The Hard Line in the Melting Pot
// November 3rd, 2006 // World Issues
Last week, the Australian, ran an article entitled “Muslim leader blames women for sex attacks“. “THE nation’s most senior Muslim cleric has blamed immodestly dressed women who don’t wear Islamic headdress for being preyed on by men and likened them to abandoned “meat” that attracts voracious animals.”
This touches a lot of nerves in Australia- where much of society has the sneaking suspicion that conservative Islam is fundamentally misogynistic and merely hides this aspect from broader Australian society- which considers itself quite egalitarian.
The Sermon
The following are extracts from Sheik Taj Din al-Hilaly‘s controversial sermon given last month, as independently translated by an SBS Arabic expert.
“When it comes to adultery, it’s 90 percent the woman’s responsibility. Why? Because a woman owns the weapon of seduction. It’s she who takes off her clothes, shortens them, flirts, puts on make-up and powder and takes to the streets, God protect us, dallying. It’s she who shortens, raises and lowers. Then, it’s a look, a smile, a conversation, a greeting, a talk, a date, a meeting, a crime, then Long Bay jail. Then you get a judge, who has no mercy, and he gives you 65 years.”
“But when it comes to this disaster, who started it? In his literature, writer al-Rafee says, if I came across a rape crime, I would discipline the man and order that the woman be jailed for life. Why would you do this, Rafee? He said because if she had not left the meat uncovered, the cat wouldn’t have snatched it.”
“If you take uncovered meat and put it on the street, on the pavement, in a garden, in a park, or in the backyard, without a cover and the cats eat it, then whose fault will it be, the cats, or the uncovered meat’s? The uncovered meat is the disaster. If the meat was covered the cats wouldn’t roam around it. If the meat is inside the fridge, they won’t get it.”
“Satan sees women as half his soldiers. You’re my messenger in necessity, Satan tells women you’re my weapon to bring down any stubborn man. There are men that I fail with. But you’re the best of my weapons.”
“The woman was behind Satan playing a role when she disobeyed God and went out all dolled up and unveiled and made of herself palatable food that rakes and perverts would race for. She was the reason behind this sin taking place.”
The Context
His comments have caused outrage in media and society such that a group of senior Muslim leaders from the Lakemba Mosque met to review a transcript of the sermon and if action should be taken against Hilaly. They accepted his claim that his comments were taken out of context.
The context they refer to was the Sydney gang rapes in 2000- in which a group of up to fourteen Lebanese Australian men kidnapped and repeatedly raped “white Australian” women on at least five occasions. The crimes, led by the then 19 year old Bilal Skaf, were described as “racially motivated hate crimes” saw blanket media coverage, the passing of new laws, and over 240 years in jail time handed out to nine men.
In Hilaly’s speech he referred to woman dressing temptingly, “Then, it’s a look, a smile, a conversation, a greeting, a talk, a date, a meeting, a crime, then Long Bay jail. Then you get a judge, who has no mercy, and he gives you 65 years.” The implication to the Skaf case is clear and precipitated massive outburst from the broader community.
Hilaly and other senior Muslims were quick to reposition his speech, stating that he was referring to adultery, not rape. I believe even in context of adultery the broader Australian community rejects Hilaly’s notions, feeling they are fundamentally mysoginistic and against the liberal individualistic society we have built.
The Egyptian-born Hilaly has a history of controvery, as a holocaust denier, supporter of suicide bombers and has decried Muslim leaders who criticised Muslims who blindly follow the faith and failed to question the veracity of the Koran. It seems he is a religious psychotic- evidencing a dangerous detachment from the external reality and sense of self-importance.
“After midday prayers today, the sheik was besieged by a group of reporters who asked him whether he would bow to demands and quit. The Islamic clergyman smiled and shook his head, saying in English: “After we clean the world of the White House first.”
There are fundamentalists in more local churches and mosques in Australia- however the problem in this case is much amplified given that Sheikh Hilaly is self styled as Grand Mufti of Australia and New Zealand. (Supported by the largely Arab Muslim community in New South Wales- but not recognised by the Turkish and Albanian Imams of Victoria). A Grand Mufti is a social/political postion- as is the Archbishop of Sydney- and his words and viewpoints have broader ramifications for both Australian Muslims and the the image of Islam in broader Australian society.
Our Prime Minister, John Howard, addressed this point with less than subtle direction-
“What I am saying to the Islamic community is this: If they do not resolve this matter, it could do lasting damage to the perceptions of that community within the broader Australian community. “If it is not resolved, then unfortunately people will run around saying, ‘Well, the reason they didn’t get rid of him is because secretly some of them support his views’.” Sydney Morning Herald
His statements are predictive- or perhaps even self-fulfilling- and evidence a conflict that is deeply embedded in Australian society. How does a liberal society deal liberally with minority communities who reject liberalism?
I guess the pot is not melting anymore huh?
Why isn’t this “mufti” being fired? He doesn’t exactly represent the most moderate muslim views?
Mike Carlton on Malcolm Fraser’s speech: http://www.smh.com.au/news/opinion/fabricated-fear-of-muslims-is-a-cancer-among-us/2006/11/03/1162340045022.html?page=fullpage#contentSwap1
As I understand the Mufti can only by fired by leaders of the Islamic community; who have thus far chosen not to take serious action.
Nice link Lil!
“”If we are not careful, we risk raising a generation of Australians who have a bias against Islam,” Keelty warned. “As I travel around the country and speak to different Islamic communities, you hear more and more stories of treatment of the Islamic community by members of our own wider community that really is substandard vilification.”
Hilali has been “suspended” from duties from what I understand, and according to this article on the ABC, he has “issued a statement saying he had asked the Australian Federal Imams Board to take nominations for a new mufti, but declined to say if he would seek re-appointment.”
Re what Keelty said, it would be better if the comment was addressed to the Muslim community, and it read
“If YOU are not careful, YOU risk raising a generation of Australians who have a bias against Islam”.
Although I am generally on the Muslim side of the fence when it comes to opposing generalisations regarding Muslim people and Islam as a religion, this is one case where a lack of action by Muslim community leaders will lead to a legimate decrease in respect for the Muslim community as a whole in Australia.
What Hilali said was disgusting and wrong, and hints at the heart of one of the greatest sicknesses in the Islamic world – harassment of women. He needs to be fired, decisively, and Muslim leaders should distance themselves from his comments. Neither of these things are happening from what I can see….
I just do not understand! Here in Egypt noone dares to say what he says. Maybe some unknown preacher somewhere, but not someone with affiliation to a releigious authority like the Azhar. It just never happens!
However, it must be said that he does have a lot of support. For example, it was recently reported that a rape victim (she has been raped twice, no less) who happens to be white, brought up as a Christian but “interested in Islam”, has come forward in support of Hilaly saying that he is a “wonderful man”. That’s the kind of media newspapers drool over.
If the Islamic community does ‘fire’ him then it could be perceived as a response to pressure from the Government and media. All this could and does contribute to a siege mentality within the australian islamic community.
Peep this, Waleed Aly opinion piece:
http://www.theage.com.au/news/opinion/the-hilali-row-has-fuelled-a-siege-mentality/2006/11/06/1162661612071.html
I guess there is no avoiding the fact that we need much broader dialogue and more effort to improve understanding of these issues, rather than whipping everyone (both sides) into a frenzy every time something “news-worthy” happens.
Luli, Azhar people say plenty of crazy stuff:
“In Egypt we have four and a half million spinsters. The definition of a spinster is a woman who has reached 30, without ever receiving a marriage proposal. We have a spinster problem in the Arab world, and the last thing we want is for them to be sexually aroused. Circumcision of the girls who need it makes them chaste, dignified, and pure.” Dr Mohammad Wahdan, Azhar, 2006
LX – just because he has a lot of support doesnt mean he isnt a sick asshole, and it doesnt mean his supporters don’t have some major welcome-to-the-21st-century issues to deal with. Pauline Hanson had quite a bit of support too, remember.
If Australian Muslims want to support a leader who clearly harbours backward, blatantly offensive views toward women, then they need to prepare for a siege, because that crap will not be accepted in mainstream Australia.
i’m not trying to justify his words because of his support, all I’m saying is these sort of issues require more thoughtful attention rather than knee-jerk reaction and the support makes matters more difficult.
You’re right to bring up Pauline Hanson, she had a lot of support and, as a result, she didn’t just go away when she met opposition and she had quite a lot of impact on our society. People reacted in a knee-jerk fashion to her also and wrote her off. I don’t think this kind of approach is ever prudent.
I myself know very little about this guy, other than what’s been reported and, even though I agree his comments in this case are absolutely indefensible, I think we need to look at matters more carefully, understand where his support base is coming from and engage it in some sort of meaningful dialect.
Getting rid of him may turn him into a martyr (ie. removing him from public life, as opposed to killing him). A siege situation is not something to settle for.
All I’m saying is that the media regularly whips the public into a frenzy over some public figure that no one really knows much about over one particular incident and this is blatant sensationalism. This makes me very uncomfortable and we should be more responsible as a population and not tear people to shreds on that basis.