Basira Education

Early next morning, I visited the Australian Islamic College, where I met with Abdullah Khan, one of the leaders of the Muslim community in Australia, and CEO of the College. I also attended the end of term awards ceremony. I spoke to the students about the Prophet's selfless mercy at Taif.

I gave a lesson that evening at Masjid Furqan called, "Muhammad: Prophet of War or Prophet of Peace?" There were lots of excellent questions from the audience. I would discover the next day that it's all because if a lady called Pauline Hanson.

Here is the podcast: https://youtu.be/vCiH1zQR6Qc?si=IN9PD80BhTBU9RDd

Thank you to Mawlana Shakeeb for hosting me for a delicious lunch, some wonderful cups of tea, good company, and then an engaging podcast on The Balanced Network!

On Friday, I gave a khutba at Perth Mosque about a forgotten sunna of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ that may contain the secret of the success of Islam in the Western world today. If I just tell you what that secret is, you won't be convinced, so I think I will either wrote or. Record something about it and share with you after I return from Australia.

Thank you to Dr. Jamal for his warm hospitality in Bunbury. He is from Mecca, but his ancestors are from Bukhara. That is the beauty of the Meccans. Their ancestors are from all over the Islamic world and their diverse cultural backgrounds all come together into a beautiful tapestry that loves to worship Allah Most High at the blessed Kaba.

While I was in Bunbury, I drove to the nearby town of Bustleton and walked 1.8 km to the end of the longest jetty (i.e., pier) in the world!

On Wednesday and Thursday evening, I enjoyed spending time with the Muslim parents and children of Bunbury. We talked about arguments for the existence of God and arguments for the genuine measengerhood of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. The best part was the children's questions. They were inquisitive and alhamdulillah they didn't hold back! Thanks to Al Noor Bunbury Center @alnoorbunburycenter for organizing and for their warm hospitality.

I arrived in Australia for the first time one week ago. Australia is different. The animals are different. The trees are different. The people are different. The Muslims are different! I just finished my visits to Perth and I'm off to Adelaide. Here's what's happened so far.

Nationalism: Abdülhamid II regarded nationalist movements—especially in the Balkans and later Arab nationalism—as a major threat to the unity of the Ottoman Empire. This concern was one of the reasons he emphasized Pan-Islamism as a unifying ideology. Colonialism: His Pan-Islamic policy was explicitly intended to resist the growing influence of European colonial powers, particularly Britain, France, and Russia, over Muslim lands. Zionism: He is well known for refusing Theodor Herzl's proposals for a Jewish national home in Palestine and for restricting Zionist settlement there

Sami began by remembering the Genocide at Srebrenica, which happened exactly 21 years ago yesterday, may Allah Most High have mercy on all of the Muslims who were murdered on that day. He then explained how the fact that Sultan Abdulhamid II had preserved the plans of the mosques of Bosnia enabled the reconstruction of mosques that the genociders had destroyed and whose sites they had sworn that Muslims would never return again. Sami conducts inspiring tours to Bosnia and tells the stories of the Bosnian Muslims to keep the memories of the umma alive in our hearts and minds, and everyone who can should join him on his trips @halaltravelguide . Hamza described the special connection of the Ottoman caliphate to the veneration of the Prophet ﷺ, how the Hijaz railway that Sultan Abdulhamid II built ended at the City of the Prophet ﷺ, how it was the last of the Arab cities to fall from the hands of the Ottomans in 1919, and how that veneration of the Prophet ﷺ should move us to serve the umma of the Prophet ﷺ. Everyone who attended the event received a poster of the Qasida of the Prophetic Chamber, which represented the Ottoman legacy of Sultan Abdulhamid II, and which was erased from the Prophetic Chamber six years after the city of the Prophet ﷺ fell out of Ottoman hands. Many people have inquired about the recording of the event -- insha'allah it will be posted online in two weeks. Watch out for the announcement!

May Allah Most High reward the Istanbul Youth Network,  Uluslararası Genç Derneği, the volunteers at Basira Education, and everyone who attended yesterday's event on the Legacy of Sultan Abdulhamid II.

THE LEGACY OF SULTAN II. ABDULHAMID With Sami Hamdi and Hamza Karamali Date: Saturday, 11th July, 2026 Time: 17:30 Location: Uluslararası Genç Derneği, Aziz Mahmut Hüdayi, Üsküdar/İstanbul https://maps.app.goo.gl/Kt8dAXw2Qs9Dx8tV6 Registration Link: https://forms.gle/RVTewC1HB9XnJ8JJ6 The Ottomans had a special love and reverence for the Prophet ﷺ. Sultan I. Abdülhamid authored a poem about the Prophet ﷺ and had it inscribed on his chamber in 1777. This poem represents the spiritual legacy of Sultan II. Abdülhamid. The City of the Prophet ﷺ remained in Ottoman hands even after the First World War. It was bravely defended by the Ottoman General Fahrettin Pasa, who famously saw the Prophet ﷺ in a dream. In 1925, the City of the Prophet ﷺ fell to King Abdulaziz b. Saud, who removed this poem. Join us on Saturday to hear the full story and how it represents the spiritual legacy of Sultan II. Abdülhamid.

THE LEGACY OF SULTAN II. ABDULHAMID With Sami Hamdi and Hamza Karamali Date: Saturday, 11th July, 2026 Time: 17:30 Location: Uluslararası Genç Derneği, Aziz Mahmut Hüdayi, Üsküdar/İstanbul https://maps.app.goo.gl/Kt8dAXw2Qs9Dx8tV6 The Ottomans had a special love and reverence for the Prophet ﷺ. That's what motivated them to serve the umma of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. Sultan I. Abdülhamid authored a poem that was inscribed on the Chamber of the Prophet ﷺ. This poem represents the spiritual legacy of Sultan II. Abdülhamid. Madinah was the last city of the Hijaz that the Ottomans lost. It was bravely defended by Fahrettin Pasa, who famously saw the Prophet ﷺ. Join us on Saturday to learn more.

I am grateful to all of the individuals and the large group organizations all over Australia who have organized my first visit to Australia from 3–23 August—may Allah Most High reward all of you! I hope to visit: 📍 Perth 📍 Adelaide 📍 Melbourne 📍 Sydney The full programme and registration details will be released in the coming weeks and days, inshaAllah. 🔗hamzakaramali.com/australia

The Legacy of Sultan II. Abdülhamid Istanbul Youth Network, Basira Education and Uluslararası Genç Derneği invite you to join us for a discussion on ‘The Legacy of Sultan II. Abdülhamid’ Throughout the reign of Sultan II. Abdülhamid, Muslims were divided, suffering military defeats, and colonial powers were occupying their lands. Sultan II. Abdülhamid's response to these crises has important lessons for our umma today. Join Sami Hamdi and Hamza Karamali as they explore the legacy of Sultan II. Abdülhamid to guide us in our political activism and in our personal spiritual relationship with Allah and His Messenger ﷺ. Date: Saturday, 11th July, 2026 Time: 17:30 Location: Uluslararası Genç Derneği, Aziz Mahmut Hüdayi, Üsküdar/İstanbul https://maps.app.goo.gl/Kt8dAXw2Qs9Dx8tV6 Speakers: Sami Hamdi / Managing Director at the International Interest Hamza Karamali / Why Islam Is True & Basira Education Registration Link: https://forms.gle/RVTewC1HB9XnJ8JJ6

HELP ORPHANS, WIDOWS, HOSPITAL PATIENTS, AND POOR FAMILIES IN DAMASCUS My son is going to Damascus with Hidden Humanity to help orphans, widows, hospital patients, and poor families in Damascus. The situation in Damascus is dire, and he is reaching out to everyone to help him raise money to help poor people over there. (They are all zakat eligible.) Please support his mission here: https://hiddenhumanity.org/causes/father-son-serving-the-poor-and-needy