Source: http://www.smh.com.au/
The spiritual leader of Muslims in Australia has
warned young people not to trust “Sheik Google
and Sheik YouTube”, saying they are “very
dangerous and they have no moral or religious
authority”.
While speaking out about the potentially harmful
influence of social media, Ibrahim Abu
Mohammad, the Grand Mufti of Australia, reached
out to all Australians, reassuring them they have
nothing to fear from their Muslim neighbours.
“I would like to say to my fellow citizens that we
are all Australians and the safety and security of
this country must be a shared part of all our
culture and ethics,” Dr Ibrahim said.
“We are the first ones to oppose anyone who
may think of harming Australian society.”
Dr Ibrahim spoke to Fairfax Media last week amid
speculation that the terror threat level would be
raised and after two men were arrested in
Brisbane on terrorism-related charges.
Dr Ibrahim had spent the week meeting with
politicans and religious leaders,
particularly Christian leaders, to whom he
expressed compassion over the situation in Iraq
and Syria.
“Muslims, unfortunately, have been bearing the
brunt of the disproportionate carnage for more
than a decade.” he said. “Sadly today people of
other faiths, including Christians, have been
caught up in the current conflict in Iraq and are
becoming the target of violent extremists.
“These criminals are committing crimes against
humanity and sins against God. Forced eviction,
threats of execution and burning of places of
worship including churches have no place in any
faith.”
Dr Ibrahim said he wanted to set the record
straight about his position on the so-called Islamic
State. As the highest Islamic religious authority in
Australia, he said that he wanted all Muslims to
know that the term Islamic State has been
“hijacked” and used for political and terrorist
purposes.
He said since the group had been established “we
have been very clear about denouncing their lies
and betrayal of our faith”.
“[It] is not a state, it is not Islamic and there is
nothing about the name that deserves to be
linked with Islam,” Dr Ibrahim said. “I have said
this in sermons and on radio and in the
community.
“They [Islamic State] have killed more Muslims
than Christians. They hurt Islam more than any
other faith but no one has conveyed our
concerns until things got worse. Until people
started talking about ISIS more and more.”
Dr Ibrahim, who is based in Fairfield, the
heartland of Iraqi Christians, has been speaking to
communities, congregations and on radio to
denounce Islamic State fighters. He said imams
were actively speaking against them and had
played a large role in stopping people travelling to
the region.
He has advised people who have religious
questions or may be tempted to join Islamic State
to get proper, religious advice from
knowledgeable, respected and qualified sheiks.
Dr Ibrahim said that when he and other religious
leaders met Foreign Affairs Minister Julie Bishop
last week, the mainstream media were not
interested in reporting it – despite them
contesting the government’s military involvement
in Iraq and preferential support for Israel during
the recent Gaza war – unless they had had a
major disagreement.
Dr Ibrahim said people need to be reminded that
the term “Islamic State” refers to an era when
Muslims, Christians and Jews lived together in
peace and harmony.
“That is why that terminology "Islamic State" is
attractive to Muslims,” he said.