Karar Hussain – a Shiite Muslim who fled Pakistan two years ago and now resides in Tamworth – said Islam is a religion of peace and terrorist attacks are not inherently linked to the faith. 

“In the Quran it says if you kill one person, you kill the whole of humanity. If you save a human, you save the whole of  humanity – that’s one of the ways we can say it’s a religion that preaches peace.”

“In Islam, the greeting – the first thing you say to someone you meet  is ‘salaam-o-alaikum’ – peace be upon you. No Muslim who says that can think of killing innocent people under jihad.”

He said he had been persecuted by extremist Muslims with a skewed reading of the Quran that prioritised violence over peace. 

“We have been told by extremists and terrorists that Shiites are not Muslims, Shiites are infidels,” he said. 

He said terrorists had a violent “mindset” that was not a part of his religion. 

“Praying five times a day, fasting in the holy month of Ramadan, paying tax, zakat (helping the needy), going to the Ka’aba – these things come before jihad,” he said. 

“The true meaning of jihad, according to me, is striving to overcome evil desires and whims and defending yourself, your property and respecting your country. It doesn’t mean it has to be with  weapons – it could be with the pen, education, knowledge, or through your job.” 

Former Islamic studies academic at the University of New England Bruce Watson said the raids were “essential” but locals have nothing to fear. 

“We simply have to maintain the rule of law in our country,” he said. 

“Many Muslims [from overseas] have come here to become Australians, but they worship their own God – we shouldn’t be frightened because of that.”

Though he said it was confronting to see people beheaded in the media, he urged the community to “be careful not to overreact”. 

“We need to make a distinction between the faith and the criminals within the fait,” he said.

“We shouldn’t panic anyway, we should embrace the Muslims that we know and support them through it.”