Is Islam a “religion of peace”?
Since the October 7 atrocities committed by Hamas Islamic radicals against Israelis, Islamic hate preachers in Western Sydney keep popping up.
The latest is Imam Abdul Salam Zoud, a member of the Australian National Iman’s Council’s Australian “Fatwa Council”.
Why the ANIC has a “Fatwa Council” is anyone’s guess given the experience of author Salmon Rushdie who has spent much of his life fleeing an Islamic Fatwa which recently resulted in him being stabbed brutally including in the eye.
Last month, Imam Zoud preached a hate-filled anti-Jew rant at Sydney’s Lakemba Mosque.
“These people (Jews) only understand the language of force,” Imam Zoud said.
“Do not even dream that [Palestine] can be regained through negotiations. By Allah, Palestine will only be restored through Jihad.
“Jihad for the sake of Allah is the only solution when it comes to the infidels,” he said, singling out Christians and other religions.
He appeared to reject violence but then contradicted himself by talking about the “steeds of war” and “terrifying” Islam’s enemies.
Liberal Senator Dave Sharma, a former Australian ambassador to Israel, rightly condemned the Imam for inciting violence.
“If it is not unlawful it should be,” Senator Sharma said.
“That crosses the line from free speech into inciting violence.”
Family First agrees.
It is worth re-capping what happened on October 7.
On that day 1200 Israelis were slaughtered, dozens of women were raped and killed and their corpses paraded to cheering crowds in Gaza screaming “Allahu Akbar”. One hundred and thirty hostages were taken.
The Australian Council of Imams and whoever runs the Lakemba Mosque should immediately denounce Imam Zoud’s hatred of Jews, Christians and other “infidels”.
Imagine if a Christian made a rant like this from Sydney’s St Mary’s Cathedral calling for violence against a particular racial or religious group? The media would be all over it.
Free speech crosses a line when it incites violence, terror and war by Jihad.
This Imam should be deported, if that can’t be done he should be charged for inciting violence and if that can’t be done he should be expelled from the Australian Imam’s Council.
The Albanese Government seems to be more obsessed with “Islamophobia” than with antisemitism.
But Imams like Abdul Salam Zoud give Australians every reason to have a rational fear of Islam.
Local Islamic leaders need to step up and prove to Australians that their religion is a “religion of peace”.
The events of October 7 and the response from too many Australian Muslim preachers make this claim seem increasingly preposterous.
WHAT DO YOU THINK? Add your comments below...
Lyle Shelton is National Director of the Family First Party. He started his career as a rural journalist before being elected as a member of the Toowoomba City Council and serving the Australian Christian Lobby for 10 years, half of that decade as ACL's Managing Director. He was a Director and spokesman for the Coalition for Marriage during the 2017 postal survey campaign which resulted in the legal undefinition of marriage. He also blogs here.
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