Summary

Colour digital photograph of Dr Abdul Khaliq Kazi, Roshan Kazi with son and a young friend, with Puffing Billy train in the Dandenong Ranges, 1976.

Dr Abdul Khaliq Kazi and his wife, Muslims from Pakistan, migrated to Australia in 1961. They travelled on a Qantas aeroplane, flying from Karachi with stops in Calcutta, Singapore and Darwin before arriving in Sydney. Born in Karachi, Dr Kazi completed his studies in Pakistan, and then spent three years at al-Azhar University, Cairo, studying Islamic theology. He holds a BA and PhD from the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London.

In a partnership between the University of Melbourne, the Myer Foundation, the Spalding Trust of Oxford and the Pakistan government, Dr Kazi was offered a five-year contract to establish an Arabic and Islamic Studies' program at the University of Melbourne. He then stayed and worked in Australia. As a Senior Lecturer in Islamic Studies at the Department of Middle Eastern Studies at the University of Melbourne. Dr Kazi was a key feature in Muslim communities in Australia, including as chair of the Islamic Council of Victoria and president of the Australian Federation of Islamic Societies (AFIS) for ten years. He is also a pioneer in Muslim interfaith dialogues. As a distinguished Australian and international Muslim scholar, Dr Kazi visited a number of Muslim countries, including Kuwait, The United Arab Republic, Saudi Arabia, Türkiye, Indonesia, Malaysia and Pakistan.

Description of Content

Man, woman and two children standing next to a train.

Physical Description

Colour digital photograph

Significance

Statement of Historical Significance:
Muslims in Australia are an under represented cohort in both the museum's collections and Australian history more broadly. As an-ever growing faith in Australia, it is important to trace the migration and settlement of Muslim Australians across time in order to help provide a historical, social and cultural context for Muslim Australians today. This collection is the key outcome for the collaboration between the Museum and Dr Dzavid Haveric, MV research associate, who has published a seminal history of Muslims in Australia. This collection is the result of his research and community interviews.

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