MELBOURNE – A new research study has found that tolerant Islamic teachings help young Australian Muslims cope with Islamophobic and racist campaigns against their faith in the post-9/11 era.

“I found that one way to achieve healthy outcomes for young people facing racism is to build on pathways of resilience that young people are already using, such as their faith and religious teachings,” Kavindi Wadumestri, the editor of the research carried out in Melbourne’s northern and western suburbs, told Health Canal on Monday, February 13.

Providing insights for human service agencies to develop more effective policies and programs, the research, in the School of Global Studies, Social Science and Planning, is based on discussions with young Australian Muslims of Lebanese origin.

It found that Islam was a non-violent religion and that religious teachings showed that it was wrong to hit back.

“Young people who were experiencing racial slurs were feeling anger and wanted to retaliate, they felt it was right to stand up and defend themselves against such slurs; but people they respected offered a different viewpoint,” Wadumestri said.

“These respected people put forward an ethical framework from their religious teachings for the younger people,” she said.

“In turn the younger people reflected on this, appreciated and valued it, and changed their views accordingly.”

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The research found that tolerant Islamic teachings help Australian Muslims cope with the racism and Islamophobia in the post-9/11 era