In brief
- Hanson faced backlash after she suggested during a Sky News appearance on Monday that there are no "good" Muslims.
- "As the holy month of Ramadan is almost upon us, it is a time for reflection, restraint, and compassion," Malik said.
Australia's special envoy to combat Islamophobia, Aftab Malik, has invited Pauline Hanson to join him for an iftar meal this Ramadan in the wake of the One Nation leader's recent attack on Muslim people.
Hanson has faced backlash after she suggested during a Sky News appearance on Monday that there are no "good" Muslims. She was discussing the so-called "ISIS brides", a group of Australian women and children allegedly linked to the self-proclaimed Islamic State (IS) group, who are seeking to return to Australia from a displacement camp in northern Syria.
Malik said he would like to meet with Hanson and offer her an opportunity to ask questions about the Quran, women in Islam, violent extremism, Sharia law, the different types of Jihad and anything else she would like to know.
"As the holy month of Ramadan is almost upon us, it is a time for reflection, restraint, and compassion. It is then challenging to listen calmly to the sweeping generalisations and negative stereotypes about Islam and Muslim Australians," Malik said in a statement posted on social media on Tuesday evening.
"Islam asks us to think, ponder, and reflect. The Prophet Muhammad told his flock to 'speak beautifully' to others, reminding us not to trample upon people's dignity. The Qur'an also challenges Muslims to respond to those individuals who might be overwhelmed by the weight of their convictions, with peace."
"These values are embodied by Muslim Australians who serve in hospitals, classrooms, small businesses, the armed forces, and public institutions every day."
He extended a "genuine invitation" to Hanson to join him for iftar, the evening meal eaten by Muslims to break their fast during the month of Ramadan, which starts this week.
During Ramadan, observed by billions of Muslims around the world, many will abstain from food and drink from the break of dawn until sunset.
When the sun sets, many families will gather to break their fasts together with iftar. The practice is intended to encourage emotional and spiritual cleansing, introspection, and understanding of the experiences of those less fortunate.
"Ms. Hanson is welcome to ask questions directly," Malik said. "My door is open."
Hanson, during her Sky News appearance, said the women and children in Syria shouldn't be allowed to come to Australia, calling for tighter controls on immigration to Australia and a "tough stance on Islam", conflating all Muslims with extremists.
"Their religion concerns me because what it says in the Quran ... they hate Westerners," she said. "And that's what it's all about."
"You say, 'Oh, well, there's good Muslims out there'. Well, I'm sorry, how can you tell me there are good Muslims?"
She has declined to offer a full apology over the incident, despite widespread backlash.
On Wednesday morning, Nationals senator Matt Canavan said Hanson wasn't fit to lead a major political party, calling the remarks by his fellow Queensland senator "totally un-Australian", divisive and inflammatory.
"Clearly, I think she went too far, and now she won't apologise because she doesn't do that," he said on Channel Nine.
"She's not fit to lead a major political party with these types of ill-disciplined statements that she won't correct that insult [to] hundreds of thousands of Australians."
Speaking to ABC radio on Wednesday morning, Hanson partially walked back some of her comments, noting that a non-practising Muslim candidate had once run for her party.
She said she apologised if she "offended anyone out there that doesn't believe in multiple marriages or want to bring ISIS brides in, or people from Gaza that believe in the caliphate".
"In general, that is what they want — a world caliphate. And I am not going to apologise," she added. "I will have my say now before it's too late."
Her comments to the ABC followed a social media post on Tuesday in which she doubled down, saying people "aren't used to hearing a politician tell the truth without worrying about political correctness".
As the Coalition seeks to regain its footing following a second breakup of the two parties this year and an overhaul last week of Liberal leadership, One Nation has seen a record surge in popularity in recent months, polling above 20 per cent.
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