Keysar Trad

Keysar Trad is a spokesperson for a section of the Australian Muslim community.

Background

Trad was born in Lebanon and came to Australia at the age of thirteen under the Australian government's family reunion program. He met and married his wife, Hanifeh, when he was in his early twenties. They live in south-west Sydney and have nine children.^[1]

After a pilgrimage to Mecca in 1987, Trad decided to become a much stricter Muslim, rather than to follow the more liberal form of Islam that he observed around him in Lebanon and Australia. Trad began to take an active role at the Lakemba Mosque in Sydney shortly thereafter.^[1]

Career

Trad is well known for his former role as an interpreter and spokesperson for Sheik Taj El-Din Hilaly.^[2]

He is also an author, having released several books.

After leaving the Lebanese Muslim Association, Trad founded his own organisation, the Islamic Friendship Association of Australia Inc (IFAA).

Controversy

Trad has become a highly controversial figure in Australia due to many of his activities, comments and views on matters relating to Islam:

• He once translated some articles for "Nidal ul Islam", the magazine of an Australian-based group called the 'Islamic Youth Movement', of which Bilal Khazal was once a member.^[3] The group has since been investigated for alleged terrorism-related offences.
• In 2005 he said, "The criminal dregs of white society colonised this country and...the descendents of these criminal dregs tell us that they are better than us." ^[4]
• Despite publicly stating that he rejects terrorism, Trad's refusal to criticise some terrorist groups, such as Hezbollah, has led to allegations that he is not sincere in encouraging Muslims to reject it. In addition, his frequent criticism of Israel has led to many accusations that he is anti-Semitic. Moreover, in August 2006, shortly after a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah was agreed to in order to end conflict, Trad and Hilaly wrote to the Lebanese Prime Minister, Fouad Siniora, urging him to reject Australian peacekeepers.^[5]
• He offended many moderate Muslims, as well as some Australians of Turkish background, when he alleged "Atatürk was in fact an opponent of the practice of Islam" ^[6] when responding to Australian Treasurer Peter Costello's speech ^[7] suggesting Modern Turkey as a model for Islamic countries.
• Throughout his years as Hilaly's spokesperson, Trad has been heavily criticised - and satirised - for continually defending Hilaly with his insistence that Hilaly has been taken out of context or misunderstood. For example, following the comments made by Hilaly in October 2006 which said that if a woman is raped it is usually her own fault, Trad said that Hilaly was talking about adultery, not rape.^[8] Sydney Morning Herald Columnist Paul Sheehan accused him of lying.^[9]
• In response to comments made by Sheik Hilaly on Egyptian TV, Trad once again suggested he was being quoted out of context.
• In 2009, Trad lost a defamation case in the Supreme Court against a Sydney radio station, after the judge found that Trad's own stated opinions were racist and offensive, particularly towards Jews and homosexuals.^[10]
• The 2009 decision was overturned by the NSW Court of Appeal in 2011. The three judge panel in the Court of Appeal found that the Supreme Court Judge did not have a basis for describing Trad racist or offensive. However, the court ordered that only half of Trad's appeal costs be paid as some of the imputations fell under the technicality "reply to attack". ^[11]
• In 2010, Trad advocated Shari'ah courts for Muslims to deal with matters relating to divorce and inheritance. He has also supported polygyny as an alternative to extramarital relations.

References

External links

• Islamic Friendship Association
• Trad on Gays and Lesbians
• Letters to Green Left Weekly Green Left Weekly, 11 December 2002. Trad replying to allegations about comments relating to homosexuals.
• Keysar Trad on an alternative Australian Muslim leadership The Religion Report, Radio National, 20 October 2004