Local authorities in a region of northern Syria controlled by Turkey have decided to withdraw a school textbook that has sparked anger over a perceived depiction of the Prophet Mohammed, a local official said Friday.
The textbook produced by Turkey’s education ministry was distributed Thursday in Syria and contains illustrations that residents deemed blasphemous.
Read Also: Al-Bab Imposes Hijab on Female Students in Schools
One image in the book shows a bearded man in a pink sweater and burgundy pants collecting his daughter from a school bus.
“The prophet receives his daughter, Fatima,” reads the title of the page, without specifically referring to the image.
Although visual depictions of the Prophet Mohammed are not explicitly banned in the Koran, many Muslims frown upon them as a form of blasphemy.
Local education official Jumaa Kazkaz said the decision to withdraw the book from several schools in areas of northern Syria controlled by Ankara was taken in consultation with Turkish officials.
The areas include the city of al-Bab where residents had warned of protests, and the town of Jarablus whose residents torched copies of the book.
This article was edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
