Albanese celebrates diversity with Muslim community at National Iftar in Sydney

Jane Jeffes

Understand, connect, relate: this was the theme on Wednesday April 5 when the Australian National Imams Council (ANIC) and the Alliance of Australian Muslims hosted almost 600 guests at the 2nd National Muslim Community Iftar on behalf of the Muslim community.

Held at the Waterview on the edges of Sydney’s Olympic Park, it was an impressive gathering with the Prime Minister Mr Anthony Albanese, the Governor of NSW Mrs Margaret Beazley and the newly elected Premier of NSW, Mr Chris Minns prioritising the evening in their diaries.

Other distinguished guests included Muslim federal ministers Dr Anne Aly and Mr Ed Husic amongst numerous federal ministers and MPs, plus 20 members of the new NSW state parliament including five ministers who had been sworn in earlier that afternoon: Minister Jihad Dib MP on the Quran, and Treasurer Daniel Mookhey MLC on the Bhagavad Gita becoming the first ever Muslim and Hindu ministers in state parliament.

Other guests included Mayors and Councillors; the Australian Federal Police, Assistant Commissioners and officers; NSW Police, Deputy Commissioner, Assistant Commissioners and officers; Australian Defence Force officers; the Race Discrimination Commissioner; Federal and State Government departments, agencies and bureaucrats; ambassadors, consular generals and diplomats representing various countries from around the world; media; academics; entrepreneurs; faith leaders, representing many faiths in this country; and imams, shaykhs, Muslim community leaders and representatives of Muslim organisations who had travelled from all states and territories.

MC-ed superbly by Bilal Rauf, it was an evening marked by warmth, good humour and inclusivity in the context of which some serious issues were raised, comfortable in the knowledge that dialogue and understanding are established and flourishing.

In his welcome, the President of ANIC Imam Shadi Alsuleiman reflected on Australia’s status as the most multicultural and most multifaith country in the world, and called the event “A night of unity, diversity and great hope for a great future in this great country… a night of celebrating the rich and profound multicultural and multifaith Australia that we live in…. a night for the big Australian family.”

Noting that the event had emerged from the “ongoing resilience of the Muslim community” in the face of the many challenges it has faced, he said with quiet pride that “Defying all odds, the Australian Muslim community stayed resilient, persistent, and robust and continued to contribute to the growth and prosperity of the Muslim Community, Australia and the Australian people. As a result of this, we have learned how to work together constructively and productively, and how to work with others.

“It is a good time,” he told assembled guests, “to engage with the Muslim community and the non-Muslim community, to celebrate our diversity, our respect and our connection, regardless of our faith, culture or ethnicity.”

It was a perfect headline for the evening in which the Prime Minister went off his prepared script to say that “We (Australia) can be a light on the hill for the rest of the world to show diversity is a great strength. That’s my mission. I am proud to lead a government that includes Australia’s first Muslim ministers and represents and celebrates the diversity of beliefs and experiences of modern Australia.”

“Events like this one,” he said, ”remind us of the value of coming together and taking time to reflect on both the sacrifices in our histories and the possibilities of our shared future. Our world is so fast-paced but tonight, reminds us of the importance of sharing food, sharing experiences, and spending time with each other – and how this strengthens and nourishes our bonds as people and as a community.”

It was also an occasion to hold political leaders to their commitments.

In front of an attentive and respectful audience, Imam Shadi, MC and ANIC spokesperson Bilal Rauf and ANIC Community Relations adviser Sr Ramia Sultan reminded both federal and state leaders of their promises to re-visit discrimination and vilification laws to provide safety and protection on the basis of faith, in particular to women.

Imam Shadi said he spoke “not only on behalf of the Muslim community but the many major faiths and leaders who join us tonight.. (of) a need for religious freedom and anti-discrimination laws to be introduced and enacted on federal and state levels.”

Newly elected NSW Premier Minns was reminded warmly by both Imam Shadi and Bilal Rauf of his commitment to review and amend the Anti-Discrimination Act within 100 days of taking office, with the clock ticking: “Premier there is 89 days left!” was the refrain.

The Minns government was thanked for committing to establish a NSW Faith Affairs Council to provide a formal channel of feedback from faith organisations to the NSW Government, and the Albanese Government was urged to establish a similar body to connect faith communities to the leaders of the country so they could ‘be on a similar page for the greater good of the Australian people and people of faith.’

The Australian Muslim community was acknowledged by the Prime Minister for its role in Australian history with strong links, trade, marriage and cross fertilisation between Aboriginal people, the Yolngu Clan from North East Arnhem Land and Macassan Muslim traders predating the arrival of the British on the continent.

MC Bilal Rauf added to this the significant cultural and economic contributions to Australian society made by cameleers from Afghanistan and Pakistan between 1860-and the 1930s. Pioneers of inland Australia, opening lines of supply, transport and communication between isolated settlements, they made the development of the Australian interior possible yet their contribution has never really been recognised.

Premier Minns acknowledged the cameleers’ forgotten role with Burke and Wills and mutual agreement seemed to emerge that more should be done to share the rich history of Muslims’ contributions to Australia, past, present and future; and that demonstrating how these contributions are interwoven with the nation’s history would increase community pride and a more widespread appreciation of the place of the Muslim community in Australia.

A sneak preview of ‘Before 1770’, a film produced by Sheikh Wesam Charkawi and Fadl Harris, exploring the cross fertilisation between the Yolngu Clan and Macassan Muslim traders was shown with Sheikh Charkawi announcing that the film would open in cinemas across Australia in August with screenings also planned in the US and UK and on one of the big streaming platforms.

Theological context for the evening was provided by the Grand Mufti of Australia, Dr Ibrahim Abu Mohamad, whose address really should be read in full. Speaking poetically in his native tongue of Arabic, the language of the Quran, Dr Ibrahim provided a Muslim perspective on diversity, inclusion and social responsibility, saying.

“Islam views the world as a forum for civilizations and multicultural backgrounds to co-exist in peace. A safe haven where love and tolerance is spread, and in which its inhabitants enjoy freedom and security.”

The English translation was delivered by Sister Mona Abdulraheem

The speeches were rounded off by Khalil Shahin AO to a still attentive audience. Just one of many Australian Muslim success stories, Mr Shahin was awarded Officer of the Order of Australia in 2017 for services to business and philanthropy. Managing Director of Peregrine Corporation, he was born in Beirut where his father ran a refugee camp before moving to Australia in 1984 to escape Lebanon’s civil war. Unable to find a job, Mr Shahin Snr. bought a petrol station in suburban Adelaide, and that petrol station became the cornerstone of a business empire which became the 7th largest private company in Australia, and the largest private company and largest employer in South Australia. Mr Shahin spoke of how “there is nothing contentious in saying I am a proud Muslim, and a proud Australian. The list of achieving Muslim families and individuals is endless and we’re good Aussies because of our beliefs, because of our faith.”

Just one of many Australian Muslim success stories, Mr Shahin provided a perfect finish to an evening characterised by professionalism, style and substance, many great examples of ‘understand, connect, relate’ and much hope for the future.

Jane Jeffes is the founder and producer of ‘Recipes for Ramadan – After the First Date’, a virtual iftar project in which AMUST is the community media partner.