Muslim Australians celebrate the end of the Hajj
Monday 8 December 2008
The Parliamentary Secretary for Multicultural Affairs and Settlement Services, Laurie Ferguson, today extended his best wishes to Australia’s 340 000 Muslims who are celebrating the Eid-ul-Adha, or the Festival of Sacrifice.
‘The three-day celebration of Eid-ul-Adha marks the end of the Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca in Saudi Arabia, one of the five pillars of Islamic faith,’ Mr Ferguson said.
‘The Hajj is a religious obligation that every Muslim must fulfil, if financially and physically able, at least once in his or her lifetime.
‘To celebrate the end of the Hajj, Muslims commemorate Abraham’s trials. The importance of commemorating Abraham is something that Islam shares with the other major faiths of Christianity and Judaism.
‘I applaud representatives from all three faiths who have embraced their commonalities and who have continued to work on interfaith projects. It is hoped that this type of activity will be extended to working with non-monotheistic religions in the future.
‘Projects such as Together for Humanity, for which the government has provided funding of nearly $230 000 through the Living in Harmony program, is an excellent example of this interfaith work.
‘This project brings together role models from the Christian, Jewish and Muslim faiths and the Indigenous community with students in New South Wales, Queensland and Victoria to discuss the different religions and the Australian values of mutual respect, understanding and acceptance.
‘I hope that this example will inspire Australians from all walks of life to celebrate the things they have in common and to work to build a more harmonious Australia.
‘I wish all Muslim Australians a happy Eid-ul-Adha celebration,’ Mr Ferguson added.
Media Contact: Sarah Gestier-Garstang 0432 283 020
URL: http://www.minister.immi.gov.au
/parlsec/media/media-releases/2008/lf08071.htm
Last update: 09 December 2008 at 17:25 AEST