For ongoing service to the Islamic community, Imam Alaa Elzokm from Roxburgh Park, has been awarded an Order Of Australia Medal on the King’s Birthday.
Since arriving in Australia from Egypt in 2015, Imam Alaa has dedicated himself to not only the Islamic faith but to his community in an ongoing attempt to integrate himself and the Muslim faith within modern Australian society.
Imam Alaa left Egypt after completing an Islamic studies course where he majored in Muslim minorities living in non-Muslim countries.
The course, Imam Alaa, says was about ensuring both Muslims and people of other faiths or no faith can live together in harmony. This has been his mantra from day one.
“Since I came, I’ve been spreading this message of harmony, peaceful coexistence and talking about the values that religion is talking about, especially when it comes to relationships with our non-Muslim brothers and sisters,” he said.
“Unfortunately, there’s racism and Islamophobia and hate towards people from many cultures and many religions. As we do not accept it for other people, we do not accept it for ourselves as well. But instead of just talking about the problem, we try to be proactive and take initiative.”
An initiative he has helped establish since becoming Iman at the Elsedeaq Heidelberg Mosque, is an annual open mosque day.
It is now marked on the anniversary of the tragic Christchurch massacre, something Imam Alaa said hurt him deeply.
“They were very sad moments for everybody … even Muslims were scared to come to the mosque,” he said.
However, days after the event the mosque hosted an open day which received its largest ever crowd.
“It was great to see our non-Muslim brothers and sisters come. That’s what we’re talking about as an example. You know, humanity values sympathy, all these values that are coming from our non-Muslim brothers and sisters, that gives us more duty upon us to educate them about who we are,” he said.
Imam Alaa is also extremely passionate about sharing his learnings to the youth in the Muslim community, to ensure his work and message isn’t lost.
“We have a great opportunity here in Australia that millions of people around the world do not have, many millions of people have become refugees in the last few years, people do not have home, do not have safety and security, do not have shelter, do not have education system that we have here, do not have the health system that we have here,” Imam Alaa said.
“What a great opportunity to be an Australian Muslim, to make a change in the community, to get out there to integrate and spread optimism.
When told he had won such a prestigious award Imam Alaa said he was left “speechless,” although he noted being recognised by a secular non-Muslim country was incredibly impactful.
“I was so happy to know that my religion has been a reason to make a change,” he said
“This is great and unique for me, because it shows how Australia is working hard on recognising those that are making a positive change in the community.”
