On the occasion of Eid al-Adha, Dr Ibrahim Abu Mohammed – Grand Mufti of Australia – invited Rev Dr Patrick McInerney, Director, Columban Mission Institute to breakfast with him. Dr. McInerney writes about an anti-muslim poll which is unrepresentative nonsense.
Those 49% do NOT represent me
To the Muslims of Australia, I wish to say, “sorry” for the hurt caused to you and your families by the poll reporting that 49% of Australians want to stop Muslim immigration. Those 49% do NOT represent me, my family, my colleagues, my relatives or the many people of good faith and good will in this country.
This is what the Catholic Church teaches about our attitude towards Muslims:
“The Church regards with esteem also the Muslims. They adore the one God, living and subsisting in Himself; merciful and all- powerful, the Creator of heaven and earth, who has spoken to men; they take pains to submit wholeheartedly to even His inscrutable decrees, just as Abraham, with whom the faith of Islam takes pleasure in linking itself, submitted to God. Though they do not acknowledge Jesus as God, they revere Him as a prophet. They also honor Mary, His virgin Mother; at times they even call on her with devotion. In addition, they await the day of judgment when God will render their deserts to all those who have been raised up from the dead. Finally, they value the moral life and worship God especially through prayer, almsgiving and fasting.
Since in the course of centuries not a few quarrels and hostilities have arisen between Christians and Muslims, this sacred synod urges all to forget the past and to work sincerely for mutual understanding and to preserve as well as to promote together for the benefit of all mankind social justice and moral welfare, as well as peace and freedom.” (Nostra Aetate, no. 3)
There are issues of violence, extremism, fundamentalism in all our traditions. There are issues in our society of racism, bigotry and hatred fuelled by ignorance and unwarranted fears. There are issues in our world of invasion, occupation, war and injustice that must be addressed if there is to be meaningful peace. The divide is not between Christian and Muslim, between Jew and Muslim, between secularist and believer, or any other popular categories. The divide is between people of good will and people of ill will (and they are in all our traditions). Let us not be divided. Let us stand together in the name of respect for the human dignity of all. The people of good will and good faith vastly outnumber the no-sayers in this a small and unrepresentative poll. Let us say a resounding “YES” to multi-cultural, multi-religious Australia.
On the occasion of Eid al-Adha, Dr Ibrahim Abu Mohammed – Grand Mufti of Australia invited me to breakfast with him. He called me “my friend” and “my brother”. In these challenging times, let us not be distracted and divided by those who are fearful, by those who project their insecurities onto others; rather, let us all work together as people of faith and good will to maintain and strengthen our fraternal relations.
Again, I am sorry for the hurt and distress this poll has caused.
Rev Dr Patrick McInerney
Director, Columban Mission Institute
Coordinator, Centre for Christian-Muslim Relations
Rev Dr Patrick McInerney with Dr Ibrahim Abu Mohammed – Grand Mufti of Australia – on the occasion of Eid al-Adha
© Patrick McInerney, 2016