It’s important to realise that women are not victims within Islam, as Western feminists would have us believe. Islamic women are just as eager to spread sharia by conquest and jihad as the men are. It is also important that NZ Muslims understand that, despite their earnest prayers, and despite what Jacinda may have said, they have not been “given” this country by the citizens of NZ!
FIANZ has been communicating with the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Attack on Christchurch Mosques to try and ensure that the deep-seated concerns of the New Zealand Muslim community are heard and addressed. FIANZ particularly emphasised the need for a robust and diverse Muslim Community Reference Group. This group has had its first meeting in Christchurch, and further meetings and consultations are planned. Public submissions to the Royal Commission closed on 31 July. It must report to the Governor-General by 10 December.
Through direct discussions with a range of people including Muslim and other communities and through
written correspondence and submissions, people have offered a wide range of views. They include:
• The importance of the work of the Royal Commission and the potential for positive change to come from this tragic event
• Considering a New Zealand view of what constitutes free speech vs hate speech – what are we willing to accept as a society?
• A need for greater focus on building social cohesion
• The capabilities and capacity of State agencies to respond to public safety concerns
• The impact of international events on how Muslim individuals and communities are treated by
State agencies
• A need for an increase in cultural understanding, inclusiveness and compassion.
At the initial meeting between FIANZ and the Royal Commission, two Holy Qur’ans were presented to the Commissioners. Then, after a recital and translation of Surah Fatiha, this supplication was made:
“In the name of God, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful. As You have given us a country with the mountains holding firm, please grant us firmness of purpose; as You have given us a country blessed by rain, please let Your guidance flow through us; as You have made the forests of our country standing tall, please let us stand for justice; as You have made our country green and the coolness of our eyes, please let this process be a healing for the hearts of the bereaved; as You have surrounded our land by the sea, envelop us with Your Mercy. We pray that You will never let us be without justice, and that You will never let us have justice which is not perfumed by Your Mercy. Ameen.”
CommunityConnect ISSUE 3, SEPTEMBER 2019.