Mark Durie
Wilders in Melbourne Dutch parliamentarian Geert Wilders’ recent speaking tour in Australia brought him to my home town of Melbourne. I have been pondering his message since his visit, and this is the first of two blog posts which engage with it. Wilders came to warn Australians...
In the early biography of Muhammad written by Ibn Ishaq there are many fascinating and intriguing incidents. One unforgettable story tells how Huwayyisa came to embrace Islam: The apostle said, ‘Kill any Jew that falls into your power.’ Thereupon Muhayyisa b. Mas'ud leapt upon Ibn Sunayna,...
See here for my recent media foray over the proposed invitation of eminent Meccan Sheikh Al-Sudais to Melbourne in March 2013. I was interested to read the response of Mr Razvi from IREA, organizer of the oddly named 2013 Australian Islamic Peace Conference: ‘But he’s...
In the past two weeks at least nine Americans have been killed by their Afghan allies in what is known as ‘insider killings’. Members of the Afghan army, having been trained and armed by NATO forces, are turning their weapons in increasing numbers against their...
Because Islam's "Law of Necessity" fully permits Muslims to find creative ways to adapt when Sharia Law conflicts with practical life, the argument that societies are obliged to make concessions to privilege all the demands of strict Sharia Law is considerably weakened. Islam Is a flexible...
This was no "furious mob" on a "rampage," reacting to Koran-burning. These men are methodically, deliberately, and in an organized fashion going about destroying crosses and objects marked with crosses. Their mood seems happy. http://www.stonegateinstitute.org/2920/islam-tradition-breaking-cross In the recent destruction of Commonwealth war graves in Benghazi, Libya (YouTube...
I was struck today by a comment from a Maldives women's rights activist about the direction her nation is taking. In a report published the Melbourne Age, which discussed female circumcision and the local practice of flogging female adulterers, Shadiya Ibrahim remarked: "Being a woman is...
Things are not going well for lovers of freedom in Egypt. Egypt is under a moral and spiritual siege. Freedom of speech is deteriorating rapidly, because of rather than in spite of the 'Arab Spring'. A recent incident illustrates the critical state of affairs for free-thinking...
