saturday by Pegida leader Edwin Wagensveld, also in Arnhem. Wagensveld had registered his demonstration in advance with the municipality, he wanted to burn a Koran on Jansplein in Arnhem. While he sprinkled a liquid substance over the Quran and tried to ignite the book over a fire pit with a stove igniter, an angry crowd tried to break through the line of the Mobile Unit present in the square. Ultimately, the burning was not successful. And then a man with one flying kick jumped on Wagensveld, he had to be rescued by the police.

With their action this Saturday they want to show two things, says board member Kashif Akmal, who came to Arnhem from The Hague. He is wearing a tight black cap, a black jacket and black leather gloves. It is a peaceful response to Wagensveld's action and to the reaction of the counter-protesters who tried to attack him. Akmal admits that he took advantage of last week's events. By linking his distribution campaign to this, extra attention is paid to their message, he often organizes these types of afternoons.

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Camera crews and photographers

But they never received as much attention as now. Several camera crews and photographers follow how people are offered a Quran among the clothing stores. Ahmad Tariq, also a member of the Ahmadiyya community, leans anxiously towards Kashif Amal. “This is too much,” he says softly. “People hardly open up to us now, they don't want to be on TV.” Shortly before, Amal handed over a Quran to a man, who later became a security guard for the camera crew of the SBS6 program. Heart of the Netherlands appears to be. “I would like to read one, yes,” he says.

The television crew's security guard is having a quiet afternoon. The reactions to the distribution of the Qurans are variable, but not aggressive. 69-year-old Jenny Altena “doesn't think about” accepting a Koran. She is concerned about an action like today's. “All those people just accept those books. But more Qurans in the Netherlands means even more Islam. That belief is spreading too quickly.” Two men, Steven Overhand and Eise Lensink, have asked for a Quran and an information booklet. “This is a positive action. And reading more about another faith is never a bad thing, right?” Activist Marlisa Hommel of Extinction Rebellion came to the action because she wants to show solidarity with the people who organize the distribution of Qurans.

Ban on burning holy book

Many people themselves make a connection between the distribution of Qurans and the out-of-control manifestation of a week earlier. Is that necessary, people wonder, to burn a Koran? Collaborating mosque domes have now asked for a ban on the burning of holy books, because this would be contrary to religious freedom.

But that also goes too far for many people. “Freedom of expression is also very important,” says Extinction Rebellion activist Hommel. “Of course we also make use of that ourselves.” Organizer Kashif Akmal says he has no judgment about it. “I think that as a fellow human being you should not burn the Koran, that is called inner civilization. But if it does happen, as a Muslim you should never react aggressively to it.”

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