Australian Muslims need leadership

In Australia, 1.5 per cent of total population is Muslim and Islam is the third most common religion after Christianity and Buddhism. Australian Muslims are a mixture of people from different ethnic backgrounds but are dominated by the Lebanese and Turkish.

In the last 30 years the religious leaders and imams have demonstrated a great deal of commitment and enthusiasm for the development of Mosques and Islamic centres. There are many Islamic societies, councils and a federation in Australia. However, the vision of these individual organisations has been limited to their own ethnic group or sect.

Even the mosques are distinguished by the ethnic background of the management of the mosque: like the Lebanese mosque, Turkish mosque, Pakistani mosque, Indonesian mosque, Bengali mosque, and so on, despite the fact each mosque has an official name.

It is quite understandable that, in Australia, as the Muslims came from different parts of the world they brought with them their own living-style, culture, social trends and political thoughts.

Nevertheless, this is not something extraordinary to the Muslim community alone; other communities do likewise. When the people of a particular community live in a multicultural, multiethnic and multi-religious society their representatives have to be open-minded, diplomatic, tolerable, forbearing and communal. They must know how to live with others and how to respect the others’ culture, faith and thoughts.

Islam also teaches to respect the faith and beliefs of others. Prophet Mohammed denounced racism and sectarianism.

Unfortunately, things are no different among Australian Muslims compared to how Muslims are divided globally into racial and sectarian sections. The division within the Muslim community is not only a major cause of failing to designate a single representative but it also plays a major role with Muslims in commemorating their religious activities.

For example; almost every year, Australian Muslims of different ethnic or sectarian background celebrate the major annual festival of Eid on different days. Ordinary Muslims are helpless when it comes to uniting their leaders to celebrate their holy occasions together.

Unfortunately, the so-called leaders and heads of various societies, councils and the federation have never demonstrated that they have responsibility to unify and consolidate the entire Muslim community and lead them in a direction that identifies them as Australian Muslims rather than Lebanese, Turkish, Pakistani and so on.

These leaders spend most of their time and energy promoting themselves within their groups. If any problem or issue arises they try to cash in on the event for their own vested interest and publicity.

Many Muslims started to arrive in Australia after the abolition of the White Australia policy in the early 1970s. Since then a new Australian-born generation of Muslims has grown-up. Unfortunately, for these Australian-born Muslims there is no unified political direction that fits the needs of a multicultural Australia. Muslim leaders and imams are incapable of providing a cohesive platform - a platform where the Muslim community issues, problems and thoughts can be appropriately represented to the mainstream Australians.

Australian Muslims need a true leader for the entire Muslim community who possess a deep political sense and who can provide constructive guidelines for Australian Muslims in dealing with emerging issues in mainstream society.

Ordinary Australian Muslims are constructive and positive when it comes to building a unified and harmonious Australia. They have, shown that whatever the situation may be against Muslims internationally - they must deal with the situation at one with the Australian nation.

In public comments and interviews, hardly any Muslim has abused or condemned Australian society. On the other hand, the so-called leaders fail to appreciate the impact of their statements and articulate such conflicting thoughts that the entire Muslim community has to pay a significant cost time and again.

The recent statement of Sheik Taj Hilali has shocked the majority of Australian Muslims. Sheik Hilali was invited to appear on Egyptian television to explain his disputed sermon where he had compared women who show some skin to uncovered pieces of meat that invite predators. Instead, Sheik Hilali set off a new controversy, claiming Muslims have more right to be in Australia than the descendants of convicts. He further added that Westerners were the world's biggest liars and accused the media of trying to bring him down.

Sheik Taj Hilali has again embarrassed Australian Muslims with his nonsensical, inappropriate and unnecessary comments. Sheik Hilali’s has said his biggest regret in dealing with the issues is his lack of good English communication. However, whatever he said in his recent interview was not too complicated to translate correctly into English. He cannot be excused this time.

Sheik Hilali might be an acceptable religious leader performing the job of Mufti for a section of Muslims but what he has demonstrated is that he is incapable of being a true representative of Australian Muslims. If the Muslim community persists with leaders like Sheik Hilali then, eventually, it will have to pay a huge cost.

The Australian Muslim community needs a visionary and politically-minded person who should play a positive role in integrating of Australian Muslims into mainstream society.

Australian Muslims play a significant role in the cultural and religious diversity of Australia and they should continue. Australian Muslims are a vital bridge between Australia and the Islamic world. This is the testing time for the Australian Muslims especially with the on going international crises. They should, as a community, take immediate action to bring forward those people who can competently lead the community in the right direction in enjoying the wonderful democratic values of Australia.