The human face of the “boat people” is seen in an Afghani refugee, Najaf Mazari. The juxtaposition of life in Afghanistan and life in Australia (as an asylum seeker) deepens both our common humanity and the differences between the lives lived in these two contexts.

Affection for family and friends permeates the pages of this absorbing biography:

“An Afghani father has failed in his duty to his sons if he raises dreamers. He will have done his sons no favours… The relationship of father and son in Afghanistan reaches maturity when the son becomes a man and displays to the father’s satisfaction the qualities of fortitude, resourcefulness, loyalty and endurance that were impressed on him as a child. In the West, parents strive to make a paradise for their children to inhabit; to shield them from the reality of life; to shower them with joys and delights. In Afghanistan, the childhood of a boy is a time of testing.”

The book is sprinkled with pearls of wisdom:

“Lies are a form of theft; the liar steals from another person that person’s trust. There are liars all over the world who have grown rich on the trust they have stolen.”

“It’s just human to be anxious when you don’t know what is to become of you.”

“Even though the Talibs would one day take away the music and smash the instruments and beat the musicians, it was not possible for them to kill the love of music in the people.”

“Hope is like a little child who must be cared for and clothed and fed each day, and when hope is destroyed, it is as if the child has died, despite all of the care and love.”

We learn a great deal about the history and culture of Afghanistan through the eyes of Najaf Mazari. For example, we learn of the hundreds of regions of Afghanistan each under the control of a different tribal chieftain and of the conflicts between these tribes and yet the long periods of an absence of conflict when some sort of balance of power has been gained. We learn of the Russian invasion of Afghanistan and of its Mujahedin “freedom fighters” and of the ongoing war with the emergence of the Taliban.

He also relates stories from Afghanistan, such as that of Kandhi Hazara, the most famous dancer in their history. We also learn of love, music, weddings and work.

“In Afghanistan, the two events that can leave you with empty pockets are marriages and burials. Both cost a fortunate, but people dare not hold back when marriages and funerals come around, or else they will be whispered about until the end of their days. People who say, ‘Friend, did you hear of so-and-so? His family buried him like a beggar. A disgrace and an insult to Heaven!’”

Najaf is a Muslim and for him God is integral to his life:

“There is a moment in the life of each person when the eye of God ceases from its restless scanning of the plains and rivers and mountains and cities and rests its gaze just on you. And at such a moment, God says, ‘Ah, that’s Najaf; he has found the path I intended for him. I will watch him working for my own pleasure.’”

Given the current debate in Australia about Asylum Seekers it is interesting to note Najaf’s thinking as he struggles with the decision to flee Afghanistan due to the persecution of his family.

“The family would find the money (for him to flee) by emptying their pockets and retrieving bank notes from hiding places and selling what they could. The money raised used up every tiny piece of cash (my) family and friends could find, and left their houses bare of things to sell. I was the chosen one…I was the family member most in danger; I was also the only one with a few words of English to employ. I was judged the most level headed person in the entire family and finally I was considered lucky. The possibility of me being capture along the way was very high… There is another reason (for him to flee)… if the family tribe cannot survive, then by the mercy of God, let one male member of that tribe find safety in the world and let him rebuild everything from the start… To leave your native land is a terrible thing.”

Najaf also tells of the terrible sea trip to Ashmore Island and his eventfull and eventual acceptance as a refugee. He concludes,

“Not all of us were able to survive the wars of Afghanistan….Impossible things have happened…. Dreams that were dreamt in Afghanistan have put down roots in the soil of another nation, and today I see buds forming on twigs and branches.”

And on belonging and identity,

“Australia can never be my homeland because I started here too late. I had already fallen in love with my part of Afghanistan, and I will be faithful for life. But if Australia is not my homeland, it is certainly my home. This is the land that I have learnt to love in a way that is different than my love for Afghanistan. This is a land I love for its kindness to me, for the chance it gave me to rebuild my dreams. This is the land where the most generous people I will ever know smile at me and said, ‘How can we help you, Najaf?’ Australia is a land that I love in the way that a man loves the friend who saved his life.”

The Rugmaker of Mazar-E-Sharif by Najaf Mazari & Robert Hillman, Insight Publications, St Kilda 2008

See, Publisher’s guide.  Reviews: The Age  and  The SMH.  Also, Asylum seekers: Christian approach and my Easter Day, Call to open hearts on asylum seekers

Recently I attended an excellent presentation by FontPR on ground breaking research on trends in the use of social media by Tasmanians. The presentation was accompanied by fine staff and fine food – very Tasmanian! Thanks to Becher and the crew. “New research reveals majority of Tasmanians are keeping it social” – FONT PR

Tasmanians are leading the nation in social media usage with research released today revealing well over half the State is keeping it social online, abolishing the outdated view that the phenomenon is just a passing fad.

The Font Public Relations Social Media Index 2011 , which surveyed 1000 adults, provides Tasmania’s first insight into social media usage trends across the State.

Also of interest is the usage by the 1,000 respondents of the various social media: Facebook 46%, Twitter 6%, YouTube 44%, Linkedin 3%, Blogs 12%, Flickr 5%, Foursquare 1%.

See Social Media Index 2011 for the research details.

Read the rest of the article and research information on FONT PR’s website: The Source

My thanks for this article to Guest blogger, Revd Samuel Green:

Muslims have told me that Allah/ God does not need any sacrifice to pay for our sins because he can simply forgive them. They say he is the God who forgives and nothing more is required than for him just to forgive.

However, this is not what the Qur’an says. The Qur’an is very clear that on judgment day our good and bad deeds will be weighed in the balance.

“Then those whose scales are heavy, they are the successful. And those whose scales are light are those who lose their souls, in hell abiding.” (Qur’an 23:102-103, Pickthall)

The Muslim belief is that they will be saved on judgment day because God will overlook their bad deeds and will multiple their good deeds by ten, thus in the scales they will have more good deeds.

So it is that we find in the Qur’an:

“(W)hoso bringeth a good deed will receive tenfold the like thereof, while whoso bringeth an ill-deed will be awarded but the like thereof; and they will not be wronged.” (Qur’an 6:160/161, Pickthall)

“Whoso bringeth a good deed will have better than it’s worth; and such are safe from fear that Day.” (Qur’an 27:89, Pickthall)

“Whoso bringeth a good deed, he will have better than the same; while as for him who bringeth an ill-deed, those who do ill-deeds will be required only what they did.” (Qur’an 28:84, Pickthall)

“And as for those who believe and do good works, We shall remit from them their evil deeds and shall repay them the best that they did.” (Qur’an 29:7, Pickthall)

“Those are they from whom We accept the best of what they do, and overlook their evil deeds. (They are) among the owners of the Garden. This is the true promise which they were promised (in the world).” (Qur’an 46:16, Pickthall)

“… And whoso scoreth a good deed We add unto its good for him. Lo! Allah is Forgiving, Responsive.” (Qur’an 42:23, Pickthall)

Therefore, the Qur’an does not teach what so many Muslims affirm; that God simply forgives our sins. Instead, the Qur’an says that God will show favouritism to the Muslims in judgement. He will multiple their good deeds by ten and ignore their bad deeds.

This view of God is not taught in the Law of Moses, the Prophets, the Psalms or the Gospel. They all teach that God is just and will never corrupt justice. This is why God has provided a sacrifice for us. The sacrifice pays for our sins. The sacrifice is a just payment. On judgement day, Christians are saved, not by God ignoring their sin or multiplying the good by ten, instead they are saved because God himself has paid for their bad deeds. This is just and the testimony of the Law of Moses, the Prophets, the Psalms and the Gospel.

God presented him (Jesus) as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood. He did this to demonstrate his justice, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished – he did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus. (Romans 3:25-26, NIV)

Forgiveness in Christianity is just and based on the perfect justice of God.

For a fuller discussion of this theme by Samuel, see, How can one man pay for the sins of another?

Also take a look at Revd Samuel Green’s articles on Answering Islam and  the Home page of the multilingual Answering Islam.

Below is a joint statement about the current situation in Sudan from the CEO of Anglicord and the Chair of the Multicultural Commission in Melbourne Bishop Philip Huggins. Continue to keep this situation in your prayers.

Media Release

16 June 2011

Sudan conflict kills civilians, and opens old scars in Melbourne

Anglicans in Melbourne, where large numbers of Sudanese refugees have settled, have expressed deep concern about escalating violence in Sudan that threatens to plunge the beleaguered country into another civil war.

Misha Coleman, CEO of Anglicord, an Anglican overseas aid agency based in East Melbourne, said that the conflict was rapidly becoming a humanitarian crisis.

“Protecting civilians must be of the highest priority,” Ms Coleman said. “In South Kordofan, the violence between the Sudan Armed Forces and the Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) has already claimed civilian lives and contravenes the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement.”

“The only way to address the suffering of the civilian population is through an immediate cessation of hostilities by all parties,” she said.

“Melbourne has a large Sudanese population, many of whom are refugees and still bear the scars of previous conflict,” said the Chair of the Multicultural Mission, Bishop Philip Huggins. “We hold the people of Sudan in our prayers, and as a community we will continue to offer what support we can to them.”

“Peace is God’s gift and our task is as peacemakers,” said Bishop Huggins. “Thus we respond with prayers and practical support.”

South Kordofan is on the border between north and south, and tensions have been rising since the referendum in January, which will see the south officially secede from the north in July. Increasingly violent border disputes mean that thousands are fleeing the region in fear of all out war. The conflict is making it too difficult and dangerous for humanitarian agencies in the border region to reach the thousands of displaced people who need shelter, food and water.

Anglicord has opened an appeal in partnership with Act Alliance, a global alliance of churches and related agencies, which is already active in Sudan. Since before the referendum, ACT Alliance partners have been carrying out emergency training in all 10 southern states and the three contested areas that border the north and south.

For further comment, please contact:

Jane Still, Communications Manager, Anglicord
jstill@anglicord.org.au www.anglicord.org.au