This year is bloody special. Well not only have we a new prime minister as a Christmas present, we have an unusual time when two thirds of the world will be celebrating their festive seasons together. On one side of the globe over 1.5 billion people will be sacrificing a lamb or cow to feed the poor and on the other side another two billion people will remembering Jesus and his miraculous birth.
This year Eid Ul Adha and Christmas fall in the same month, only a day apart. Eid Ul Adha or the Festival of Sacrifice is celebrated by Muslims and is about the story of Abraham who incidentally is the patriarch for both Muslims and Christians. Abraham was tested by God to prove his faith. He was asked to sacrifice his eldest son Ishmael. Abraham who had a very unique relationship with God led his son away to be slaughtered and was tempted by Satan to change his mind, as he walked towards the altar, he saw Satan again and again in the form of a man. Abraham picked seven stones and threw them at Satan in an attempt to ward him off. He repeated this three times until Satan gave up. At the altar Abraham prayed one last time to God before he began his distressing deed. At that moment the knife did not cut the flesh and God sent in Ishmael’s place a sheep once Abraham’s faith was proven.
But there is another significant event that starts around the same time as Christmas and Eid and that is the Boxing Day test. For millions of people this is of great importance and for millions it is their religion.
For Muslims Abraham is regarded as the progenitor of Islam for he was the first to smash the idols of the Babylonians. For Cricket Fans its about their idols of Tendulkar, Ponting and Gilchrist (not Christ). And the Boxing Day test is more holier than holy water. As Muslims come together at the House of God in Mecca to remember God in the biggest event of the Muslim calendar. Fans line up at the MCG to witness a ton by Ricky and Sachin and Lee bag a five for. This year’s hopeful is Kumble who may save the season for the Indians. But off the back of a two nil snubbing of Sri Lanka the Aussies are looking invincible.
In just a few days from now close to two million Muslim pilgrims will be finishing the great Hajj or pilgrimage in Mecca. The Hajj is a compulsory tenet of Islam which signifies one’s highest attainment of faith in this life and is a testament of one’s commitment to God. During the pilgrimage Muslims, dressed in only a white shroud, complete certain rites which includes a parody of the stone throwing of Abraham to ward off Satan.
The Aussies will be doing something similar, dressed in white but throwing down stumps and the Indians will be making a special prayer to ward off that Great Satan Warnie so he does not make a come back.
Also the Muslim pilgrims circumambulate the kaaba (the cubed-shaped building) seven times and we all hope that the Aussies will be doing the lap of honour around the MCG after a close game with India. However, at the end of the Hajj Muslims sacrifice a sheep which is cut and distributed to the poor. This is a hard call to match but rest assured there will be millions of Aussies doing a well-grilled chop and a snag on the barbie as they watch the cricket on their television sets and come Thursday they will be returning their unwanted Chrissie gifts. That’s a great sacrifice. The smell of barbecued fat will drench the air as the boys go up for an LB decision by umpire Mal Brough, who has now turned to a new career option.
The Hajj is one of the world’s greatest religious events next to the Kumba Mela in India and the first test. Islam and sport two of the world’s great faiths. Happy Xmas everyone. Happy Eid and howzat!
Kuranda Seyit is the Executive Director of FAIR, the Forum on Australia’s Islamic Relations and an ex-opening bowler.
Friday, December 14, 2007
Sunday, December 9, 2007
The error in tERRORism
The error in terrorism
The error in terror is fast becoming the dominant paradigm.
As the war continues we are gradually realizing that Bush administration's war is a war of ERROR.
But Australia’s involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan makes it just as erroneous. In fact we are complicit in the deaths of millions of Iraqis and thousands of Afghanis. The AWB scandal is just one example of the corruption and cruel undertaking the Australian government has committed our nation to.
The War of Error started shortly after the attacks on the WTC buildings and the subsequent deaths of thousands of US citizens. In hindsight we may see that taking revenge against Afghanistan as a foolish step towards making the world more unsafe and unstable and then the invasion of Iraq totally tipped the scales and has made the region more volatile and unpredictable than ever in the modern period of Middle Eastern history.
But where are we heading with this dangerous alliance with the US? The Prime Minister elect Kevin Rudd’s first action as head of the nation was to call George W Bush and reassure him that we were still on the same team. The coalition of the killing. This is where leaders of this nation falter, not able to look outside of our dependence on the US and take a courageous leap forward away from the protective wings of the US eagle, like our Kiwi cousins next door. It is interesting to note that Australia is listed as the 19th most peaceful country in the world, according to the Global Peace Index, but more interesting is that New Zealand is rated the 2nd most peaceful country in the world. How can two countries be so far apart when it comes to peace yet are so close historically and demographically?
Our lack of individuality will be the stumbling block for decades to come unless someone or some party makes a decision.
For now the war of error has continued to confound the average Aussie Joe Blow who does not believe the lies that our governments feed us with, such as an impending terrorist attack in Australia, the demonized refugees and the firebrand imams and the threat from the north. The new world order has seen a world dominated by uncertainty and fear.
Since the declaration by the US president of his war on terror, we have seen bomb attacks in peaceful cities like Madrid, Istanbul, Indonesia, London and foiled attempts in Berlin. Where will the next attack take place? Is the world safer under a US hegemony?
The errors have not ceased, we have had accidental bombings of wedding parties and civilians in Iraq and Afghanistan. And even our own soldiers have been coming home in coffins, now three in the past two years. How many more Australian soldiers have to die for a US war for oil?
And finally, what about the poor innocence of Iraq. The deprivation of rights, the extreme poverty and the terrifying life that almost every Iraqi faces on a daily basis, bombings and shootings, no prospects of work or education the average Iraqi Ali Hussain has nothing to look forward to. This is a great injustice.
The war of error is the greatest tragedy of this century and unless sanity prevails we will spiral further into anarchy and bedlam. We are seeing more tough talk on Iran and the very high possibility of a strike on its nuclear capabilities. This will not only create more civilian casualties it could even spillover to neighbouring Israel. There has been some significant political changes in the world in the past three years, with the end of Blair, Howard now history and only a year away from the end of a republican dominated USA, this could be the catalyst for change towards reduction of armed conflicts and interventions in other countries.
God Bless America.
The error in terror is fast becoming the dominant paradigm.
As the war continues we are gradually realizing that Bush administration's war is a war of ERROR.
But Australia’s involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan makes it just as erroneous. In fact we are complicit in the deaths of millions of Iraqis and thousands of Afghanis. The AWB scandal is just one example of the corruption and cruel undertaking the Australian government has committed our nation to.
The War of Error started shortly after the attacks on the WTC buildings and the subsequent deaths of thousands of US citizens. In hindsight we may see that taking revenge against Afghanistan as a foolish step towards making the world more unsafe and unstable and then the invasion of Iraq totally tipped the scales and has made the region more volatile and unpredictable than ever in the modern period of Middle Eastern history.
But where are we heading with this dangerous alliance with the US? The Prime Minister elect Kevin Rudd’s first action as head of the nation was to call George W Bush and reassure him that we were still on the same team. The coalition of the killing. This is where leaders of this nation falter, not able to look outside of our dependence on the US and take a courageous leap forward away from the protective wings of the US eagle, like our Kiwi cousins next door. It is interesting to note that Australia is listed as the 19th most peaceful country in the world, according to the Global Peace Index, but more interesting is that New Zealand is rated the 2nd most peaceful country in the world. How can two countries be so far apart when it comes to peace yet are so close historically and demographically?
Our lack of individuality will be the stumbling block for decades to come unless someone or some party makes a decision.
For now the war of error has continued to confound the average Aussie Joe Blow who does not believe the lies that our governments feed us with, such as an impending terrorist attack in Australia, the demonized refugees and the firebrand imams and the threat from the north. The new world order has seen a world dominated by uncertainty and fear.
Since the declaration by the US president of his war on terror, we have seen bomb attacks in peaceful cities like Madrid, Istanbul, Indonesia, London and foiled attempts in Berlin. Where will the next attack take place? Is the world safer under a US hegemony?
The errors have not ceased, we have had accidental bombings of wedding parties and civilians in Iraq and Afghanistan. And even our own soldiers have been coming home in coffins, now three in the past two years. How many more Australian soldiers have to die for a US war for oil?
And finally, what about the poor innocence of Iraq. The deprivation of rights, the extreme poverty and the terrifying life that almost every Iraqi faces on a daily basis, bombings and shootings, no prospects of work or education the average Iraqi Ali Hussain has nothing to look forward to. This is a great injustice.
The war of error is the greatest tragedy of this century and unless sanity prevails we will spiral further into anarchy and bedlam. We are seeing more tough talk on Iran and the very high possibility of a strike on its nuclear capabilities. This will not only create more civilian casualties it could even spillover to neighbouring Israel. There has been some significant political changes in the world in the past three years, with the end of Blair, Howard now history and only a year away from the end of a republican dominated USA, this could be the catalyst for change towards reduction of armed conflicts and interventions in other countries.
God Bless America.
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