Koran (Quran) does not advocate a Caliphate

Interview by Emma Alberici, ABC Lateline 9 October 2014

Lawyer, former president of the Australian Federation of Islamic Councils and a former head of the fruit company, SPC, Haset Sali who has written an English translation of the Koran discusses Muslim and wider community attitudes towards Islamic State.

SOURCE (Link): http://www.abc.net.au/lateline/content/2014/s4104089.htm

Transcript:

EMMA ALBERICI: One of the many people who contacted this program today was lawyer Haset Sali, who is a former president of the Australian Federation of Islamic Councils. He's also written an English translation of the Koran to help non-Muslims better understand his religion. He joins me now from Brisbane.

Haset Sali, welcome to Lateline.

HASET SALI, FMR PRESIDENT, AUST. FED. OF ISLAMIC COUNCILS: Thank you, Emma. It's a pleasure to be on your program.

EMMA ALBERICI: How representative of the Muslim community is Hizb ut-Tahrir?

HASET SALI: Well, last night was the first time I heard about them and, quite frankly, I am aware that there are a number of splinter groups who have gathered quite a bit of momentum and a lot of that has been because the Australian Federation of Islamic Councils hasn't been providing the sort of leadership that it provided for the first 40 years of its existence. The overall situation that we face now is a very, very complex one and I think that it's important that the very essence of Islam be emphasised and that's why I was happy to come on the program tonight because I think that there are certain cornerstone factors or features about Islam that need to be understood, not only by non-Muslims, but by Muslims as well because there's a lot of confusion out there in the public arena and in the global arena at the moment.

EMMA ALBERICI: Well, you, as I mentioned in the introduction, have written an English translation of the Koran. Do - do - what does the Koran say about what an ideal Islamic state looks like or the caliphate, as Hizb ut-Tahrir aspires to?

HASET SALI: Well, for a start, the Koran doesn't advocate a caliphate. What the Koran encourages is that all religions should co-exist in harmony, and in fact, when the Messenger Muhammad, peace be upon him, re-entered Mecca after having to leave Mecca because he was under threat of assassination and he went to Medina where he was promised security and great support, and after a lot of battles, which were all focused on trying to kill him, he ultimately prevailed. And when he re-entered Mecca, he did it for one major reason and that was to free all residents of Mecca. And I'd like to quote the specific verse of what he proclaimed and that was, "Let there be no compulsion in religion. Good stands out from evil. Whoever rejects evil and believes in God has grasped the most trustworthy hand-hold he" - meaning God - "will never break, for God hears and knows all things." Now, the other thing that I want to emphasise is that some of the very first Islamic believers actually left Mecca and through the Messenger himself, were able to go to Abyssinia, which was a nation headed up by a Christian king. And the reason the Messenger arranged for them to go to Abyssinia was that he trusted the king and knew that he would be just with them. And, this is something that is a cornerstone of Islam and that is that all religions should co-exist and should respect each other.

EMMA ALBERICI: Why are, in your view, young Muslim men being attracted to the fight in Iraq and Syria and joining with Islamic State fighters? And here I mean young Australian Muslim men.

HASET SALI: Yes. As I said, there's a lot of confusion out there at the present time, both in Australia and globally, and I think lot of young people are not getting the sort of leadership that they need. When I was heavily involved with AFIC, we spent lot of time in trying to get the right message across, and, unfortunately, that's changed. And I really believe that there is a great need for the important messages, such as the verse that I quoted, to be highlighted to the children of Islamic families and there's also verses - another verse that is highly relevant to the current situation and that's Chapter Five from The Table Spread of Jesus, Verse 32. It states, "To take one life is as if to take the life - or the lives of all humanity and to save one life is as if to save all humanity." And suicide is not exempt. So, there are various cornerstones that are just being trashed by various people. I don't want to comment on the individuals that are trying to trash the name of Islam. What I want to emphasise are the important features about Islam. And I just feel that, unfortunately, genuine and sincere Muslims have not had an opportunity to put their case because the dramatic has tended to get the spotlight, but I'm very thankful for an opportunity like tonight to be able to put the case of moderate and sincere and genuine Muslims.

EMMA ALBERICI: Last night on this program you'd be aware that Wassim Doureihi representing Hizb ut-Tahrir explained to us that Islamic State and other terrorist groups don't exist in a vacuum. He said they exist as, "... a reaction to Western interference in Islamic lands." Does he have a point?

HASET SALI: Well, there may be some substance there, but it doesn't justify anyone - I don't care what organisation they belong - to tear up the rules of not only Islam, but all religions relating to common decency and respecting all humanity. As far as I'm concerned, there is an obligation on all believing people to not only serve God in whatever form or shape they want to, but also to respect and serve all humanity and to also care for all living creatures on this Earth and to look after the fragile environment that we have on this Earth. And I would accept that mistakes have been made on all sides, but that doesn't justify tearing up the common, basic, decent principles of Islam or any other religion.

EMMA ALBERICI: So what was your reaction to the news that two bombs have been fired today from Australian military aircrafts over Iraq?

HASET SALI: Well as far as I'm concerned, if people are busy beheading other humans, if they're busy trying to kill people who don't believe in what they believe in, I think that there has to be some action. What I would like to see really is an initiative that I tried to get off the ground very recently with an email that I sent to the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Julie Bishop, asking her to pursue a motion in the Security Council because I believe the UN Security Council - I believe Australia is in a very powerful position to make a tremendous impact. I don't want us to be seen as a nation that only pursues violence. I think we have a great opportunity to demonstrate that we are just as powerful in pursuing peace. And I believe that if the same action was taken courageously by former President Clinton and Prime Minister Blair in Kosovo, I think a lot of good can be achieved. In fact in Kosovo, 54,000 troops had to go in, initially, in June ,1999, and very promptly, the whole situation was brought under control, and today, only 4,400 troops need to be in Kosovo. Now, if the same action was taken in Palestine, in the Palestinian territories, there would have been a very, very powerful move to stop all the violence and the killings that have occurred primarily in Palestine, but provoked by the missiles that were coming out of Palestine. And I believe that if an initiative can be taken there, sponsored by Australia, there is a great opportunity to set an example because I believe there needs to be a buildup of trust. And if we build up trust as peace-makers, I think there's a far greater chance of people being willing to listen. I don't want to get caught up in a slanging match with anyone in particular. What I'm interested in is seeing the principles of not only Islam, but Christianity, Judaism and all the other major religions being adopted and supported.

EMMA ALBERICI: Haset Sali, we have to leave it there. Thank you very much for coming in for us.

HASET SALI: Thank you very much, Emma.

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