ISLAM: Why hundreds of ordinary West Aussies change faith

[SOO MAAL]

ISLAM: Why hundreds of ordinary West Aussies change faith

With defined rules for life and a strong sense of community, Islam is attracting many Perth converts, as Paul Lampathakis reports

15jan06

 

AXEL Cremer used to turn heads when he'd roar up to prayer time at the Rivervale mosque on his Harley-Davidson motorcycle.

 

"When I first turned up, I freaked them out," the 50-year-old reticulation company director said.

"They'd see someone in black leather flying down the road, who stopped, then all of a sudden took all the leather off and walked into the mosque in Islamic clothing. Now they know me and miss me when they don't hear the bike."

 

Mr Cremer, whose Muslim name is Mohammed, is one of hundreds of West Australians who have converted to Islam in recent years, despite the stigma surrounding the religion that has grown since the 9/11 terror attacks.

 

Local converts say they number about 200, among about 20,000 Muslims in WA from more than 70 countries in the Middle East, Africa, Asia and eastern Europe. Nationwide, numbers increased about 40 per cent between 1996 and 2001, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, mainly because of migration.

 

Converts say that in Islam they have found clearer answers to questions of spirituality than in Christianity, a stronger sense of community and rules to live by.

 

"There are guidelines for everything. It shows you how to do the right thing, to be nice to people," said Mr Cremer, a former Catholic. "The Bible does this as well, but it has been translated too much, it has been tampered with too much.

 

"And one major difference with Islam is there is no hierarchy above me, no priests, no bishops, no Vatican.

 

"Imams (holy men) lead you in prayer. But beyond that it's just you and Allah. You're talking directly to God, that simplifies things."

 

Mr Cremer was also attracted to rules such as Muslims donating a percentage of their annual income to the poor.

 

The fact that Islam was a lifestyle rather than a weekend event was appealing too, because it advocated morality in all areas, including politics and work, where he believed morality was sorely needed.

 

The southern suburbs father of four, who migrated to Australia from Germany 22 years ago, said his Indonesian wife triggered his "reversion" in Jakarta seven years ago. Muslims believe people revert, not convert, because they say everyone is born Muslim.

 

But Mr Cremer said he became enthusiastic about Islam while researching the religion before his marriage – after years of questioning other faiths.

 

Mother-of-two Nicole Banks, 36, said non-Muslim women were not compelled by the religion to switch to Islam if they married a Muslim and were allowed to keep their maiden names.

 

But the former Church of England follower chose to convert in 1999, two years after marrying her now-estranged Egyptian husband. She had admired aspects of the religion, such as its focus on family and respect for elders, which she saw while travelling in the Middle East in 1996.

 

"For instance, you wouldn't send your parents off to a nursing home. They're looked after in the home by their kids," she said. "(In Muslim homes) wives are doing the chores, while grandmothers are looking after the younger children. Whereas here, you might not see your family from one week to the next.

 

"If someone's sick within the community, the other girls will bring food to the house. If somebody has a baby, people will bring food and help clean the house.

 

"That feeling of closeness is very much missing in Australian society."

 

The former optician/retail manager said the religion taught her not to be so materialistic and to be thankful for God's blessings, such as good health.

 

"Before, I was a workaholic, six days a week, 10 hours a day," she said. "I drank alcohol . . . smoked cigarettes, about a pack-plus a day, partied very hard. Now my days are spent looking after my kids, helping the community, still taking Arabic, Koran and religion classes twice a week."

 

Ms Banks's family was apprehensive about her conversion, but she had subsequently grown closer to her parents.

 

Comments on the street about her hijab (head scarf) had sometimes been a problem, but most people were just curious.

 

She said people should not connect Islam with terror because suicide and hurting innocents, particularly women, children and the elderly, were forbidden by the Koran.

 

Perth banker Maariyah, 62, converted from Catholicism last February after reading books presenting evidence against the claim that Jesus was the son of God.

 

She preferred Islam's belief that Jesus was a prophet.

 

"And I like the feeling of one big family. We call each other brother and sister and we mean it," she said. "I also like the idea of kneeling five times a day and talking to God rather than once a week or once a year – we see praying as a privilege, not a duty."

 

Her husband was not a Muslim and neither he nor other family members understood her move to Islam.

 

Carlisle trainee English teacher Jeremy Meredith, 33, became a Muslim in Jakarta in 2003 because he also liked the sense of community and the guidelines.

 

"People say they want freedom, they want liberty," he said. "But the bottom line is people want to know what they can and can't do. They want rules, they want guidelines, something to believe in, something to follow.

 

"In Islam, there's a rule for absolutely everything – how I eat my food, how I go to the toilet, how I get married, how I lend money."

 

He said Muslims should not be lumped with extremists because that was as ****** as saying that because Hitler was a Christian, all Christians were genocidal maniacs.

 

Eliza-Aisha, 26, switched from Catholicism about four years ago before marrying her Pakistani husband, whom she met in university.

 

In the northern suburbs home she shares with her Catholic mother and Muslim husband, she said she had researched different faiths from the age of 13 and had never been content with Catholicism. She liked the clarity of Islam; that you prayed just to God, not saints or others.

 

Eliza-Aisha said she had met converts from areas including Walpole and Bunbury, and they shared common reasons for changing.

 

"They want to know the purpose of their life. They don't just want an empty life filled with material things, a great house and a car. They want to know more," she said.

 

"Every week you hear about converts, people in the country, in the local area. A university professor, I heard, recently became a Muslim."

 

She disagreed with the assumption that women were repressed under the religion. If so, why did so many change, because she had heard about 80 per cent of converts were female.

 

Other converts said they disliked Christianity's hypocrisy in preaching peace and love while being responsible for many atrocities, including the Crusades and Inquisition, and playing a big role in Northern Ireland's bloody conflict. They also believed the Bible had been edited so much it was no longer the true word of God, while the Koran had not changed.

 

But Father Brian O'Loughlin, Vicar-General for Perth's Catholic Archdiocese, said he did not accept that Islam offered a "simpler" way to God. There were imams and ayatollahs (religious leaders), and in most Islamic countries it was a state religion with a structure that went much further than Christianity.

 

He said tolerance was lacking in Islam because it wanted to be the one and only religion. For instance, Saudi Arabia had built mosques worldwide, including in Rome, but would not allow churches in its boundaries.

 

He said many of the admired aspects of community in Islam were also present in southern European culture. But he conceded that such values might have been eroded in Western culture.

 

Regarding charity, he said Christians had been outstanding for living the commandment of love that Jesus had taught, to include not just Christians.

 

"And let's go back to the Boxing Day tsunami. Wealthy countries like Saudi Arabia had to be embarrassed into contributing some substantial amount," he said.

 

Father O'Loughlin said a worrying aspect was Islam's concept of education, which in many cases was breeding fanaticism.

 

Peter Rosengren, editor of Catholic newspaper The Record, said it was not surprising that ordinary Australians were attracted to Islam.

 

A major phenomena of the past 40 years in developed areas such as the US, Australia and Europe had been an intensifying secularisation.

 

"But human beings are fundamentally religious. When you reject belief in God as a society . . . people still search for the meaning of their lives. Where do I come from? Where am I going? What is my life all about?" he said.

 

While he was a convinced Christian, he admired the fact that converts to Islam were going against the general trend and trying to put God first and he felt the same about Christians who were doing the same.

[Baluug]

What can I say? When you've seen both sides of the fence, Becoming a Muslim is a no-brainer. Masha Allah for him.

[Sayyid]

Great story! Here is another about an italian guy, who worked for the 'benadir' company and who became a muslim aswell. Story is in soomaali language!

 

Congratulations to all of these people, who accepted Islaam and the call of 'rationale', like C/llahi already said "islaam is a merciful religion", how accurate of a description is that!

 

Nin Talyaani ah oo Muqdisho ku Islaamay!!!

 

 

Asmo Atmore oo 72 jir ah dhalashadiisuna tahay Austria balse asal ahaan ka soo jeeda dalka Talyaaniga ayaa shalay ku qaatay diinta Islaamka markii towxiidka loogu qiray masjidka Sheekh Cali Suufi salaadii Jimcada.

 

 

Ninka Islaamay ayaa loo bixiyey C/llaahi, wuxuuna shalay ku tukaday kursi salaada Jimcaha isagoo sheegay in uu yahay nin waayeel ah oo xanuunsanaya oo aysan u fududeyn in uu istaag ku tukado, wuxuuna sheegay markii uu qaatay diinta Islaamka in diinta Islaamku ay tahay diin naxariiseed, uuna saaxiibadii ka dhaadhicinayo nasteexada diinta si ay u qaataan.

 

 

Ninkan shalay soo islaamay ayaa ka mid ah shirkadda ganacsiga Banaadir, waxaana ashahaadada u qabtay Sheekh Max’uud Sheekh Ibraahim Suuleey.

 

 

Sanadihii u dambeeyey ayaa waxaa dunidda daafaheeda ku soo badanayey dadka qaadanaya diinta Islaamka, kadib markii ay si dhab ah u fahmeen xaqiiqada dhabta ah ee ay xambaarsan tahay diinta Islaamka.

[Legend of Zu]

^^^ I know you are all happy about these wonderful and inspiring stories!..But those muslims did not accept the shahaada because we put guns on their heads (in your case some swords)..So what do you say..dude?..Shall we kill all the infidels, huh? what do you reckon?

 

Cheers

[Sayyid]

Posted by Zu: Shall we kill all the infidels, huh? what do you reckon?

 

Yes,very much so! Especially the 'jews', who are the worst amongst the 'infidels' and who corrupt this world with their 'money' and wealth. The christians are generally 'mislead' by them and because of the 'arrogance' of the jews, they too will be soon doomed inshallaah!

 

You can also find your answer in this short clip, called the 'sword sermon', by some frightened folks! Nothing milicious or violent and it's perfectly 'safe' for all to view even the smallest of children!

[Jamilah]

Mashallah, good for them.

 

I went to Perth last summer holidays to visit relatives and was annoyed by the glares of the townsfolk. I always considered Perth one of the most intolerant societies in Australia especially with the crowd who booed Anthony Mundine off stage despite his win in the ring and the crowd who verbally abused the South African cricket players with racist comments. I hope this indicates a change in attitude for the people residing in Perth.

[Cara.]

Originally posted by Sayyid ()Qutb:

You can also find your answer in

this

short clip, called the 'sword sermon', by some frightened folks! Nothing milicious or violent and it's perfectly 'safe' for all to view even the smallest of children!

Demented.

[Sayyid]

^Only in your 'eyes' and disillusioned mind! "Without the sword, says a 'deep' voice inside me, there cannot be 'any' victory for the islamic ummah! Bring back the sword and the muslim dignity will return inshallah. God willingly we will be 'victorious' against the 'infidels'!

 

[Pi]

Sayyid: Are you itching to cut heads off? Do you want to self-explode and kill those infidels? Show us what you're really made of. Don't be an arm-chair terrorist. Go to Iraq, Afghanistan, Kashmeer. Otherwise, shut your mouth.

[Sayyid]

Sayyid: Are you itching to cut heads off? Do you want to self-explode and kill those infidels? Show us what you're really made of. Don't be an arm-chair terrorist. Go to Iraq, Afghanistan, Kashmeer. Otherwise, shut your mouth.

No, shut your mouth yourself! Unlike you I 'fight' against a perception that you often like to portray, which is that 'muslims' can co-exist with kaafirs in their countries, which is ignorance and ludacrious!

 

Atleast i acknowledge the fact that without the 'sword' we will be humiliated and doomed! Muslims have to know this, no more playing around and let's have 'peace'! There cannot be peace until Islaam rules the 'world'.

 

You either dominate or you will be dominated!

 

Don't act like a 'juhalaa', who do not see the 'bigger' picture.

 

Do you think everything in this world is 'happy' and lovely? If you think that you're surely retarded. Now go and 'hug' your teddybear!

 

In this world 'forces' are competing for dominance, and you talk like some naive inadequate, little 'kindergarden', teddybear 'hugging' dumba$$!

 

I resent your description of terrorist and I don't believe in the murder and killing of innocent people or bystanders for that matter. Blowing onself up is totally unislamic and what I am talking about is a 'revolution' within, so that we can 'take' on our enemies with 'pride' and inshallah islaam will dominate this world and god's word will be made supreme, regardless of 'your' dislikening!

[Sayyid]

What 'strikes' me most is that it is 'always' the same 'people', who object to a universal fact, which is that there can't be two different set of ideas and ideologies co-existing with each other peacefully and harmonouesly!

 

It's always the 'shia loving, hijab bashing and valetine day celebrating 'fools', who for some strange reason see 'fit' to talk about something they don't know off, very absurd indeed!

 

I am not even advocating for 'civil' unrest and chaos and I believe as long as the so-called 'muslim' leaders follow the path of Islam, we simply can't 'turn' against them. This would be 'unislamic' but if the citizens feel unhappy and they come out in their masses to protest 'peacefully' for regime change like in the "orchastred" revolutions that took place in the former soviet republics, I would actually welocme it.

 

It has to come from the street and the 'local' muslim clerics have to take the 'country' in their own hand and rule it with the Quran, the divine book of Allaah the glorified and the sunnah of the prophet of islaam peace be upon him!

 

Only then surely can muslims be freed from the humiliation they're suffering from now. We are intellectually, economically and socially deprived because we left our way of 'life' and we need to return to it.

 

The 'infidels' have perfected their way of life according to their pace of evolution and simply we cannot compete with them in their 'ideologies' and way of lifes.

 

In fact we have a better and a more sophisticated 'way' of life then they have and ever will have.

 

Simply they can't be room for both ways of life one has to 'give', and surely it's not islaam that will 'give'.

 

We have our own lifestyle, traditions, culture and way of life and 'if' we were to try and compete with the 'europeans' in their culture, traditions and lifestyle we would simply 'loose' out because we cannot compete with them on what they have mastered and worked for so long!

 

This would be 'disastorours' for muslims and we already can see the results right now in front of our eyes!

[Naden]

Who are 'we'?

 

P.S. I'm sure you meant 'lose' as in be dispossessed of while 'loose' means not too rigid/fastened...a wee bit of enlightenment .

 

No,

We have our own lifestyle, traditions, culture and way of life and 'if' we were to try and compete with the 'europeans' in their culture, traditions and lifestyle we would simply 'loose' out because we cannot compete with them on what they have mastered and worked for so long!

[/QB]

[Castro]

^ This is we:

* 3-11 million Muslims in the Americas (estimates vary greatly)

o 2.5-8 million Muslims in Canada and the United States

o 1-3 million Muslims in Latin and Central America

 

* 84 million Muslims in Europe (including Turkey)

o 10 million Muslims in Western Europe, mostly in the UK, France, Germany

o 7 million Muslims in the Balkans, mostly in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Albania and Republic of Macedonia

o 67 million Muslims in Turkey

 

* 284 million Muslims in the Arab League including Iraq (with about 15 million Shia, 60% of the population in Iraq)

 

* 254 million Muslims in Sub-Saharan Africa

 

* 67 million Muslims (90% of them Shia) in Iran

 

* 103 million Muslims in Central Asia

o 49 million Muslims in the former republics of the Soviet Union: Central Asia - in Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan

o 26 million Muslims in Russia

o 28 million Muslims in Afghanistan

 

* 380 million Muslims in South Asia

o 140 million Muslims in Pakistan

o 120 million Muslims in Bangladesh

o 120 million Muslims in India

 

* 289 million Muslims in East Asia

o 50 million Muslims in China

o 209 million Muslims in Indonesia (the largest Muslim country in the world, by population)

o 30 million Muslims in the rest of South-East Asia, especially Malaysia

o A few in Japan, Mongolia, North Korea or the South Pacific

 

* close to 1.5 billion in total

 

A very homogeneous lot indeed. Whoever said there was no strength in numbers?

 

Source (wiki)

[Sayyid]

A very homogeneous lot indeed

Which means what? That it is 'virtually' impossible for them to 'unite' behind one agenda.

 

Yes they're homogeneous in the 'sense', that they believe that 'there is no other deity to Worship except Allaah the glorified and that Muhammed is the prophet and messenger of Allaah'!

 

They speak in different languages, accents, dialects, have different physical feature's but are homogenous and united in Al-ilsaam!

 

'We' as the muslim ummah collectively need to come back to the lost 'way of life', that we cherished and miss so much!

 

Regardless of race, language or colour 'we' the muslim nation are brothers and one. One god, one religion and one people!

 

God bless Islaam and muslims.

[Sayyid]

Who are 'we'?

 

P.S. I'm sure you meant 'lose' as in be dispossessed of while 'loose' means not too rigid/fastened...a wee bit of enlightenment .

 

Islaan yahey iga daba har! Waxa la iga kaa siiyeey baan garan la'yahaye?

 

lost?

 

No need for silly comments, this is not for the 'handicapped' folks with a bag of 'loose' money attached to their 'wheelchair', which they've 'begged' from righteous people and you ain't getting 'charity' from me certainly! if 'we'ever need a 'retarded' one like you, ill kindly let you know but 'before' that you're not needed and are certainly misplaced. Go somewhere else if you have the 'urge' (need) to 'beg'.

 

p.s. learn 'how' to quote you inadequate extremly stuupid person!

 

This 'stuppid' little 'pathetic' and 'ignorant' people need to be 'whipped' because 'they' can't stop asking silly questions. The prophets had to the deal with such kind of sillyness and actually people can do themselves considerable 'harm' if they ask too many silly questions.

 

'Who is 'we'? kulaha inadequate, stupiid, ignorant little 'naive thing'. 'We' is we! Is that enough for a answer you 'bloody' ignorant member of the handicapped and 'retarded' group of shameless beggers!