AMUST
AUSTRALASIAN MUSLIM TIMES
www.amust.com.au ISSUE # 189
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Multicultural News & Views
AUGUST 2021; MUHARRAM 1443
Israeli spyware creates global chaos
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PH: (02) 9158 3020
My tribute to The Late Sheikh Fehmi AUSTRALIA PAGE 12
BOOMERANG PAGE 5
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Digital Newspaper Available
EMAIL: INFO@AMUST.COM.AU
To veil or not to veil? LIFESTYLE PAGE 15
ANIC wins case against fake Mufti
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Sheikh Shadi Alsuleiman, President of ANIC.
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My reflections on post-Kemalist Turkey UMMAH PAGE 17
Global network for Indian Muslim diaspora
Zia Ahmad In a media release dated 26 July 2021, The Australian National Imams Council (ANIC) has announced that it has won a lawsuit against fake Mufti Moustafa Rashed for defamation. On Thursday 10 June 2021 ANIC was able to obtain judgement against Moustafa Rashed in the District Court of NSW. This judgement included defamatory remarks made by him claiming ANIC was a terrorist sympathiser. Moustafa Rashed falsely claimed that he was Australia’s only elected Mufti and the Chairman of the International Federation of Muslims for Peace falsely claiming that it was the only registered organisation in Australia for Muslim Imams.
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Report highlights Australian experiences of Islamophobia Mohamed Ainullah The Australian Human Rights Commission released a report on Tuesday 20 July 2021, “Sharing the stories of Australian Muslims” highlighting Islamophobia and anti-Muslim hate that is routinely experienced in Australia. The survey of over 1000 Muslims, conducted during 2019-2020, led by Race Discrimination Commissioner, Mr Chin Tan highlights religious discrimination, vilification and hate against Muslims that manifested in the Christchurch attack in March 2019. Stories, comments and insights shared by Muslim leaders, consultation participants, and National Survey respondents during this project provided a wide-ranging picture of community members’ lived experiences of Islamophobia and anti-Muslim hate. “These stories reinforced for me what I have long witnessed, that Australian Mus-
lim communities are active participants in Australian public life, and many are working tirelessly to address misconceptions about Islam in the Australian community,” Mr Tan writes in his message for the report. The project survey responses and consultation findings demonstrate that Australian Muslim communities are taking the lead in identifying community solutions to the issues they face. They are calling on the whole Australian community to support greater awareness and understanding of Islam to help strengthen social cohesion. Community responses during the survey draw attention to the broader context of anti-Muslim hate expressed through a rising incidence of online abuse and hate speech directed towards Australian Muslims and in the increased evidence of far-right extremism in Australia. continued on page 3
Zia Ahmad Members of the global Indian Muslim diaspora have come together to establish the International Council of Indian Muslims (ICIM), a platform to connect and collaborate on issues pertaining to the large Muslim minority in India. The Chicago based organisation has established links with communities and leaders in various countries to coordinate and amplify advocacy work to improve public opinion and policies that safeguard the welfare, safety, security and interests of Indian Muslims. ICIM aims to make the world a better place with a particular focus on India through representation in global forums like United Nations (UN), Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), European Union (EU), South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), African Union (AU), and similar global and regional bodies. continued on page 2
Legal win against vilification for Muslims AMUST Media The Australian Muslim Advocacy Network (AMAN) and the Islamic Council of Queensland (ICQ) have won a case against the former Senator Mr Fraser Anning, alleging he propagated hateful ideology similar to that of Christchurch terrorist, Brenton Tarrant over several years. This is the first time a sitting politician has been found to break the law for vilification, also catching out mainstream media and social media companies that platformed him and his views. It’s the first legal victory by the Australian Muslim community against vilification. It may also make history as the most prolific win, in terms of the amount of hate speech that the Tribunal ordered to be taken down – 141 artefacts to be exact. AMAN Advisor, Rita Jabri Markwell lodged the complaint in March 2020 with
the Queensland Human Rights Commission. The original complaint included ten (10) examples of vilification including Anning’s Press Release on the day of the Christchurch massacre, a video he took outside the Holland Park mosque, and various memes and posts where he ridiculed Muslims and portrayed them as a threat to Australia. Mr Fraser Anning has been in hiding since he lost his bid at the last Federal Election, and is believed to be living in the United States. The Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal found Anning had vilified Muslims and legally restrained him from continuing to vilify Muslims. AMAN and ICQ were seeking Anning to take down all offending material, which had to be painstakingly catalogued for the Tribunal - leading to a list of more than 140 posts and tweets for the Tribunal to assess.
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Muslimah Lawyer Rita Jabri Markwell, who ran the complaint for the Australian Muslim Advocacy Network. Source: Stefan Armbruster/SBS News
continued on page 3 Dispose of this paper thoughtfully - PLEASE RECYCLE
