Police investigate Qur’an desecration at Sheffield’s Wybourn Islamic Centre

South Yorkshire Police are investigating the desecration of a Qur’an at Sheffield’s Wybourn Islamic Centre, which has been targeted twice in two months, according to Examiner Live.

The centre said officers visited after it reported the incident. They reviewed CCTV recordings, took fingerprints from the copy of the Qur’an and spoke to people who regularly attend.

In its Facebook statement, the centre called what happened a “provocative act of desecration and disrespect towards the Holy Qur’an”.

Local MP Louise Haigh said police were working alongside community leaders to establish who was responsible. The centre had approached her through its representative, Mohammad Ali Toosy.

Haigh described the attack as “another disturbing incident, the second in as many months”. She expressed solidarity with the community and said people must be able to worship without fearing discrimination or attack.

Centre invites neighbours to visit

The centre backed Haigh’s call for community harmony and urged people with concerns or misconceptions to meet its members rather than judge them from afar.

It said visitors were welcome to ask questions, discuss concerns or simply talk over tea or coffee. It also warned against allowing a minority to create divisions between Sheffield’s communities.

Describing its contribution to the neighbourhood, the centre said it helped keep local streets tidy and taught children about their responsibilities to society and the law.

Its statement ended with an appeal for conversation and understanding: “Our message is simple: Let us build bridges, not barriers. Let us choose dialogue over division, and understanding over prejudice.”

Source: Examiner Live