Taking a step forward towards defending their true faith, Sydney Muslims have launched a $1 million television studio to counter wrong depiction of Islam in mainstream media.
"This is a time where there is a lot of pressure on the Muslim community," the head of the network, Malaz Majanni, told ABC news on Monday, March 16.
"Unfortunately, you do find that with the mainstream media, sometimes we are misrepresented, lost in translation and here we are able to make sure that a clear message is sent out," he said.
Launched under the title One Path Network, the western Sydney studio films and edits videos for its YouTube channel, including interviews with local sheikhs about Islamic teachings and current affairs.
"Our approach was to make sure that it's clear that this act is not an Islamic act," Majanni said.
"This person (Man Haron Monis) was known to the authorities as a criminal and he had no connection whatsoever with the ISIL militant. He couldn't even get the right flag."
Diverging from the mainstream media's approach, the network has emphasized on the former Northern Territory Labor Party official Matthew Gardiner, who is fighting with the Kurds against the ISIL
"The approach was to make sure that there's no particular targeting against the Muslim community, that the law is applicable to all Australians," Majanni said.
Studio guests have included the head of the Australian Federal Police counter-terrorism section and controversial political group Hizb ut-Tahrir.
Majanni said the studio was funded by community donations and staffed by a team of more than 20 volunteers.
The project was endorsed by a wide range of prominent Muslim figures, including the grand mufti of Australia, Dr Ibrahim Abu Mohamed, and Associate Professor Mohamad Abdalla from Griffith University who appeared in a promotional video.
Known as a dawah initiative, the studio aims to spread the word of Islam among Muslims and non-Muslims alike.
Muslim View
Following Muslim news in Australia, the new studio followed major events to provide its own take on them, including the Sydney siege.
Criticizing PM Tony Abbott recent comments, in which he wished more Muslim leaders would say Islam was a religion of peace and mean it, Sheikh Wesam Charkawi from the Auburn Gallipoli mosque has appeared on the network's current affairs program, Spotlight, where he said Abbott's words implied the community was duplicitous.
He told Lateline the latest comments have added to the mistrust already felt within the community.
"The Muslim community has lost trust and feels completely abandoned by the Government. I have never seen it at a point so low," Sheikh Charkwai said.
"I haven't seen it this bad before. These are the sentiments that are being conveyed on a daily basis."
"This organization is committing atrocities. It is brutal," Sheikh Omar El Banna from Granville's Masjid Al Noor said as he appeared on the network to denounce the burning alive of a Jordanian pilot.
Though rarely appearing in mainstream media, Muslim scholars and Sheikhs appeared to prefer the platform of One Path Network.
One Path Network's Malaz Majanni said his studio had provided a space where scholars would not be misrepresented.
"Why haven't we seen a piece where a scholar's come out on mainstream media speaking out about ISIS?" he said, using another acronym to refer to ISIL.
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