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| Down Under | |
| Sheik al-Hilaly is here to stay | |
| 2006-10-27 | |
| AUSTRALIA'S senior Muslim cleric cannot be sacked or deported despite the outrage caused by him saying immodestly dressed women invite sexual attacks. Sheik Taj al-Din al-Hilaly yesterday “unreservedly” apologised for any offence caused to women by his comments, made in a Ramadan sermon last month. But he said he had been misunderstood and added: “I had only intended to protect women's honour The mufti of Australia and New Zealand was last night under intense pressure from within the Muslim community over the sermon in which he likened scantily-dressed women to uncovered meat eaten by animals. Many Muslim leaders and groups yesterday distanced themselves from his remarks and some called for their religious figurehead to stand down. Five Muslim leaders at Gallipoli Mosque in Sydney's west said many Muslims were “sick and tired” of religious leaders like Sheik al-Hilaly claiming to speak on their behalf. “Whether he steps down or not, I think it's time for Australia's Muslim faith to have a religious leader who has a better understanding of Australian laws, Australian values, and the Australian way of life,” said Alia Karaman, one of three women in the group. A former member of the Federal Government's Muslim Advisory board, Iktimal Hage-Ali, said she had listened to a recording of Sheik al-Hilaly’s speech and believed he should be stripped of his position. “I was just flabbergasted,” she told ABC radio. Prime Minister John Howard labelled Sheik al-Hilaly’s comments “appalling and reprehensible”. “They are quite out of touch with contemporary values in Australia. “The idea that women are to blame for rapes is preposterous.” Federal Sex Discrimination Commissioner Pru Goward suggested the sheik be dumped or deported, saying: “I think it is time he left.” But, as an Australian citizen, the mufti cannot be deported and in his position as Islam's most senior religious figure in Australia, he is not answerable to any organisation. The Egypt-born imam came to Australia in 1982 and cannot have his citizenship revoked. He was appointed mufti by Australia's peak Islamic body, the Federation of Islamic Councils of Australia (FICA), 15 years ago, but no-one has the authority to sack him. “Nobody can sack him because it's not an elected position,” said Amir Ali, the chairman of the Prime Minister's Muslim Community Reference Group and immediate past president of FICA.
Sheik al-Hilaly yesterday appeared badly affected by the backlash to his remarks, with a spokesman saying he was depressed and confined to bed all day, breathing with the assistance of an oxygen tank. | |
| Posted by:Oztralian |
| #15 Sweet merciful crap! The Lakemba mosque receives public funding. Time to end that shit! Al-Hilali must be made to suffer direct and palpable consequences for his anti-Australian spewing. |
| Posted by: Zenster 2006-10-27 23:36 |
| #14 Problem is, even if he had meant prostitutes, it's just as bad. Rape is about lack of consent and force; even prostitutes can be victims of rape, though of course it would probably be difficult to win their cases. I completely agree with you, Jules. Al-Hilali was only attempting to divert criticism away from his attempt to blame rape upon women who do not even remotely seek sex. I'm curious as to what you think of my proposal vis Radical Refomation of Islam. The jihadists have actively sought to polarize both Islam and its relationship with the West. I believe that one major driver in this polarization has been the moderate Muslim's thundering silence and highly dubious flaccidity in condemning radical Islam. Whatever moral highground that might ever have existed for moderate Islam has been eroded by both their tacit acceptance of terrorism and the overt taqqiya of jihadists. I see this as rightfully creating a path of last resort for Muslims who are truly committed to coexistence with other cultures. They can begin salvaging their putative religion by aggressively combating jihadists or feel free to sit back and watch the inevitable trainwreck of Islam's collision with the West. I have always maintained that the West has zero obligation to sort out the psychotics from amongst Islam's followers. This task has now devolved upon those Muslims who have the slightest honorable intentions of carrying forward some reformed version of this blighted dogma. The time has come for decent Muslims to take up the banner of their faith's rehabilitations or risk watching its entire construct get dismantled by force of arms, be they conventional or nuclear. |
| Posted by: Zenster 2006-10-27 23:32 |
| #13 Oztralian-Love that photo link in #5. What a picture of modesty. Zen-Problem is, even if he had meant prostitutes, it's just as bad. Rape is about lack of consent and force; even prostitutes can be victims of rape, though of course it would probably be difficult to win their cases. |
| Posted by: Jules 2006-10-27 22:25 |
| #12 Al-Hilali's apologies are pure taqqiya. In his attempts to back-pedal on labelling women as pieces of meat, he now claims he was referring to "prostitutes". A translation of his 17 minute sermon shows that he never used the word "prostitute" even a single time. Most astonishing of all is how al-Hilaly is considered a "moderate" Muslim. It is becoming clear that Islam will necessarily have to become radically polarized. There already exists the radical jihadists and there must now also arise radical reformists. The incessant taqqiya and perfidy of putatively moderate Muslims like al-Hilali and Yusuf Qaradawi make it perilous, if not impossible, to accept the existence of moderate Islam. As mentioned by others here, this is much like being willing to accept someone who is a moderate sociopath. The analogy is more than apt in that these so-called moderates promote the beating of women, blaming rape victims for the crime, advocacy of terrorism and the death penalty for homosexuality. Genuine reformation of Islam represents one of the only paths towards rehabilitation of this otherwise hostile and violent dogma. It stands as a form of Abject Gender Apartheid and has little in the way of redeeming features. The time has come for Muslims to take back their religion by force, as little else will have any chance against the aggressive and violent jihadists who continue to speak for it. Radical reformists need to begin a campaign of forcibly ejecting these terrorists and turning them over to the authorities for prosecution. The status quo shows no indication of improving and, in fact, has only deteriorated further with the likes of al-Hilali. However, Muslims are in no way obligated to begin radical reformation of Islam. Just like how, when the time comes, we will in no way be obligated to worry about any so-called moderates if it ever comes to bombing Islam out of existence. Radical reformation is rapidly becoming one of the few ways for Muslims to demonstrate that they are serious about peacefully coesixting with the rest of humanity. With Islam's constant torrent of taqqiya, revolting propaganda and dogmatic filth, little else will prove very convincing. |
| Posted by: Zenster 2006-10-27 13:36 |
| #11 There's always the .45 caliber option. It never fails. |
| Posted by: Old Patriot 2006-10-27 13:34 |
| #10 He came in on a tourist visa and never left- he was an illegal immigrant. Paul Keating gave him citizenship to suck up to the Muslim vote in his electorate. |
| Posted by: Grunter 2006-10-27 09:19 |
| #9 in an oxygen tent? Give him a smoke |
| Posted by: Frank G 2006-10-27 08:06 |
| #8 Throw this dude a stingray. |
| Posted by: Howard UK 2006-10-27 07:43 |
| #7 On the plus side, if Scotland devolves, England can deport George Galloway. |
| Posted by: ed 2006-10-27 07:41 |
| #6 Minister says Sheikh's remarks enforce rape falsehoods |
| Posted by: Oztralian 2006-10-27 07:15 |
| #5 Sheik hasn't integrated: Howard |
| Posted by: Oztralian 2006-10-27 07:14 |
| #4 Maybe if he was raped to death for not dressing western enough (i.e. inviting attacks)? |
| Posted by: Bright Pebbles in Blairistan 2006-10-27 05:29 |
| #3 "The Egypt-born imam came to Australia in 1982 and cannot have his citizenship revoked." Fascintaing assertion. Total bullshit, of course. The Ozzie Govt can, and should, do whateverthefuck it needs to do to maintain order and protect its citizens. It's their country, their decision, their duty. |
| Posted by: .com 2006-10-27 05:23 |
| #2 Well said Howard . I am happy to hear hes stuck in an oxygen tent right now gasping for breathe , he deserves nothing less |
| Posted by: MacNails 2006-10-27 05:08 |
| #1 The UK and Oz clearly have similar problems- and in the UK the leftists (Galloway/SWP) support these nutbags. Now if a Tory MP called gays unclean or suggested that a woman's immodest dress sense lead to rape he'd be butchered alive by the green anorak mob. |
| Posted by: Howard UK 2006-10-27 03:44 |