The Studies of Religion class recently invited ex Don College student, Aneequa Zafar to join a Zoom meeting. The purpose was to learn more about Islam and what it is like being a Muslim in Australian society. Aneequa now attends university in Adelaide but at the end of her Grade 11 year at Don, she gained perfect scores in all the subjects she studied, including English 3C, when English is not her first language.

Easily recognisable as a Muslim, Aneequa told the class about the positive and negative experiences she has had in Australia.  Even though she has been racially profiled at airports and verbally and physically attacked, she remains strong in her beliefs and chooses to act maturely and not escalate any negative situation.  On a brighter note, she feels attitudes to Islam in Australia are improving, especially since the 2019/20 bushfires and COVID period during which Muslims have gone out of their way to support people in society, regardless of their faith, race, or culture. Kindness and charity are very important values that underpin the religion of Islam.  Indeed, actions speak louder than words and help erase misconceptions about Islam.

As Aneequa put it, “Love for all, hatred for none.”