Outback Australia = 'Mecca'

[Sherrinator]

Article from the NT news:

THE Muslim leader who last week sneered at modern Australia for being founded by convicts once claimed Alice Springs was built by Afghan cameleers.

Sheik Taj al-Din al-Hilali said the Outback town was designed to look like Mecca.


``I visited and found there a map under the name Mecca,'' he said.

``Alice Springs is surrounded by high black mountains, similar to the mountains of Mecca.''


He said palm and date trees were planted in Central Australia by Muslim Afghans.


Sheik al-Hilali said the Afghans and Aborigines had produced a mixed race of people in Alice.

He said when a muezzin called the faithful to prayer in the town, ``old people came out''.


``They looked different than the black Aborigines,'' he said.


``They were a mixture of Afghan and Aborigine, as a result of marriages of Afghan men and Aboriginal women.''


He said when the muezzin called ``Allahu akbar'' _ which means ``God is great'' in Arabic _ the mixed-race Centralians said: ``We have heard this song from our ancestors.''


``When they asked us, `What is this song you are singing?', we told them this was an announcement of prayer time,'' the mufti said during a tour of the Middle East in 2004.


``When we asked them their names, they answered John or Steve, but their names ended with Saraj al-Din, Abdallah or Muhammad.''

Sheik al-Hilali said Australia was discovered by Muslims long before Captain James Cook in 1770.


He said Islamic culture could be seen among Aboriginal people.


``They have customs such as circumcision, marriage ceremonies, respect for tribal elders and burial of the dead _ all customs that show they were connected to ancient Islamic culture before the Europeans set foot in Australia.


``Australia is an old-new continent. The Europeans issued a false birth certificate for it when Cook reached it. Islam had roots deep in the Australian soil _ people read the Koran and were called to prayer before the bells of the churches rang.


``The best evidence of this is the hundreds of mosques in the centre of Australia built by the Afghans. Some of them were destroyed and others were turned into Australian archeological museums.


``Still others remained unharmed. They bear a history that proves that Islam has roots and ancient connections to Australia.''


Sheik al-Hilali said Central Australia's Muslim community ``dissolved'' because of the lack of schools and connection to the rest of the Islamic world.

 

[Sharkey]

No problems, they can all go back there.

Once they're all in, we can then build a massive fence around the joint so they can't get out.

 

[giantroo]

All i know is that arabs found the land way before english but apparently were not land conquerers.

 

[LethalLions]

No problems, they can all go back there.

Once they're all in, we can then build a massive fence around the joint so they can't get out.

This has some merit

 

[ROB48]

All i know is that arabs found the land way before english but apparently were not land conquerers.

Pardon?

 

[Sir_Adrian84]

what about the chinese, i think they came in the 12th century

i think they also discovered the americas before europeans did

 

[camsmith]

All i know is that arabs found the land way before english but apparently were not land conquerers.

So how come that loony said Arabs 'paid their way'?

 

[giantroo]

So how come that loony said Arabs 'paid their way'?

I have no clue.

 

[giantroo]

Pardon?

Whats wrong with it?

 

[- PC -]

Sheik al-Hilali said the Afghans and Aborigines had produced a mixed race of people in Alice.

He said when a muezzin called the faithful to prayer in the town, ``old people came out''.


``They looked different than the black Aborigines,'' he said.


``They were a mixture of Afghan and Aborigine, as a result of marriages of Afghan men and Aboriginal women.''

The Afghans were prominent in the central Australian region so this is a no brainer

Sheik al-Hilali said Central Australia's Muslim community ``dissolved'' because of the lack of schools and connection to the rest of the Islamic world.

Says much about the strength of Islam then

Methinks the sheikalakalaka has his chronologies confused

 

[MonkeyButterer]

I have no clue.

Truer words were never spoken.

 

[ROB48]

Whats wrong with it?

Are you suggesting that Historically, the Arabs never conquered any other lands?

 

[giantroo]

Are you suggesting that Historically, the Arabs never conquered any other lands?

Only where they belong in the middle east. Dont see them conquering any other land around the world except in the middle east.Especially in the western world. Do you?

 

[CharlieG]

Only where they belong in the middle east. Dont see them conquering any other land around the world except in the middle east.Especially in the western world. Do you?

Err... Egypt, East Africa, North Africa and Spain?

 

[giantroo]

Err... Egypt, East Africa, North Africa and Spain?

But did we conquer a western country like america, australia, canda, europe. Since when did we actually control spain?

Plus egypt, and north africa, turkey, afghanistan, pakistan are all part of this middle eastern group.

 

[camsmith]

But did we conquer a western country like america, australia, canda, europe.

...Not yet.

 

[ROB48]

Only where they belong in the middle east. Dont see them conquering any other land around the world except in the middle east.Especially in the western world. Do you?

So are you suggesting that Arabs don't belong here that they only belong in the Middle East?

The second thing is where did I say Western Countries, you said they are not Land Conquerers which is clearly not true.

Lucky for you weren't holding a quaran when you told that lie.

 

[CharlieG]

But did we conquer a western country like america, australia, canda, europe.

That's not the point. Arabs have conquered well outside their traditional homeland.

Since when did we actually control spain?

Plus egypt, and north africa, turkey, afghanistan, pakistan are all part of this middle eastern group.

They're 'Middle Eastern' countries now. Not Arab countries (well, Egypt and the rest of North Africa is now). Oh, and prior to the invasion of the Seljuk Turks, modern 'Turkey' was Hellenic 'Asia Minor'. You know that modern Istanbul was founded by the Roman Emperor Constantine?

I don't really have a particular dog in this fight, but you're fantasies about Arabian history being free of aggression are as bad as some of the myths expounded about the West by Tories on here.

 

[evo]

Plus egypt, and north africa, turkey, afghanistan, pakistan are all part of this middle eastern group.

Well they are now.

 

[skilts]

Ah yes, 'Mecca'. One of Gene Pitney's great hits. IMHO the one in which his incomparable, soaring vocals were shown to their greatest advantage. Never knew he toured outback Australia. That's what I love about BigFooty - you're constantly learning new information.

 

[ROB48]

Ah yes, 'Mecca'. One of Gene Pitney's great hits. IMHO the one in which his incomparable, soaring vocals were shown to their greatest advantage. Never knew he toured outback Australia. That's what I love about BigFooty - you're constantly learning new information.

Saw him when he first toured here in 19#*, it was a long time ago, and I was never aware of the Mecca connection either I thought that he was singing about a girl he could never have. Perhaps Gene was a Muslim?

Sadly he passed away so we will never know.

 

[skilts]

. Perhaps Gene was a Muslim?

If he was, could it be said that you and I have discovered the Muslim Gene?

 

[Docker_Brat]

All i know is that arabs found the land way before english but apparently were not land conquerers.

I don't know about that. A few million of them have been doing pretty well in countries that are mainly desert.

 

[mickeytg]

No problems, they can all go back there.

Once they're all in, we can then build a massive fence around the joint so they can't get out.

I know a really good fencing contractor......

 

[Richo83]

But did we conquer a western country like america, australia, canda, europe. Since when did we actually control spain?

Plus egypt, and north africa, turkey, afghanistan, pakistan are all part of this middle eastern group.

While I do agree that the arabs haven't conquered as many lands as say England, and possibly France (with IndoChina, N. Africa, although I could be wrong there) Muslims have conquered lands reaching from Spain to Pakistan. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Age_of_Caliphs.png)
If you have no idea of the Islamic influence in Spain, have a look at some of their architechture, which was influenced by the Muslims.

If you still have no idea, check this out: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al-Andalus And or go to http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Atlas_of_Spain go down to historic maps, go to 711