The Voice: Do you want to be on the right side of history?

The opinion piece – Islam, Muslim Australians, and the Indigenous Voice to Parliament – in AMUST discussed why the support in the forthcoming referendum on The Voice will likely be strong among Australian Muslims. This article looks at what is happening on the ground and calls on all Australians, including Muslims, to volunteer for a yes-vote campaign for the referendum.

A change in the law will enshrine Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice in the constitution, as recommended in the Uluru Statement from the Heart issued in 2017.

The Voice to the Parliament is the first step which, when subsequently buttressed by a Treaty and Truth-telling, will lead to a genuine reconciliation.

Volunteers are being mobilised to support the Yes 23 campaign. It is a seriously important call of duty for all fair-minded Australians as we move forward, building a more cohesive and caring society.

Justice is a universal value of humanity that transcends faith. Hence it is reasonable to assume that the referendum should resonate favourably with all Australians, including Muslims whose notion of justice is seeded deep in their beliefs and Islamic traditions.

Justice is embodied in the divine nature of Allah: “Verily, God does not do even an atom’s weight of injustice.” (Qur’an 4:40)

Since the purpose of living is to please Allah, a Muslim comes close to the Creator by emulating his divine attributes: compassion, charity, advocacy for the oppressed, etc. Hence, Muslims are expected to warmly embrace the campaign to mobilise the population for this just cause – The Voice.

Islam promotes racial equality: it is only virtue and piety that make one more honourable in the sight of God, not one’s skin colour or ethnicity (Qur’an 49:13).

The Prophet (s) reaffirmed racial equality in his most famous sermon delivered during the pilgrimage towards the end of his life: “Verily, there is no superiority of an Arab over a non-Arab nor a non-Arab over an Arab. Only piety causes one to excel.”

The First Nations People continue to be victims of racism just as Muslim are of Islamophobia. The latter are thus expected to support the process of reconciliation by voting ‘yes’ in the referendum.

Activism is an integral part of Islam. In a famous hadith the Prophet Muhammad (s) said, “Whoever witnesses something evil, let him change it with his hand, and if he is unable then with his tongue, and if he is unable then with his heart, but that is the weakest form of faith.”

The Quran and the Islamic Traditions enjoin Muslim to take action against any form of injustice. Consequently, many more Muslim organisations are expected to add their support for the Voice in the coming weeks and months.

In the meantime, it behoves ordinary Muslims to take action on their own by contacting YES 23 co-ordinators in their towns.

In the face misinformation and unhealthy scepticism, volunteers are needed to support the Yes campaign. This may be done in various ways, such as distributing flyers and posters, donating financially and providing relevant information to their neighbours, families and friends.