A Short History of the Muslim Community Newsletter

Abstract

 During the 1980s, the Federation of Islamic Associations of New Zealand, a national Muslim organization, tried to foster a sense of nation-wide Muslim identity though various means, such as group activities, youth camps, seminars, and so forth. To some extent, the Federation tried to achieve this goal through the publication of Al-Muslim, a regular community newsletter that was available in all New Zealand mosques and Islamic centers and which purported to provide a forum for local Muslim news and discussions. The publication also included some of the first accounts of the community’s history, and it provides outside observers with instructive insight into the internal workings and philosophies of the minority (and its leadership) and its perspectives and priorities. This article examines the newsletter, explores the popular themes and issues found within it, and discusses which topics were discussed and which were not. It concludes with a brief overview of the importance of the publication during this era and the role it played in teasing out significant nodal points and hermeneutical paradigms. Considering the role of this newsletter can expose much about the wider Muslim experience in the South Pacific.