Planning for Australia’s first university college dedicated to Muslim students is under way to assist the training of “home-grown” imams and scholars.
The Australian Federation of Islamic Councils is negotiating with Victoria University in Melbourne to establish a private community college on one of its 14 campuses, possibly by 2004.
Under the proposal, the secular college would be run by the university but Muslim students would have access to halal food, a prayer centre and social activities.
In similar vein, a Sydney conference on migration will be told today that training centres for newly arrived Buddhist, Hindu and Islamic religious leaders are needed to help “inoculate” Australia from religious extremism and to encourage harmony.
Desmond Cahill, a professor of intercultural studies at RMIT University, will tell the conference that as Muslims need support from Australians “at this dangerous time”, so they should emerge from their “own spiritual and community cocoon” and embrace the broader community.
He will say Islam in Australia needs to be more united and cohesive and its schools and scholars more open to scrutiny.
Widespread prejudice and ignorance exists within the Australian media, and moderate Muslims require support to “combat the bigoted opinions of the tabloids and the shock jocks”.
Equally, all faiths need to devise strategies to break down cultural barriers. One way to avoid the creation of “ethno-religious fiefdoms” is to establish a Muslim Institute to engage the best international scholars to teach “authentic Islam”.
Professor Cahill says many faiths do not have educational facilities for training their own clergy and need to bring in religious leaders from overseas.
“Often they are poorly trained and do not understand the sensitivities of functioning in a multi-faith community. As well, they are not fluent in English … or knowledgeable about Australians’ social and political practices yet they immediately step into positions of influence through their preaching and counselling. They are not able to represent their community in the broader society.”
The president of the Australian Federation of Islamic Councils, Dr Ameer Ali, said his organisation preferred all imams to be familiar with a multicultural society.
“We already recognise there is a need for home-grown imams, not only well versed in the language of the country but also in Islamic theology and [who] would be able to provide answers to some of the problems that are unique to a multicultural society.”
He said the federation was negotiating with the university to establish a campus “which will provide a normal course of studies in an environment sympathetic with Islam and will eventually include Islamic studies as a field”.