Embrace Australian Culture

Sheik Fehmi Naji el-Imam, the Mufti of Australia.

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Sheik to Muslims: Play the game

Laurie Nowell
September 21, 2008 12:00am

MUSLIMS should embrace Australian culture by playing footy, going to the beach and having barbecues, the nation's most senior Islamic cleric says.

Sheik Fehmi Naji el-Imam, the Mufti of Australia, says Australians are blessed to live in a country that is "a bastion of hope" and a "free and open" society.

He said Muslims were increasingly playing roles in wider society, citing Essendon footballer Bachar Houli and SES volunteers as examples.

Speaking as the trial of would-be terrorist Abdul Benbrika and his followers concluded last week and as the Bali bombers await a date for their executions, he told the Sunday Herald Sun terrorists and would-be terrorists should be dealt with under the law.

Refusing to comment on the trial, Sheikh Fehmi said: "Extremism has no place in Islam and people who take innocent lives in name of God are outside the fold of Islam."

In his first wide-ranging newspaper interview, he also said:

AUSTRALIA faced a disturbing crisis of faith and rising materialism.

THE Rudd Government was more inclusive than the Howard administration.

FIGHTING climate change was a religious duty.

THE nation needed to be vigilant in condemning and abolishing racism.

Sheikh Fehmi, who was involved in establishing Victoria's first Islamic Society, in 1957, said he was confident about Australia's future.

"Australia is a peaceful society if you look in comparison with other countries," he said.

"It is a blessing that everyone who was either born here or chosen to come and live here should be thankful for.

"I am confident that Australia will continue to prosper as a free, open, democratic society."

link:

http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,24377327-662,00.html