Australian Muslims: Different ethnicities, various ideologies  

By Abdel-Hadi Rabei

Islam is the third religion after Christianity and atheism (no-religion)  in Australia as Muslims represent 2.6 percent of overall 24 million people in 2016, according to dada from the Australian Bureau of Statistics. They present in many cities across Australia.

This largest minority have many different ethnicities and Islamic sects due to Muslim emigration from the Middle East, the Balkans, South-East Asia and the Indian Subcontinent. Islam entered the continent with Indonesian Muslim merchants, who influenced indigenous people of Australia before European migrations to it.

Muslim migration had increased when the British fleets had carried Muslims from different parts of the world to house them in the newly discovered continent, where they were working as maritime pilots.

In the second half of the nineteenth century, colonial countries had shipped Muslims of occupied countries, such as Afghanistan, to Australia.  With Afghan Muslims, British fleets had also shipped, for the first time, camels for construction and building works in the continent. Now in Australia, there is “The Ghan”, a train connects between the city of Adelaide and Darwin. The train name refers to word “Afghan”.

Muslims number started growing after Muslim divers from Malay Peninsula travelled to work Western Australia. Their number reached 1,800 drivers in 1875. Other migrations had flocked from different origins of Albania, Pakistan and the Middle East, each different Muslim group carries its own Islamic ideologies and rituals.

Muslims have a great influence in the Australia after they rapidly merged in the society. Well-known Muslim Australians include  John Ilan, the founder of Crazy John’s mobile phone retail chain, Iranian-Australian actor Osamah Sami, member of Australian House of Representatives Ed Husic,  Australian football layer for Richmond club Bachar El-Houli, and  CEO of Australia Post Ahmed Faour.

Islam in Australia

Increasing number of Muslims in Australia led to an increase of religious institutions and mosques in most cities; largest cities have 100 mosques as Section 116 of the  Australian Constitution contradicts any ban on religious freedom.  Most of major hospitals and universities have also mosques for Muslims to worship and learn their religious teachings and the Arabic language.

The first Islamic institutions in the new continent were established in the 1950s. The Islamic Society was founded in cities Victoria and New South Wales, but their real activities started in 1957.  Other Islamic institutions, such as the Islamic Charity Projects Association and the Australian Sufi Association, were established under the authority of the Islamic High Council of Australia (Darulfatwa).

The  Islamic Charity Projects Association is a branch of the Lebanon-based big organization. It was founded in 1989 in Sydney and recognized in 1991. The Association follows an Islamic approach established by Sheikh Abdullah Harari, the founder of Al-Ahbash. In 2006, the association had a difference with the Australian Mufti Taj al-din al-Hilali over a fatwa on non-veiled women. It led to exempting the Mufti from his post and pointing a successor following the association’s approach.

Moreover, several associations for Muslim women have emerged, most notably the Association of Muslim Women and the National Association of Muslim Women.  In Sydney alone, there are three associations for women affairs follow Sunni sect.

It has been estimated that about 15 percent of Muslims in Australia belong to the banned group of the Muslim Brotherhood, Th Australian newspaper reported.

Muslims in Media

Muslims in Australia have become aware of the dangers of misusage of media for extremists thoughts. So they have set up several media portals to protect their Muslim youth from ideological attacks on Islam.  In Sydney and Melbourne have limited-range radio stations. Sydney also hosts an Islamic radio station working over 24 hours and run by the Ahbash community.

In addition, two Islamic magazines and other websites were established, namely “Salam Magazine by the Federation of Australian Muslim Students and Youthm and Nida’ul Islam magazine by the Islamic Youth Movement. The Australian Muslim Public Affairs Committee (AMPAC) have a representatives media circle.

Fighting terrorism

Australia was one of the first countries fought terrorism. In 2014, it revoked citizenship from a citizen joined the Islamic State (IS) terrorist group (Daesh).

In media remarks, Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said in September 2015 that the number of Australians joining (Daesh) in Syria and Iraq has doubled over the past year to 120.

Australia has seen attempts of terrorist attacks that were foiled by the police. Also raid campaigns were launched against “extremists”. However, the security campaigns were seen by some Muslims as a form of persecution.