Muslim Australians - Religion Cultural Diversity Resource Manual

Muslims live separately from
other Australians in Muslim
ghettoes
Muslims do not live in ghettoes.
Their choice of suburb is more likely
to be determined by their economic
circumstances. Professionals and
wealthy Muslims live in areas they
think are appropriate to their
requirements. Working class Muslims
live in working class areas. Services
such as mosques and Islamic schools
are established where Muslims live,
not the other way around. Most
Muslims live in average suburbs
with other Australians. Given the
ethnic diversity among Muslims, the
emergence of a Muslim ghetto in
Australia is highly unlikely.
Muslims are potential
terrorists and therefore a
threat to Australia’s future
The media’s association of Islam and
Muslims with violence, terrorism and
extremism is based on the actions
of a very small minority of people
who exist mostly overseas. Given the
security clearance needed to migrate
to Australia, it is unlikely that a large
number of Muslim criminals can
migrate. In terms of crime, Muslims
do not appear to be over-represented
in Australian prisons. Not only are
Muslims generally law-abiding, but
the religion also forbids criminal acts.
Muslims are citizens of this country,
and like other citizens, most Muslims
do what they can to stop criminal
behaviour. Mainstream Muslims do
not wish to see terrorism in their own
country, Australia.
People who leave Islam
(apostates) will be killed
There is a perception among some
people that if a person wishes to
leave the religion of Islam (either to
stop being a Muslim or to become
a member of a different religion)
they could be killed for becoming an
apostate. In fact, Australia has laws
protecting freedom of religion, which
means that a person can freely choose
to leave Islam.
From a religious point of view, the
Qur’an stipulates that ‘there is no
compulsion in religion (2:256),
and a person can neither be forced
to become a Muslim nor to stay in
the religion. In the past, apostasy
was often linked with state treason,
and for that reason some Muslim
rulers imposed the death penalty on
apostates. Also, in some parts of the
Muslim world today, the threat of
punishment for apostasy exists and is
often used as a political tool against
people by their opponents. However,
many Muslims argue that this is
abusing a fundamental principle in
Islam that each person answers only
to God in regard to their faith or lack
thereof.
In the time of the Prophet, if a
person left Islam because of their
own religious choice, then in general
there were no repercussions. This is
because the Qur’an instructed the
Prophet that his duty was to preach
the message of Islam but that ‘If then
they turn away, We have not sent thee
as a guard over them. Thy duty is but
to convey [the Message]’ (42:48).
72 Muslim Australians:THEIR BELIEFS, PRACTICES AND INSTITUTIONS