Australian Muslims say proposed law banning Islamic inscription to cause problems for innocent people

ISTANBUL (AA): Muslim groups in Australia have expressed concern over a bill prohibiting the use of an Islamic inscription that the ISIS also carried on their flags.

The inscription which came to be associated with the ISIS group, consists of words that formed part of the seal used by the Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him). It refers to the belief in Muhammad (PBUH) as the Prophet of Allah, and is generally used by many Muslims who have no connection with the violent group.

Muslim groups fear that local authorities may misinterpret it and cause problems for innocent people.

Prior to introducing the bill, the government engaged in consultations with the Australian Muslim Advocacy Network (AMAN) and reached an understanding regarding the distinction between the emblem of the ISIS and the fundamentals professed by the believers in the Islamic faith.

“We’ve seen it in the remarks of the Attorney-General … recognizing that IS has been a scourge on the world, but also particularly been a scourge on the Muslim community,” AMAN policy advisor Rita Jabri Markwell told SBS News.

“There is a whole bunch of everyday religious material that is so sacred to us as Muslims, which may be confused by police and by other members of the public,” she feared.

The proposed law would criminalize the public display and trade of symbols, including the Nazi hakenkreuz, the Nazi double sig rune, and the ISIS flag, Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus said on Wednesday.

“The bill aims to combat harassment and vilification of specific communities in Australia, including those targeted by Nazi, neo-Nazi, and ISIS supporters through public display offenses,” Dreyfus said in a statement.

“The government acknowledges the differentiation between the terrorist organization and the respected Islamic faith in Australia’s multicultural society,” he added.