Zia Ahmad
Sydney, December 24, 2017
The ‘Islam in Practice’ Conference held on Sunday, December 10, 2017 at Club Punchbowl in Sydney was attended by almost 500 people from a diverse background listening to a variety of speakers from all over Australia as well as from overseas.
The Conference focused on contemporary issues in Law, Finance, Leadership and Activism; reviewing issues of concern to Australian Muslims and importantly, exploring strategies on how better to deal with these concerns putting Islam into practice.
The attendees included men, women and youth, mostly from Sydney but also from other states of Australia from a diverse linguistic, cultural and ethnic background engaged by speakers and performers including a couple of panel discussions from 1 pm to 8 pm in a well organised programme with breaks for refreshments.
Organisers and Sponsors
This was an inaugural conference organised by CAMO, Collaboration of Australian Muslim Organisations, a platform established for cooperation and coordination of activities between four Australia-wide major Islamic organisations.
The hosting organisations included Australian Islamic Mission (AIM), Islamic Forum for Australian Muslims (IFAM), Islamic Practice and Dawah Circle (IPDC) and IQRO Foundation.
The Conference was sponsored by Human Appeal Australia, Muslim Community Cooperative Australian (MCCA), Charity Australia International, Human Initiative, Monessa, Cordial Homes with the Australasian Muslim Times as the Media Partner.
Speakers and Scholars
The conference featured a wide range of international and local speakers and performers including Shaikh Abdool Rahman Khan, Imam of Northern Virginia Mosque, USA; Dr Abdus Salam Azadi, Director of Swansea Islamic Academy and Mosque, United Kingdom; Almir Colan, Director of Australian Centre for Islamic Finance, Melbourne; Shaikha Basmah Abdul Qader, Scholar and Counsellor, Life Matters Academy, Sydney;
Farouk Abdullah Alwyni, Founder-President and Director of Alwyni International Capital, Indonesia; Kamal Saleh, Spoken Word Poet, Creative production OnePath Network, Sydney; Safeea Ali, Spoken Word Poet, Student Bachelor of Social Science Western Sydney University; Tasnim Sammak, Researcher Islamophobia Media Watch, Freelance Writer and Editor, Melbourne; Shaikh Shady Alsuleiman, President, National Imams Council, Sydney; Imam Yahya Ibrahim, A/Principal, Langford Islamic College, Perth; Dr Zachariah Matthews, Director, Deen Academy, Sydney.
Following are the personal notes and highlights prepared by Dr Zachariah Matthews:
Family Dynamics
Imam Yahya Ibrahim (Perth): Family leadership dynamics. In the family structure first, assess yourself and your contribution (positive and negative) before pointing the finger at others and their shortcomings.
Be present in the home (emotionally, psychologically, spiritually) – fully engaged and committed to the wellbeing of the family and its functioning. Social media is making it more difficult to remain engaged and committed.
Islamic Law Perception
Shaikha Basmah Abdul Qader (Sydney): Islamic Law and Perception
The Prophet lived for 53 years in a non-Muslim environment; we should, therefore, take a lesson from this and understand the key features of this period in his mission.
The Prophet taught his followers first how to believe (to have faith in Allah and connect with Him – Imaan) and then how to follow the rules of Allah’s Way (Makkah, then Madinah); the two phases of this process is important for us today; focusing exclusively on the law without establishing faith is bound to end in failure.
The Sharia Law
Shaikh Abdool Rahman Khan (US): Understanding Islamic Law
Why is Shariah (Divine Law) being demonised today? Is it perhaps that we have not clearly explained the real purpose of Sharia?
Are we getting lost in the details rather than focusing on the higher objectives (Maqaasid)?
The Shariah’s main purpose is to protect the human being and to enhance coexistence of different people in pluralist societies.
The Shariah is also to protect the rights of human beings (as defined by the Divine).
Fame and Solo-Activism
Tasnim Sammak (Melbourne): Fame and Solo-Activism
Individuality has affected and is undermining the community structure (features of this are – isolation, liquidity, usurping power, commodification).
Solo activism: Consuming the cause for self-gratification and status enhancement (e.g., judged by the number of likes on social media). One status update or like or retweet is not what is required to advance a cause.
Hijab is being packaged for white consumption with particular imagery that is being used (in the process, brown Muslims are still being marginalised).
Activism which does not really challenge the status quo power is limited.
Crypto-Currencies
Almir Colan (Melbourne): Cryptocurrencies
The electricity usage with Bitcoin mining is astronomical: e.g., Visa uses only 2% of what Bitcoin consumes.
Why has Bitcoin flourished? Mainly due to speculators; producing an unsustainable bubble. Bitcoin is preferred for illegal activities: Scams; 1/3 has disappeared (hacks).
Cryptocurrencies are unregulated at the moment: We would not accept to have healthcare, or education for example unregulated. So why accept cryptocurrencies to be unregulated by authorities?
Islamic Principle: Money should not be under private control or regulation (must be regulated by authorities).
Islamic Finance
Farouk Alwyni (Indonesia): Islamic finance future
Islamic Finance needs to move beyond adaptation to the next stage of promoting ethical finance; that is also socially equitable.
Profitability should not be the only imperative: Ethics and justice are just as important (the Maqaasid of Finance).
Political Engagement
Shaikh Shady Alsuleiman (Sydney): Political engagement
The Prophet was not only a spiritual and religious leader, but was also the greatest politician and statesmen; the signing of the Treaty of Hudaybiya stands out as an excellent case study in his ability to advance political ideals.
Islam is not only in the Mosque, Muslims should and must be involved within the societies they live; on all levels based on their values and principles.
The Great Prophet
Dr Zachariah Matthews (Sydney): The Prophet’s incorruptibility
Muslims should strive to be like the Prophet– incorruptible. Quraish could not entice him to compromise on the fundamental principles of his cause.
Muslims must fight corruption just like he did. He provided clear anti-corruption standards – no bribery, no inducement gifts, honesty, accountability.
Muslim Contribution
Dr Abdul Salam Azadi (UK): Muslim Contribution
Muslims must learn Islam to correctly assess prevailing culture, not the other way around. And to work out which practices have been misappropriated as ‘Islamic;’
Islam’s universal values and principles should be used to judge culture throughout time.
Muslim’s practice of Islam has unfortunately become ritualistic, without spirit (resulting in spiritual impoverishment).
Following the letter and spirit of the Holy Quran will bring happiness. This is Allah’s guarantee.
Muslims in the West must be active contributors, not just takers of safety/security and money.
Zia Ahmad is Managing Editor, Australasian Muslim Times, a monthly web-based newspaper published from Sydney, Australia. The above article, which appeared in the December 22, 2017 issue of the publication, has been reproduced here with the permission of Mr Ahmad.
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Photo Caption:
Speakers at the Conference
(Picture Courtesy: Australasian Muslim Times)
