Irfan Yusuf

Irfan Yusuf (born 1969) is an Australian writer and lawyer, primarily known for his commentary on a range of political and social issues. Yusuf was born in Karachi, Pakistan, and arrived in Australia 5 months later. His parents are from Delhi. Fact|date=June 2008

Irfan was educated St Andrew’s Cathedral School in Sydney, and at Macquarie University, where he graduated in law and eocnomics. As a teenager and young man, he attended camps of the Australian Federation of Islamic Councils. He also served as the president of the Islamic Youth Association of New South Wales, a body which was dissolved in 1992, and whose members re-joined to form the NSW division of Young Muslims of Australia (YMA).

Yusuf served as President of the Bankstown Young Liberals and the Bankstown Liberal State Electorate Conference. He was endorsed Liberal candidate for the seat of Reid in the 2001 Australian Federal Election. [ [http://www.abc.net.au/rn/talks/natint/stories/s1446239.htm The National Interest: 28 August 2005 - The Aussie Mossie ] ] He was active in the conservative wing of the Party, participating in key preselections and editing a conservative youth magazine called pro-Action.

Yusuf's articles have appeared in some 12 newspapers in Australia and New Zealand. He also writes online for Crikey!, New Matilda, Malaysiakini, AltMuslim, and ABC Unleashed. He has appeared on radio and TV programs in Australia, New Zealand and Indonesia. Yusuf has his own blogs where he shares his ideas regarding various political and social issues.

In 2007, Yusuf was awarded the Iremonger award by publishers Allen and Unwin, for his submission "Once were Radicals". [ [http://www.allenandunwin.com/default.aspx?page=441 Allen & Unwin - The Iremonger Award ] ]

In 2008, Irfan was awarded a Highly Commended for the Eureka Street/Human Rights Writing for an essay on combatting violence against women in Muslim-majority states.

Some of Yusuf's writing has been polemical in nature, criticising politicians, writers and columnists he regards as inciting hatred against particular groups, includiing indigenous Australians, African migrants, Arabs and Muslims.

He has also criticised Muslim religious and political figures for their inconsistency, double standards, inciting extremism and racism. His criticism of former Mufti of Australia, Sheik Tajeddine Hilaly, was published in 8 newspapers in Australia and New Zealand as well as online. Yusuf's criticisms of Hilaly led him to be the subject of death threats.

External links

* [http://planetirf.blogspot.com Planet Irf - a blog by Irfan Yusuf]
* [http://mediamcmullah.blogspot.com Media Mullah - a blog by Irfan Yusuf]
* [http://www.newmatilda.com/contributor/2952 newmatilda.com - articles by Irfan Yusuf]
* [http://www.onlineopinion.com.au/author.asp?id=3933 Online Opinion - articles by Ifran Yusuf]

References