DOCSLIB.ORG

Australia and the Appeasement of Islam

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Australia and the Appeasement of Islam 1 Australia and the Appeasement of Islam Personal thoughts from the founder of Boldtutor – a citizen who has transitioned from the political left to the right on issues concerning Islamic acceptance and tolerance in Western society 2 This paper is not an academic text. It is a personal account that highlights the reasons behind my transition from a passionate believer of Islamic appeasement, to an individual that has lost complete respect for a religion that offers nothing of value to western citizens or me. Regardless, I have still conducted some research, and references are included at the end of this paper for those interested. Furthermore, there are times when I reflect on my transition and consider whether or not I have become misinformed or short sighted. This state of mind occurs when I tutor young Muslim individuals who are among the most courteous and open-minded people I have had the pleasure of teaching. Such Muslims however I believe are vastly outnumbered by a ‘moderate’ group of Muslims who strongly favour and promote the outdated patriarchal doctrine in the Quran and Hadith – a doctrine I had once accepted and tolerated. That compassion for Islam no longer exists within me…it is a speck upon distant shore…too small to draw notice. 3 Introduction – Falling for a wolf in sheep’s clothing From the period of 2009 to 2014, I considered myself a person loyal to the group promoting the tolerance of Islam and its values in western society. I analysed ideas such as Edward Said’s Orientalism at University and even wrote essay’s critiquing US foreign policy in the Middle East, Israel’s actions against Palestine and western media coverage of Muslims and the Middle East. In essence, I found myself respecting a Muslim’s right to practice or preach Islamic doctrine in Western nations like Australia. Indeed I remember debating about the virtues of embracing difference and tolerating Islam with family and friends who are against the idea of Islamic appeasement. We were watching a Channel Ten show called Can of Worms in 2011 and one of the questions asked was ‘Is the burqa out of place in Australia?’ I argued that the burqa should have a place in Australia while the rest of my family argued against its acceptance. Certain experiences with Muslims, particularly with the radical terrorist Man Haron Monis in 2009 at Sydney’s Downing Centre court, coupled with a closer study of The Quran and the 4 Hadith has reshaped my mindset on the issue of Islamic appeasement in Australia considerably. While studying Journalism at Macleay College, a friend and I were heading off to the Ogalo Portuguese burger restaurant for lunch. On our way there, we stopped and observed the peaceful protest of the man now infamously known as the terrorist responsible for the 2014 Lindt Café Siege. My friend and I stood approximately three metres or so away from Man Monis as he chained himself and outlined his criticism of Australia’s military involvement in the Middle East, particularly in Afghanistan. Given that it was a peaceful protest, my friend and I didn’t think too much of Man Monis or his message. We eventually exited the scene and had lunch at Ogalo’s, not knowing that five years on that this would be the very figure that would rock Australia’s social foundation to its core. Indeed I observed Man Monis and mistakenly saw an individual that was misguided but harmless. He presented himself as an emotionally reserved figure of vulnerability on 5 that afternoon in 2009 – a perfect wolf in sheep’s clothing. A man who, at the time, held no ill intentions towards Australian citizens…so I believed. I thus accepted and appreciated Man Monis’ right to protest and critique Australia’s involvement in the Middle East. My mindset during this period was considerably positioned on the left of the political spectrum. In other words, I had been taught to accept and develop a form of compassion to the ‘marginalised’ religion of Islam in Australia. I continued to embrace leftist interpretations of issues such as Islamic immigration, multiculturalism and economics. While studying at University in 2011, I wrote several essays and reports critiquing the influence of Americanization and westernization on citizens with a middle-eastern background that follow the religion of Islam. My views however began to transition from the left to the political right by 2014 – the year that Man Monis initiated a 6 hostage crisis in Sydney that would result in the deaths of two innocent civilians. At the end of the day, Man Monis had me fooled. He was the perfect wolf in sheep’s clothing. A Trojan horse that was given the opportunity to start a new life in Australia, far away from the instability he experienced in his native Iran. Man Monis settled in Australia in 1996, despite Iran warning the Australian government of his criminal record. Australia ignored the warnings however and granted Man Monis asylum. Why? What was the payoff? What did Australia expect to attain by letting Man Monis become an Australian citizen? I began questioning my tolerance and political beliefs regarding Islamic appeasement and I found that my patience for Islam had finally worn thin. I couldn’t help but imagine how furious I would have been if my parents or a loved one were held hostage inside the Lindt Café on that fateful day in December 2014. Man Monis’ actions in Sydney impacted me greatly, given that it encouraged me to recall the reaction of several ‘moderate’ Muslim children at primary school when the United States was attacked by radical Islamic terrorists on September 11 2001. At the time, I was in year 6 in primary school but I recall vividly the reaction of many Muslim kids 7 who were celebrating the attacks. Looking back, It was fascinating to recall how deeply, anti-western discourse and Islamic doctrine, was engrained within young Muslim children (all of them male) in Australia. Such doctrine glorifies the actions of those who attack the West, particularly the United States. Indeed the guardians or parents of these children may not align themselves with ISIS or other terrorist groups, but there is no question in my mind that deep anti-western rhetoric is still being filtered through to ‘moderate’ Muslims who are Australian citizens. Indeed I have tutored many ‘moderate’ Muslims, particularly Muslim men, in NSW. I often engage in private conversations with these figures discussing Man Monis, ISIS, the United States, Australia and Israel. All of them were sympathetic to Man Monis and all hold deep contempt for US, Western and Australian influence in the Middle East. When I discussed the topic of Jerusalem and whether or not it was the capital of Israel, most Muslim clients held the view that Jerusalem should be the capital of Palestine and it should be made the capital through any means necessary. Of course, these clients also hold the view that the laws and doctrine in the Quran and Hadith outweigh the laws and doctrine of Western government. Again 8 these views were made clear during personal discussions with Muslim clients and thus I could not record or sample evidence. What there is evidence of however are the anti-western comments made by the Grand Mufti of Australia – a figure that holds immense sway over Australia’s Muslim population. If the Grand Mufti holds such views, one can be sure that those who recognize his authority hold similar perspectives. These perspectives will be discussed later in this paper. Questioning the Quran and Hadith In spite of my wavering beliefs on Islamic appeasement, I decided to read the Quran for the first time – an English translation by Tarif Khalidi - just to clarify if I was misinterpreting Islam unfairly. I also examined the Islamic Hadith. A fascinating read, the Quran is a text that contains its fair share of inconsistencies and flaws. Taken literally, I decided not to invest in Islamic doctrine given that the Quran offered me no rule or discourse that I would deem worthy of implementation to improve either western society or myself in general. The following excerpts from the Quran are testament to such a statement: 9 - ‘Do not marry polytheistic (people who worship more than one god) women unless they believe (in Islam). A female slave, who is a believer, is better than a polytheistic woman, even if winning your admiration. Do not give in marriage to polytheists unless they believe. A male slave who is a believer is better than a polytheistic man, even if winning your admiration. These people will lead you to the fire, but God leads you to the Garden and forgiveness, by His leave.’ – p. 30 - Your women are your sowing fields: approach your field whenever you please.’ – p. 30 - Women have the selfsame rights and obligations in conformity with fairness, but men are a grade more responsible than them.’ – p. 31 - ‘Whoso desires a religion other than Islam, this shall not be accepted from him, And in the afterlife he will be among the losers.’ – p. 50 10 - ‘O believers, it is not licit for you to inherit women against their will…Live with them in kindness..’ – p. 64 But then you get this - - Thus, virtuous women are obedient, and preserve their trusts, such as God wishes them to be preserved…. If they obey you, seek no other way against them.’ –pp. 66-67 - O believers, take not Jews and Christians for allies; they are allies of one another. Whoso among you takes them as allies is counted of their number.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Penelitian Individual
    3 ii COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH (THE UNIVERSITY OF QUEENSLAND-STATE ISLAMIC UNIVERSITY WALISONGO) GENDER AND IDENTITY POLITICS (DYNAMICS OF MOSLEM WOMEN IN AUSTRALIA) Researchers: Misbah Zulfa Elizabeth Lift Anis Ma’shumah Nadiatus Salama Academic Advisor: Dr. Morgan Brigg Dr. Lee Wilson Funded by DIPA UIN Walisongo 2015 iii iv PREFACE This research, entitled Gender and Identity Politics (Dynamics of Moslem Women in Australia) is implemented as the result of cooperation between State Islamic University Walisongo and The University of Queensland (UQ) Brisbane Australia for the second year. With the completion of this research, researchers would like to say thank to several people who have helped in the processes as well as in the completion of the research . They are 1 Rector of State Islamic University Walisongo 2. Chairman of Institute for Research and Community Service (LP2M) State Islamic University Walisongo 3. Chancellor of The UQ 4. Academic advisor from The UQ side : Dr. Morgan Brigg and Dr. Lee Wilson 5. All those who have helped the implementation of this study Finally , we must state that these report has not been perfect . We are sure there are many limitedness . Therefore, we are happy to accept criticism , advice and go for a more refined later . Semarang, December 2015 Researchers v vi TABLE OF CONTENT PREFACE — v TABLE OF CONTENT — vi Chapter I. Introduction A. Background — 1 B. Research Question — 9 C. Literature Review — 9 D. Theoretical Framework — 14 E. Methods — 25 Chapter II. Identity Politics and Minority-Majority Relation among Women A. Definition of Identity Politics — 29 B. Definition of Majority-Minority — 36 C.
    [Show full text]
  • Muslim Community Organizations in the West History, Developments and Future Perspectives Islam in Der Gesellschaft
    Islam in der Gesellschaft Mario Peucker Rauf Ceylan Editors Muslim Community Organizations in the West History, Developments and Future Perspectives Islam in der Gesellschaft Herausgegeben von R. Ceylan, Osnabrück, Deutschland N. Foroutan, Berlin, Deutschland A. Zick, Bielefeld, Deutschland Die neue Reihe Islam in der Gesellschaft publiziert theoretische wie empirische Forschungsarbeiten zu einem international wie national aktuellem Gegenstand. Der Islam als heterogene und vielfältige Religion, wie aber auch kulturelle und soziale Organisationsform, ist ein bedeutsamer Bestandteil von modernen Gesell- schaften. Er beeinflusst Gesellschaft, wird zum prägenden Moment und erzeugt Konflikte. Zugleich reagieren Gesellschaften auf den Islam und Menschen, die im angehören bzw. auf das, was sie unter dem Islam und Muslimen verstehen. Der Islam prägt Gesellschaft und Gesellschaft prägt Islam, weil und wenn er in Gesellschaft ist. Die damit verbundenen gesellschaftlichen Phänomene und Pro­ zesse der Veränderungen sind nicht nur ein zentraler Aspekt der Integrations- und Migrationsforschung. Viele Studien und wissenschaftliche Diskurse versuchen, den Islam in der Gesellschaft zu verorten und zu beschreiben. Diese Forschung soll in der Reihe Islam in der Gesellschaft zu Wort und Schrift kommen, sei es in Herausgeberbänden oder Monografien, in Konferenzbänden oder herausragenden Qualifikationsarbeiten. Die Beiträge richten sich an unterschiedliche Disziplinen, die zu einer inter- wie transdisziplinären Perspektive beitragen können: - Sozial wissenschaften,
    [Show full text]
  • Identification Laws Amendment Bill 2013
    Identification Laws Amendment Bill 2013 Report No. 49 Legal Affairs and Community Safety Committee February 2014 Legal Affairs and Community Safety Committee Chair Mr Ian Berry MP, Member for Ipswich Deputy Chair Mr Peter Wellington MP, Member for Nicklin Members Miss Verity Barton MP, Member for Broadwater Mr Bill Byrne MP, Member for Rockhampton Mr Sean Choat MP, Member for Ipswich West Mr Aaron Dillaway MP, Member for Bulimba Mr Trevor Watts MP, Member for Toowoomba North Staff Mr Brook Hastie, Research Director Mrs Ali Jarro, Principal Research Officer Ms Kelli Longworth, Principal Research Officer Ms Kellie Moule, Principal Research Officer Mr Greg Thomson, Principal Research Officer Mrs Gail Easton, Executive Assistant Technical Scrutiny Mr Peter Rogers, Acting Research Director Secretariat Mr Karl Holden, Principal Research Officer Ms Tamara Vitale, Executive Assistant Contact details Legal Affairs and Community Safety Committee Parliament House George Street Brisbane Qld 4000 Telephone +61 7 3406 7307 Fax +61 7 3406 7070 Email [email protected] Web www.parliament.qld.gov.au/lacsc Identification Laws Amendment Bill 2013 Contents Abbreviations iv Chair’s foreword v Recommendations vi 1. Introduction 1 1.1 Role of the Committee 1 1.2 Referral 1 1.3 Inquiry process 1 1.4 Policy objectives of the Identification Laws Amendment Bill 2013 2 1.5 Consultation on the Bill 2 2. Examination of the Identification Laws Amendment Bill 2013 3 2.1 Policy reasons for the Bill 3 2.2 Comparable laws 3 2.3 Terms used in the Bill 4 2.4 Discrimination concerns 4 2.5 Request by Police to confirm identity 6 2.6 Witnessing requirements 8 2.7 Entry to secure buildings 10 2.8 Should the Bill be passed? 11 3.
    [Show full text]
  • Patrick J Mcinerney, Editor
    Number 60 September 2013 EDITORIAL In June I was one of ten Catholics from around the When Cardinal Tauran presented me to the Pope as a world to participate in the Islamic-Catholic Liaison Columban priest from Australia, I said “Your Holiness, Committee in Rome. Established in 1995 by the I too have come to Rome from the end of the earth!” Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue (PCID) and At this, the Pope burst out laughing and said, “Yes, but The International Islamic Forum for Dialogue (IIFD) this from the other part!” was the Committee’s nineteenth meeting. I feel enormously privileged to have shared a joke with Cardinal Tauran, President of the PCID, headed the the Pope and given him a laugh. Filling the shoes of the Catholic delegation, which included staff from the fisherman is an awesome responsibility. Hopefully, our PCID and the Pontifical Council for Culture, Maronite very brief, humorous encounter lightened his day. Bishop Paul Rouhana from Lebanon and professors from the Pontifical Gregorian University, the University But for me it was also a profound moment. Pope Francis of Notre Dame and the World Council of Churches. is a man of the people, for the people. He enjoys The Muslim delegation was meeting ordinary people led by Prof Dr Hamid Bin and taking pleasure in Ahmad Al-Rifaie, President the ordinary things of life. of the IIFD and included Like his namesake, he is academics and religious humble and simple in his leaders from Doha, Dubai, openness to people and Ireland, Italy, Morocco and in his deep concern for Saudi Arabia.
    [Show full text]
  • Intention and Diverging Interpretings of Implicature in the ''Uncovered Meat'
    Intention and diverging interpretings of implicature in the ‘‘uncovered meat’’ sermon MICHAEL HAUGH Abstract The standard model of communication in linguistic pragmatics is founded on the assumption that ‘‘successful’’ communication involves the addressee making inferences about the intentions of the speaker. Miscommunication of implicatures thus presumably arises when the addressee does not cor- rectly infer the speaker’s intention. In this paper, however, it is argued that this view of the (mis)communication of implicatures does not adequately account for the manner in which intentions may become the subject of dis- cursive dispute in interaction thereby giving rise to diverging interpretings of implicatures. Drawing from an analysis of the ‘‘uncovered meat’’ com- ments made by Sheik Taj Din al-Hilali and the ensuing controversy over what was implied by them, it is argued that to label such an incident as sim- ply a misunderstanding of the speaker’s intentions is misleading. Instead, it is suggested that the way in which Hilali’s comments were shifted from a specific audience in the Muslim community to wider Australian society by the media engendered discursive dispute over Hilali’s intentions, and thus gave rise to the co-constitution of diverging interpretings of what was im- plied by Hilali. Building a model of the communication of implicatures must therefore move beyond the received view that it involves ‘‘correctly’’ inferring the intentions of speakers to encompass a broader view where both converging and diverging interpretings of implicatures emerge through their conjoint co-constitution in interaction. 1. Introduction One of the key assumptions underlying the field of pragmatics is that what is communicated, in particular, meaning beyond what is said, cru- cially involves the intentions of speakers.
    [Show full text]
  • The Geographies of Everyday Muslim Life in the West
    Possamai A, Dunn K, Hopkins P, Amin F, Worthington L, Ali J. Muslim students' religious and cultural experiences in the micro-publics of university campuses in NSW, Australia. Australian Geographer 2016, 47(3), 311-324. Copyright: This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis in Australian Geographer on 30-06-2016, available online: http://www.tandfonline.com/10.1080/00049182.2016.1191136 Date deposited: 05/07/2016 Embargo release date: 30 June 2017 This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International licence Newcastle University ePrints - eprint.ncl.ac.uk Guest editorial Kevin Dunn (School of Social Sciences and Psychology, Western Sydney University, Email: [email protected]). Peter Hopkins (School of Geography, Politics and Sociology, Newcastle University, Email: [email protected]). The Geographies of everyday Muslim life in the west In a global environment of Islamophobia and pervasive fears about violent extremism, there is a need for research that focuses on the everyday lives of Muslims and their lived experiences in the western world. The papers in this special issue look askew at the preponderance of scholarship that has focussed on the difficulties facing Muslims living in Muslim minority countries. The policy commentary and political debate has made assumptions about troubled fit, and has done so on the basis of weak evidence. Dunn et al. argue in this issue that much of the research has sampled at the deeper end of disaffection, meaning that specific cases of troubled fit and controversy have been generalised. It is true that there have been shockingly violent acts by a handful of Muslims in many western settings, or against westerners in Muslim majority countries.
    [Show full text]
  • Mail on Sunday Reveals 999 Operators Are Ordering the Public To
    Cookie Policy Feedback Monday, Mar 19th 2018 12AM -1°C 3AM -1°C 5-Day Forecast Home News U.S. Sport TV&Showbiz Australia Femail Health Science Money Video Travel Fashion Finder Latest Headlines Health Health Directory Discounts Login 'Why won't they let the dead rest?' Mail Site Web Enter your search on Sunday reveals 999 operators are Advertisement ordering the public to resuscitate the dead bodies of loved ones who can't be saved for fear of 'getting in trouble' Call staff routinely ordering grieving relatives to perform CPR on dead bodies Families being 'guilt tripped' by handlers who say they'll get into trouble Doctors now demanding urgent overhaul of 999 services following MoS exposé By LOIS ROGERS FOR THE MAIL ON SUNDAY PUBLISHED: 22:00, 23 September 2017 | UPDATED: 00:00, 24 September 2017 233 257 shares View comments Emergency call handlers are routinely issuing ‘grotesque’ instructions ordering callers to attempt to resuscitate the bodies of loved ones who are obviously beyond help, The Mail on Sunday can reveal. In horrific accounts given to this newspaper, readers have told how they were commanded to perform futile chest compressions on corpses already blackened with decomposition, stiff with rigor mortis or badly damaged. Like +1 Daily Mail Daily Mail Some told how operators ‘shouted’ at Follow Follow them, despite protestations that a @DailyMail Daily Mail parent, spouse or other family member Follow Follow had ‘been dead for hours’. @MailOnline Daily Mail Others were told they would ‘get into DON'T MISS trouble’ if they did not comply with EXCLUSIVE: Ant instructions, and they spoke of how they McPartlin emerges from were made to feel ‘guilty’ for not doing the wreck of his £26,000 Mini - SECONDS after Mini - SECONDS after enough if they objected to carrying out crashing' as Saturday CPR attempts.
    [Show full text]
  • Halal Certification from a Credible Source
    Halal certification from a Credible Source 2020 Who is ANIC Halal Authority? ANIC Halal Authority is a subsidiary company of the Australian National Imams Council – ANIC. It is managed by a renowned and well-respected team of Islamic Scholar and experts in the Food Science and Technology. They have a vast experience in halal certification in Australia. ANIC Halal Authority is registered and approved Halal Certifying body by Department of Agriculture and Water Resources Australia as well as approved by major International Halal Agencies. 2 Our Vission, Mission & Objectives Our Vision is to become trustworthy, reliable and influential Halal Certifying organisation in Australia that is recognised nationally and internationally. Our Mission is to ensure that all Halal certified products and premises are in strict compliance with Islamic principles and suitable for Muslims to consume and use. Our Objective is to examine, certify, and regulate all food products and consumer products in an efficient and effective manner so as to guarantee that it complies with Halal requirements as required by Shariah. ANIC provides a reliable and trustworthy Halal Accreditation and Certification Services for Meat, food, cosmetics and pharmaceutical products for Australian Companies. 3 Our Team Our ANIC Halal Authority team comprises of the most qualified Sharia’a and technical experts in the industry. Among them: Dr Ibrahim Abu Mohammed Sheikh Shady Al Suleiman Grand Mufti of Australia President of ANIC Dr Mohammed Anas Sheikh Muhammad Saleem General Manager of ANIC Halal Supervisor VIC Halal Authority Mohammad Zafar Iqbal Dr Ata Ur-Raman Halal Technical Auditor Food and Lab Science 4 What is Halal? The word ‘halal’ literally means permissible- and in translation it is usually used as lawful.
    [Show full text]
  • Religious Freedom, Discarding Hate Speech and Contempt of Religions
    CONTENTS Editorial .......................................................................................................................... 6 By Prof. Ibrahim Saleh Al-Naimi Interview with His Eminence ............................................................................ 7 the Grand Mufti of Australia Prof. Dr. Ibrahim Abu Mohamed By Ahmed Abdelreheem A whole-of-society Approach to Countering ......................................... 19 Hate Speech and Hate-motivated Aggression By Brian J. Adams Religion and Hate Speech in Korea .............................................................. 27 By Chae Young Kim Hate Speech Root .................................................................................................... 37 Causes and Proposed Remedies: An Islamic Perspective By Jamal Badawi Revisiting Sacred Scriptures ............................................................................. 51 And We have not sent you, O Muhammad, except as a A strategy for Facing Hate Speech Against Women mercy to the worlds By Kelita Cohen Cultural and Economic Diversity in (Al – Andalus) .............................. 59 An Approach to Ibn Khaldun’s Sociology By Kian Foei Nio Tjong The Concept of Radicalism ............................................................................. 67 and Religious Recognition By Tito Marci 2 3 The Activity of the Hungarian Catholic Church .................................. 77 to promote interfaith dialogue and against hatred By Ujházi Lóránd Combating Hate Speech from ......................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Bridges Building Relationships Between Christians and Muslims
    Bridges Building relationships between Christians and Muslims No. 91 June 2021 Contents 1 From the Editor 2 Centre News 4 World News 6 Features 11 Coming Events 12 Columban Resources From the Editor 12 Bridges In March-April, Christians completed Muslims cooperate with Christians subscription the Lenten fast and celebrated in building churches in Egypt (p. 4), the feast of Easter. In April-May, and a Christian serves law and order Muslims completed the Ramadan in Muslim-majority Indonesia (p.5). fast and celebrated the feast of Eid Although the representation of al-Fitr. For Christians, the life, death Muslims in movies is improving (p. 4), and resurrection of Jesus and the stereotypes still lead to prejudice and sending of the Holy Spirit is the Islamophobia (p. 5). Christians and fullest revelation of God’s love. For Muslims can best learn about each Muslims, God’s final revelation is the other, and about their own religion, holy Qur’an, which came down from through encounter with the other. For heaven on Lailat al-Qadr (the Night of example, Sana Afiouni shares how she Power/Destiny) in Ramadan. learnt about Islam by being the only Muslim in a Catholic school (p. 9). We share Ramadan and Eid messages from the Centre (p. 2) and from the The joy of Lailat al-Qadr was marred Pontifical Council for Interreligious by the attack on worshippers in Dialogue (p. 8). In 2019 Covid Jerusalem’s al-Aqsa Mosque (pictured), Columban Centre for restrictions shut down places of sacred to Muslims, on the Temple Christian-Muslim Relations worship and public gatherings.
    [Show full text]
  • Robots CAN't Fool Humans
    Feedback Thursday, Dec 1st 2016 10AM 52°F 1PM 59°F 5­Day Forecast Home U.K. News Sports U.S. Showbiz Australia Femail Health Science Money Video Travel Columnists Latest Headlines Science Pictures Login Robots CAN'T fool humans (yet): It takes Site Web Enter your search less than a second for people to spot even Like Follow Daily Mail @dailymailtech the most lifelike android, researchers ind Follow +1 Daily Mail Daily Mail Team discovered mechanism called 'ensemble lifelikeness perception' Download our Download our This allows humans to spot differences between what's real and what isn't iPhone app Android app Researchers found the judgments could be made in just 250 milliseconds Today's headlines Most Read Would you live on this UFO­shaped By CHEYENNE MACDONALD FOR DAILYMAIL.COM houseboat? Futuristic yachts will be PUBLISHED: 18:56 EST, 28 November 2016 | UPDATED: 18:57 EST, 28 November 2016 available from 2018, and they could... Cheers to climate change! Global warming could make the UK a major WINE exporter by 6 23 2100 shares View comments Death Valley's 'secret' fossil canyon could finally be opened to the public after being hidden for almost a... They’ve grown to be freakishly lifelike, with micro-expressions, ‘natural’ movements, Saturn's rings are ready for their close up: and even rosy cheeks, but androids are still a long way from passing as humans, Stunning animation shows Cassini's daring according to a new study. descent into the... How clean is YOUR air? Real­time interactive map shows the pollution Researchers have discovered a visual mechanism known as ‘ensemble lifelikeness engulfing Earth perception’ that allows us to spot the difference between real and artiicial objects or BREAKING NEWS: Russian cargo space ship could be FALLING TO EARTH after people in less than a second.
    [Show full text]
  • Grand Mufti's Links to Banned Egyptian Sheik Stir up Tensions
    Grand Mufti’s links to banned Egyptian sheik stir up tensions Chris Ray, The Australian, December 16, 2015 Australia’s Grand Mufti Ibrahim Abu Mohamed. Australia’s Grand Mufti, Ibrahim Abu Mohammed, has visited and is recorded as publicly supporting a Middle Eastern sheik who urged the world’s Muslims to fight in Syria, approved suicide bombing and has been banned from the US, Britain and France. Dr Mohammed visited exiled Egyptian sheik Yusuf al‐Qaradawi at his base in the Arab Gulf state of Qatar in April 2013. They discussed “the role of Islamic communities in Australia”, according to Qatari media, which published a photograph of their meeting in the capital, Doha. Dr Mohammed’s name and his Australian National Imams Council are also listed on a petition calling on Interpol to remove Qaradawi from its wanted list. Timeline of events He is sought by Egyptian authorities on charges including incitement to murder and aiding a prison escape. The petition says the charges are politically motivated. The 89‐year‐old Qaradawi is considered the spiritual head of Egypt’s banned Muslim Brotherhood and is a prominent opponent of the Egyptian government. He sanctioned suicide attacks on Israeli civilians as “heroic martyrdom operations”, described the Holocaust as “divine punishment” of Jews and has appeared to justify the killing of apostates. He was denounced as a “theologian of terror” in a statement against the use of religion to incite violence signed by 2500 Muslim intellectuals from 23 countries in 2004. However, the petition that lists the name of Dr Mohammed and ANIC as supporters describes Qaradawi as a “moderate imam”.
    [Show full text]