AL-GHORBA

The Hon. SHAOQUETT MOSELMANE [4.13 p.m.]: Last September my colleague the Hon. Amanda Fazio and I were presented with a copy of the Holy Koran during an Eid celebration at New South Wales Parliament House. The Koran was gifted by the Pakistan Australian Business Council of which both the Hon. Amanda Fazio and I are patrons. On 26 March 2013 I moved a motion to formally present the Holy Koran to the President of the Legislative Council, and the House unanimously agreed to that motion. On 21 May 2013 the Hon. Amanda Fazio and I had the honour and privilege are formally presenting the Holy Koran to the President, the Hon. Don Harwin, MLC, at an official ceremony in Parliament House attended by more than 100 senior members of the Muslim community, dignitaries and multicultural media.

It should be noted that this was the first time in the history of any Australian Parliament and possibly any Parliament in a Western non-Muslim nations that a motion was formally voted on and agreed that a copy of the Holy Koran be presented to the Presiding Officer. That is a credit to the New South Wales Parliament. This historic moment was as significant as it was symbolic. It is indicative of how our elected representatives are committed to promoting the principles of multiculturalism, religious harmony and genuine interfaith. This ceremony was not just about religion; it was about respect not only for those practising Islam but for people of all faiths who have the right to practise their religion freely in this great land and under the umbrella of State, Federal and international laws. As my colleague the Hon. Amanda Fazio said in her speech:

I am sure that we all appreciate that Australia, and NSW in particular, provides the freedom for cultural, educational and religious diversity in harmony, within a democratic, institutional framework based on mutual respect for our heritages, along with acceptance of our differences.

I am proud of the fact that this ceremony, attended by my parliamentary colleagues from across the political spectrum, reflects the openness of our multicultural societyâ€”one that is built on acceptance, tolerance and trust. I sincerely hope this has paved the way for others to formally present other holy books to promote respect for race and religion. In particular, I extend my gratitude to the President of the Legislative Council, the Hon. Don Harwin, who formally and graciously received the Holy Koran on behalf of the Legislative Council. I thank my colleague the Hon. Amanda Fazio, who also presented the President with a framed photograph of worshippers in Jakarta's Independence Mosque, the largest mosque in South-East Asia.

I also thank Mr Kashif Amjad, Mr Iftikhar Rana, Mr Azam Mohammed, Mr Asif Muhammad, Sheikh Yusuf Elrich, Ms Maha Abdo, Ms Rana Saab, Ms Aisha Amjad, Mr Louay Moustapha and Ms Trish Marinozzi for their valuable contributions in making the event memorable for all. Also, I take this opportunity to say that, while so many members of Muslim communities have been working hard to build tolerance and foster relationships based on interfaith harmony, unfortunately there are some individuals who let everyone down. Whilst we had this significant ceremony in Parliament House as a symbol of solidarity for religious freedom, one man has been causing considerable angst to many people. I would have preferred not to mention this matter while reporting on this historic event, which I will remember fondly for many years to come, but Mr Mohammed Issai Issaka has sullied the waters.

In a democratic country such as ours there are many ways in which people can express their viewsâ€”the opportunities are wide open. I am a person who will not shy away from having my say. I will always say and do what is right, even in the face of trash that I have read in the Australian Israeli media. One or two reporters writing in the Murdoch press namely the Australian have been attacking me and denying the truth of Israel's occupation of Palestinian land and the killing and dehumanising of the Palestinian people. That is utter garbage. I accept the right of people to express their views, even when they are wrong, naive, ill informed, indoctrinated and blinded by the power of a political lobby group that is cancerous, malicious and seeks to deny, misinform and scaremonger. What I do take exception to is foreigners intervening in the rights of Australian politicians to speak out. Therefore, I say to the Israeli ambassador, Yuval Rotem, "Butt out and stay out. Your perceived right to bully as you do in the Middle East does not extend to the Australian political arena."

In today's Australian Cassandra Wilkinson, lacking journalistic integrity and informed knowledge of Israeli occupation of Arab land, took aim and attacked me. In an example of sloppy reporting and sloppy journalism, she quotes a statement she attributes to Mr David Shoebridge, MLC, that was actually made by Dr John Kaye, MLC. Perhaps because Dr John Kaye is of Jewish descent Ms Wilkinson conveniently attacks others in the New South Wales Parliament who simply dare to criticiseâ€”as any ethical or moral person would doâ€”the State of Israel's illegal and criminal practices against the Palestinian people. I applaud all Muslim and Arab leaders for speaking out on these and other issues. I call on the Australian Arab Muslim community to unite and for once to speak with one Australian voice. I ask them to protect the right of their community to speak out and deliver a message of peace and citizenship on behalf of their community so that neither they nor their messages are misconstrued or misunderstood.

In Christianity Virgin Merry is envisaged by many believers and numerous cultures as the number one role model for the righteous, devote, loving , caring, giving, and humble mothers. Today while in Canada we are happily and joyfully celebrating the Mothers' Day, let us all pray that Almighty God will keep granting all mothers all over the world the needed graces of wisdom, meekness and faith to highly remain under all circumstances honoring this holy role model and to stay as Virgin Merry fully devoted to their families.

In all religions and cultures all over the world, honoring, respecting and obeying parents is not a favor that people either chose to practice or not. No not at all, honoring, respecting and obeying parents is a holy obligation that each and every faithful individual who believes in God MUST fulfill, no matter what.

Almighty God in His10 Commandments (Exodus 20:2-17 ) made the honoring of both parents (commandment number five) a holy obligation, and not a choice or a favor.
�Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the Lord your God is giving you". (Exodus 20:12)

Reading the Bible, both the Old and New Testament shows with no doubt that honoring parents is a cornerstone and a pillar in faith and righteousness for all believers. All other religions and cultures share with Christians this holy concept and obligation.

�Honor your father and your mother, as the LORD your God commanded you, so that your days may be long and that it may go well with you in the land that the LORD your God is giving you.� (Deuteronomy 5:16)

"You shall each revere your mother and father, and you shall keep my Sabbaths: I am the LORD your God.� (Leviticus 19:3).

Back home in Lebanon we have a popular proverb that says: "If you do not have an elderly figure in your family to bless you, go and search for one"

How true is this proverb, because there will be no value, or meaning for our lives if not blessed and flavored by the wisdom, love and blessings of our parents and of other elder members. He who does not honor the elderly, sympathize and empathize with them, especially his own parents is a person with a hardened heart, and a numbed conscience, who does not know the meaning of gratitude.

History teaches us that the easiest route for destroying a nation is to destroy, its cornerstone, the family. Once the family code of respect is belittled and not honored, the family is divided and loses all its Godly blessings. "Any kingdom divided against itself is laid waste; and a house divided against itself falls" (Luke 11-17"

One very important concept and an extremely wise approach MUST apply and prevail when reading the Holy Bible in a bid to understand its contents and observe the Godly instructions and life guidelines that are enlisted. The concept needs to be a faith one with an open frame of mind free from doubts, questions and challenges.

Meanwhile the approach and interpretation MUST both be kept within the abstract manner, thinking and mentality frame, and not in the concrete way of interpretation.

We read in (Matthew 15/04: "For God said, Respect your father and your mother, and If you curse your father or your mother, you are to be put to death).

Do we have to read this verse concretely and take it merely in its verbatim content?

I posted this verse in both English and Arabic on my Face Book page last year and the kind of comments that it generated shocked me. Below are three of these comments:

1-"I pray that this does not apply to teenagers?"

2-"Who else would it apply to? From teenagers to adults to parents...Until their own parents die; then they weep and wail"

3- "Thank goodness because I think we would all be dead if it applied to teenagers at some point, just learning about the "teenage years" with my oldest"

This verse simply dwells on The Fifth Biblical Commandment: "Honor your Father and Mother". To grasp its meaning rightfully and put it in its right faith content one should understand that death in the Bible is not the death of the body as we experience and see on earth. DEATH in the Bible means the SIN that leads to eternal anguish in Hell.

The Bible teaches us that through His crucifixion, death and resurrection Jesus defeated death in its ancient human, earthly concept. He broke the death thorn and since than, the actual death became the sin. Those who commit the sin die and on the judgment day are outcast to the eternal fire. Death for the believers is a temporary sleep on the hope of resurrection.

Accordingly the verse "If you curse your father or your mother, you are to be put to death", means that those who do not honor their parents, help, support and respect them commit a deadly sin and God on the Judgment Day will make them accountable if they do not repent and honor their parents.

God is a Father, a loving, passionate and caring One, and in this context He made the honoring of parents one of the Ten Commandments.

In conclusion: The abstract and faith interpretation of Matthew 15/04 verse must not be related to children or teenagers who because of an age and maturity factors might temporarily repel against their parents and disobey them.

Hopefully, each and every one of us, no matter what religion or denomination he/she is affiliated to will never ever ignore his parents and commit the deadly SIN of not honoring them through every way and mean especially when they are old and unable to take care of themselves.

For all those of us whose mothers have passed away, let us mention them in our daily prayers and ask Almighty God to endow their souls the eternal rest in His heavenly dwellings.

Happy Mothers' Day to all mothers