One of the recent big news issues in Australia have been the comments made by Sheik Alhilali, one of Australia's most prominent Muslim clerics. An extract from a news report on the ninemsn website:
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"Sheik Alhilali outraged Muslim community leaders and politicians across the political spectrum with his comments, made during a Ramadan sermon to 500 worshippers in Sydney last month.

Excerpts from a recording of the 17-minute sermon appeared in The Australian newspaper.

The Sheik alluded to rapes in 2000 in which four women were separately gang-raped by young Muslim men, including Bilal Skaf, who received a 55-year jail sentence, later reduced.

He said there were women who "sway suggestively" and wore make-up and inappropriate clothes, "and then you get a judge without mercy (rahma) and gives you 65 years," The Australian reported.

"If you take out uncovered meat and place it outside on the street, or in the garden or in the park, or in the backyard without a cover, and the cats come and eat it ... whose fault is it, the cats or the uncovered meat," the sheik asked.

"The uncovered meat is the problem."

"If she was in her room, in her home, in her hijab (head scarf), no problem would have occurred."
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Although the Sheik and many of his spokespeople have defended the comments, saying that they have been taken out of context, they stil annoy me to a large degree. It's effect and the appearance of intolerance is similar, although to a smaller degree, with the comments made by the Pope earlier in the year.

I get angry when leaders, any type although religious will apply in the context of this blog, who are considered by followers of a certain belief to be able to represent them confidently and looking out for the interests of them make comments that stir up prejudices and cause outrage. When a large proportion of the Australian population still do not have even a basic understanding of the Islamic religion, especially the diversity in which it is practised an followed in Australia, comment made like that only make it easier for people to strenghten ignorant prejudices.

When so many people, of all faiths, are working so hard to try and shake off stereotypical images presented of them and to reach out and make connections and encourage inter-fatih and intercultural dialogue it is distressing to see their work being torn apart. In a coutnry as multi-cultural as Australia all religious leaders, while entitled to make any comment they choose, must be able to represent their religion in the context of our society and ensure that they are not adding unnecessary burdens to the people who look to them for representation and guidance.

Just food for thought.
Peace,
Hilary