Peaceful spread of Islam in Australia

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   paarsurreyposted 14 years ago

   Islam spread in Australia very peacefully, as per the teachings of Quran/Islam/Muhammad, this could be observed from the following account from Wikipedia:
   
   Islam in Australia is the fourth largest religious grouping, after Christianity, "No Religion", and Buddhism. According to the 2006 census, approximately 340,392 people or 1.71%[1] of the population identify as Muslim. Being a community defined by religious belonging, the Australian Muslim community is among the most ethnically and racially diverse, with members from every ethnic and racial background. As such, differing segments within the Australian Muslim community may also espouse additional identities, independent of their Muslim identity, often with related non-Muslim counterparts, either within Australia or overseas.
   
   Although its presence as a religion in Australia is often perceived to be "new" by non-Muslim Australians, having largely been noticed after recent migratory waves from the diverse Muslim World — including the Middle East and North Africa, South East Asia, the Balkans of Europe, Indian sub continent, and most recently from Sub-Saharan Africa — Islam does in fact have a longer history in the land. This history stretches back not only to those few Muslims who arrived as part of the first European contact and during the colonial period, but prior to this and the eventual emergence of Christianity as the numerically dominant non-indigenous religion.
   
   Pre-European Australia
   
   The first Muslims in Australia were traders from ethnic groups indigenous to the Indonesian archipelago.[2]. The Macassan and Bugis traders from Indonesia may have had a harmonious relationship with the Indigenous people of northern Australia and their language became the lingua franca even among Aboriginal groups of different tribes.[3]
   
   Macassan trepangers and Bugis traders from Sulawesi (formerly Celebes) visited the coast of northern Australia for hundreds of years prior to arrival of Europeans in Australia to fish for trepang (also known as sea cucumber or "sandfish"), a marine invertebrate prized for its culinary and medicinal values in Chinese markets.
   
   During the voyages the Macassan's left their mark on the people of northern Australia — in language, art, economy and even genetics in the descendants of both Macassan and Indigenous Australian ancestors that are now found on both sides of the Arafura and Banda Seas.[4]
   
   First Fleet
   
   The early fleets of settlers used Muslims from coastal Africa and the islands and territories under the British Empire, for labour and as navigators.
   
   There were also a number of convicts who were sent to Australia for the crime of ‘disobedience’. Most of these early Muslims inter-married with the local community and their descendants were assimilated into the society. Little is known about them as they left no traces behind, except for a few scattered references to their names. It was not until the 19th century that a more permanent Islamic presence was recognised.
   
   19th Century
   
   Between 1860 and the 1890s many Central Asians came to Australia to work as "Afghan" camel drivers. Camels were first imported into Australia in 1840, initially for exploring the arid interior (see Australian camel), and later for the camel trains that were uniquely suited to the demands of Australia's vast deserts. The first camel drivers arrived in Melbourne in June 1860, when eight Muslims and Hindus arrived with the camels for the Burke and Wills expedition. The next arrival of camel drivers was in 1866 when 31 men from Rajasthan and Baluchistan arrived in South Australia with camels for Thomas Elder. Although they came from several countries, they were usually known in Australia as 'Afghans' and they brought with them the first formal establishment of Islam in Australia.[5]
   
   Many cameleers settled in the areas near Alice Springs and other areas of the Northern Territory and inter-married with the Indigenous population. It is therefore fitting that the Adelaide to Darwin railway is named The Ghan (short for The Afghan) in their memory.[6]
   
   The first mosque in Australia was built in 1882 at Marree in South Australia.[7] The Great Mosque of Adelaide was built in 1890 by the descendants of the cameleers.
   During the 1870s, Muslim Malay divers were recruited through an agreement with the Dutch to work on Western Australian and Northern Territory pearling grounds. By 1875, there were 1800 Malay divers working in Western Australia. Most returned to their home countries.
   
   Early 20th Century
   
   In the early twentieth century, Muslims of non-European descent experienced many difficulties in emigrating to Australia because of a government policy which limited immigration on the basis of links with Great Britain and Ireland. Known as the White Australia Policy, politicians of the era claimed that non-white immigrants would cause social disharmony.[8][9]
   However, some Muslims still managed to come to Australia.
   
   In the 1920s and 1930s Albanian Muslims were accepted along with Bosnian Muslims, whose European heritage made them more compatible with the White Australia Policy. Albanian Muslims built the first mosque in Victoria in Shepparton in 1960 and the first mosque in Melbourne in 1963. Bosnian Muslims established various multi-ethnic Islamic societies throughout Melbourne (notably Carlton) which included Muslims of different backgrounds. This occurred particularly in 1957 and 1961. In 1957 the multi-ethnic Islamic Society of Victoria was established and by 1961 was located in Carlton.
   
   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islam_in_Australia
   
   Thanks
   
   I am an Ahmadi peaceful Muslim

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      pburgerposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      Salute paarsurrey
      
      I am neither for or against the religious view
      neither for or against the secular view
      what ever rocks your boat
      and so we can co-exist on this planet
      I extend my hand to you my peaceful Muslim brother

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      1. 51

         paarsurreyposted 14 years agoin reply to this

         Hi friend pburger
         
         I also solute you.
         
         Thanks

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   crmhaskeposted 14 years ago

   Wikipedia, such a reliable source. o_O

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      earnestshubposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      Actually pretty much right though. Muslims have integrated well here in the main, and we have no problems with any particular religion or sect here. They are pretty free here according to my Muslim friends, and people don't give them a hard time because of their religion.
      it is still socially "Un-Australian" to worry about what others believe unless people  try to sell it to us. Then we get a bit vocal.

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         crmhaskeposted 14 years agoin reply to this

         Yes, while true, these posts are still getting really, really annoying lol
         
         And for someone that demands reliable sources of reason, and refuses to read anything that isn't Qu'ran aligned, it's quite hypocritical to quote wikipedia as well

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            earnestshubposted 14 years agoin reply to this

            This is true. This person has a track record in posting islam only opinions that cast aspersions on what he calls zionists, rubbishists (me) homosexuals, Americans, Europeans, Australians..... oh! and freemasons! Who he is hiding his identity from as they are out to get him! It is funny enough to do as a standup! ..... the list was long!!!!!
            
            just a sock puppet

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               SirDentposted 14 years agoin reply to this

               You forgot to mention the Illuminati, the Trilateral Commission, the Bilderbergers, the Rothschilds.

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                  earnestshubposted 14 years agoin reply to this

                  I did didn't I.
                  How remiss of me. perhaps I can think of another.
                  Oh yes people who wear bikinis!

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            2. 51

               paarsurreyposted 14 years agoin reply to this

               Thanks

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   2. 51

      paarsurreyposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      I don't say it is so realiable; but it is a neutral source and good as a starting point for research. One may make more research and point out if there are correction to be made.
      
      Thanks

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   3. 51

      paarsurreyposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      Hi friend crmhaske
      
      One can edit the accounts of the Wikipedia if one likes and provide them with the correct facts if one has with one. They have a elaborate system for editing. You can benefit from it by providing them the corrections with evidences.
      
      Thanks
      
      I am an Ahmadi peaceful Muslim

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3. 64

   Greek Oneposted 14 years ago

   what about the peaceful spread of Islam in Times Square??

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      pisean282311posted 14 years agoin reply to this

      

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      paarsurreyposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      Hi friend Greek One
      
      They did not do this following the teachings of Quran/Islam/Muhammad; hence no conversion followed; no one converts with violence. In fact they hindered the peaceful spread of Islam.
      
      Islam spread peacefully in United States of America as well.
      
      http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islam_in_America
      
      Thanks
      
      I am an Ahmadi peaceful Muslim.

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         pisean282311posted 14 years agoin reply to this

         @paarsurrey except sufis when did any one get converted without war being waged in ancient times?..i agree sufism didn't used standard mode of attacking people , forming government and facilitating conversion ..rise of islam was based on this three step process.it is well recorded history..australia was too far to be attacked ..now it is not possible to use 3 step process and so any spread would occur in peaceful manner only which is understandable...

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         Greek Oneposted 14 years agoin reply to this

         If you are an invading army that has taken and area over by force and you kill your opponents, or you make others renounce their beliefs and accept yours or face death and persecution(as in Mohammed’s conquest of Mecca), then yes.. you are not spreading your religion through peaceful means
         
         If you are an invading army and you kill or force those who believe in something different that you to leave... or if those who follow your religion are treated better and given special rights... then yes, the spread of your system/beliefs/religion has been caused by violence and force (see Constantinople where Mehmet slaughtered many of the population and forced the rest into exile; and converted churches into mosques, and then repopulated the city by importing people from elsewhere in Ottoman territory).
         
         If you create a society that excludes the free exploration of different belief systems, and kills those who chose to convert to other beliefs or believe in another faith), then yes, your religion spreads and maintains its power through violence and force, and non-peaceful means, but are letting it grow by the suppression of other faiths (see Afghanistan, Saudi Arabia, etc).
         
         If you persecute Muslims that are of a different sect than yours (see the Pakistani treatment of Ahmadiyya), then yes, you are not spreading or maintaining your faith by peaceful means.
         
         
         oh.. and by the way.. you mentioned about Islam and slavery... Why don't you take some time to research the "devshirme system" instead of continually posting the same garbage on here.  You will find it was a system put in place where non-Muslims had to hand over some of their children to the Islamic state as a tax (conquered Christian communities, especially in the Balkans, had to surrender twenty percent of their male children to the state))

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      Shil1978posted 14 years agoin reply to this

      Lol - loved that Greek!

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      1. 51

         paarsurreyposted 14 years agoin reply to this

         Islam spread peacefully in United States of America as well.
         
         http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islam_in_America

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      tantrumposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      ????
      Was that a joke ?
      
      For me it was. But for different reasons than yours !

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      ryankettposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      And did you read the article? If most Muslims in Australia descend from Bosnia and Albania, then your comment becomes entirely irrelevant to the context. I am certainly not aware of any significant Al Quada factions in either of those countries, you are much more likely to get a radical muslim living in the United Kingdom. Unfortunately.

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   6. 51

      paarsurreyposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      Hi friends
      
      Such incidents hamper spread of peaceful Islam; that is why it has been condemned by the peaceful Muslims:
      
      http://bit.ly/dttFZB
      
      http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2010/05/ … lam-peace/
      
      Thanks
      
      I am an Ahmadi peaceful Muslim

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         (Q)posted 14 years agoin reply to this

         First of all, Mahdi lied about violence being condoned in Islam.
         
         Secondly, he admitted that Muslims are silent about the attacks as they are afraid to say anything so as not to offend other Muslims.
         
         It's the same rhetoric we hear all the time from the Muslim community. Mahdi is just paying lip service.

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4. 61

   tantrumposted 14 years ago

   Islam is spread all over the world.
   Lots of good  people I know follow that religion. What's the point ?
   All religions serve for one purpose: enslave people's mind.

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      paarsurreyposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      Hi friend tantrum
      
      Quran/Islam/Muhammad did not enslave peoples minds; it convinced them with reasonable, rational and logical arguments.
      
      Quran/Islam/Muhammad were against enslavement of the human beings and abolished slavery by all possible means.
      
      Thanks
      
      I am an Ahmadi peaceful Muslim

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      1. 61

         tantrumposted 14 years agoin reply to this

         Anyone that follows a religion has an enslaved mind. They act and think according to the teachings of their religions. They seldom question their religions, even sometimes they know it's wrong. What do you call that? I call it enslaved minds.

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   The Darkened Oneposted 14 years ago

   paarsurrey said: ...I don't say it is so realiable; but it is a neutral source and good as a starting point for research...
   
   Here are some more facts from that same neutral source :
   
   1. 1066 Granada massacre:
   
   On December 30, 1066 (9 Tevet 4827), a Muslim mob stormed the royal palace in Granada, which was at that time in Muslim-ruled al-Andalus, assassinated Jewish vizier Joseph ibn Naghrela and massacred many of the Jewish population of the city...
   
   For details: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1066_Granada_massacre
   
   2. Hama massacre
   
   The Hama massacre occurred in February 1982, when the Syrian army bombarded the town of Hama in order to quell a revolt by the Muslim Brotherhood. An estimated 7,000 to 40,000 people were killed, including about 1,000 soldiers, and large parts of the old city were destroyed. The attack has been described as possibly being "the single deadliest act by any Arab government against its own people in the modern Middle East"...
   
   For details: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hama_massacre
   
   3. Persecution of Zoroastrians
   
   After the Muslim conquest of Persia, Zoroastrians were given dhimmi status and subjected to persecutions; discrimination and harassment began in the form of sparse violence and forced conversions.[2][7] Zoroastrians were made to pay an extra tax called Jizya, failing which they were either killed, enslaved or imprisoned. Those paying Jizya were subjected to insults and humiliation by the tax collectors.[8][9] Zoroastrians who were captured as slaves in wars were given their freedom if they converted to Islam...
   
   For details: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Persecutio … roastrians
   
   I see u love to Quote from Wiki, so heres a list of links for u, u just might looove these ones
   
   4. Conversion of non-Muslim houses of worship into mosques
   - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conversion … to_mosques
   
   5. Assyrian Genocide: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assyrian_genocide
   
   6.Persecution_of_Christians:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Persecution_of_Christians#Saudi_Arabia
   
   Paarsurry...Would u like some more??

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      Rishy Richposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      Why dat Peace-fool hubber doesnt reply to these posts???

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         crmhaskeposted 14 years agoin reply to this

         He ignores that which legitimately challenges him in a way he has no BS answer for.

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            Rishy Richposted 14 years agoin reply to this

            Then we should ignore him too...altogether!

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               crmhaskeposted 14 years agoin reply to this

               See that would eventually get rid of the problem, but I can guarantee not everybody will ignore him - if just one person responds, it's over lol

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                  Rishy Richposted 14 years agoin reply to this

                  i guess ur ryt... Persons like u n me will eventually get bored n tired of his nonsense, but there would new guys who would try to open his eyes...thus this never ending cycle will continue until Paar decides to give up

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                     crmhaskeposted 14 years agoin reply to this

                     Yes... unfortunately with a thing like the internet the world is his audience

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                        Rishy Richposted 14 years agoin reply to this

                        So this is another drawback of internet

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6. 60

   The Darkened Oneposted 14 years ago

   

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   Rookie70posted 14 years ago

   We are on the same mind. Thank you very mucy for this hub. This even helps me to express my views on Islam and the Muslim beliefs. I am a Christian and I do not accept the belief that Allah is the same God of the bible. That is why Muslims do the things they do. They are servants of Muhammad, not God. The illustration posted here showing the persecution by Muslims is one that matches the facts stated in one video, one in particular I was watching on youtube. It talks about the oders that Muhammad gave to his army to do 3 of the following:
   1.) Give non-believers the option to convert to Islam, or..
   2.) Give non-believers the opportunity to pay tribute as vassils of the Islamic state, or..
   3.) Make war with them if they do neither of the 2.
   
   check out this video:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXFVR9dI … re=related

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   Tom Maitlandposted 14 years ago

   Just a quick comment on the Australian side of it. Generally Muslims are appreciated hugely within our society, thing is that Australia is only 200 years old (in the modern sense) and that makes us all immigrants really, and also means although Christianity is strong it isn't as entrenched as in places with a deeper history like Europe and America.
   
   Just some thoughts, but from my experience in my area Muslims are treated like everyone else!

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      earnestshubposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      We do have a great mix of cultures, with many taking up new ideas from others. I like that about Australia.
      
      I have to put up with religion in my own family even!
      Live and let live is OK and most people learn that in Australia.
      
      I will say I don't think religions grow here after they are established though, I think more people her eventually leave their beliefs behind.
      The new generation get a full education here which includes examining their beliefs more often than their parents did in a country that does not give a flying fluke what religion or culture you are "from."
      Even the majority of religious schools here accept any student from any religion.

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9. 71

   earnestshubposted 14 years ago

   The old sock puppet will show through soon, and he will get banned again like last time.
   I patiently wait.

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      crmhaskeposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      I'm curious lol

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         earnestshubposted 14 years agoin reply to this

         He came here about a year ago. Wrote a lot of paranoid stuff in the religious forums. Crazy stuff.
         
         He damned just about every group or organisation on planet earth and had an obsession that the Free Masons were after him, so he could not show his face. This is at least his third sock-puppet. 

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            crmhaskeposted 14 years agoin reply to this

            Oh, I know all this, I'm just curious how it'll come out the 2nd time

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               earnestshubposted 14 years agoin reply to this

               Yes I should have known you would remember. My bad.
               My guess is he will let slip his beliefs, get called on it then  become enraged and lose the plot entirely!

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                  crmhaskeposted 14 years agoin reply to this

                  Well, I wasn't here at the time, but it gets mentioned enough to put the pieces together

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                     earnestshubposted 14 years agoin reply to this

                     Yep! If you saw what he was like before you would recognise the mind. It is shut like a steel trap!

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