Australian National Imams Council

Australian National Imams Council
Formation November 14, 2006 (2006-11-14)
Registration no. (ABN) 66 122 669 318[1]
Purpose To unite the Imams of Australia under one umbrella body
Headquarters Lakemba, New South Wales
Coordinates 33°55′21″S 151°04′43″E / 33.922514°S 151.078617°E / -33.922514; 151.078617Coordinates: 33°55′21″S 151°04′43″E / 33.922514°S 151.078617°E / -33.922514; 151.078617
Area served
Australia
Products ANIC Halal Authority[2]
Membership
95 Imams
President
 Shady Alsuleiman
Affiliations Sunni based
Website www.anic.org.au

The Australian National Imams Council (ANIC) was formed in 2006 during a meeting of more than 80 Sunni imams which had gathered to discuss the crisis created by comments made by Taj El-Din Hilaly.[3][4] In 2011, they requested that the Darulfatwa-supported Muslim Community Radio Incorporated not have its licence renewed due to ties with Al-Ahbash and because of its promotion of "sectarian fringe views".[5]

The ANIC elects the Grand Mufti of Australia. The current Grand Mufti is Dr. Ibrahim Abu Mohamed,[6][7] who on a 2012 visit to the Gaza Strip, where he met Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, told local news agencies, "I am pleased to stand on the land of jihad to learn from its sons".[8][9]

The ANIC has called for the offence of "advocating terrorism" to be removed from the "Foreign Fighters Bill", currently before the Australian Parliament, saying a cleric could fall foul of the law if he simply "advocated the duty of a Muslim to defend his land" or referred to stories in the Quran, Bible and Torah in his sermons.[10]

In February 2015 the Grand Mufti said the Australian Government should not ban Hizb ut-Tahrir, saying the group is "actually pro-freedom of speech".[11] The Prime Minister responded by saying the comments were "unhelpful".[12]

In 2016, Sheikh Shady Alsuleiman, who has criticised homosexuals,[13][14] supported the mujahideen,[15][16] been cited as supporting the stoning of adulterers,[17] was elected president of ANIC. Australia's Grand Mufti, Ibrahim Abu Mohamed has defended Alsuleiman, saying Islam has a, "longstanding" position on homosexuality" which "no person can ever change". He said that any attempt to call out its teachings could lead to radicalisation.[18]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Australian National Imams Council".
  2. ↑ "ANIC Halal Authority".
  3. ↑ Duffy, Conor (28 October 2006). "Reclaim the Streets rally protests Hilali comments". ABC.
  4. ↑ Rane, Halim; Jacqui Ewart; Mohamad Osman imran dushbag (2010). Islam and the Australian News Media. Melbourne University Press. p. 46. ISBN 978-0522856408.
  5. ↑ O'Brien, Natalie (January 9, 2011). "Muslims call for 'radical' radio station to be closed". Sydney Morning Herald.
  6. ↑ Kilani, Ahmed (19 September 2011). "Australian Imams appoint a new Mufti". muslimvillage.com. Retrieved 15 February 2015.
  7. ↑ McNamara, Paul (5 October 2011). "New grand mufti for Australia". The Islamic Globe. Archived from the original on 15 February 2015. Retrieved 15 February 2015.
  8. ↑ Lion, Patrick (31 December 2012). "Australia's Grand Mufti meets Hamas". Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 18 February 2015.
  9. ↑ "Australian Muslim cleric meets Hamas leader". ABC News (Australia). 31 December 2012. Retrieved 18 February 2015.
  10. ↑ Aston, Heath (8 October 2014). "Muslims warn anti-terror laws could prevent teaching from Koran". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 2 January 2015.
  11. ↑ Seymour, Brian (13 February 2015). "Australia’s Grand Mufti slams government ban". Seven News. Retrieved 18 February 2015.
  12. ↑ "Abbott criticises Aust Muslim leader". Sky News. 15 February 2015. Archived from the original on 17 February 2015. Retrieved 18 February 2015.
  13. ↑ Andrew MacNiven (20 Nov 2014). "Controversial speakers at Perth Islamic convention". WAtoday. Retrieved 26 June 2016.
  14. ↑ Quinn, Liam (18 June 2016). "'There is no place for homophobia towards a person who identifies as LGBTI': Controversial Islamic sheikh who attended Malcolm Turnbull's Ramadan dinner denies claims he called for stoning of homosexuals". Daily Mail. Retrieved 26 June 2016.
  15. ↑ The Rt Hon Michael Gove MP (9 June 2014). "Birmingham schools: Secretary of State for Education's statement". UK Parliament. Retrieved 26 June 2016.
  16. ↑ McKinney, Emma (22 October 2015). "Preacher who called on god to destroy the enemies of Islam 'spoke at Trojan Horse school'". Mirror. Retrieved 26 June 2016.
  17. ↑ "Review of Park View Educational Trust" (PDF). Department for Education. May 2014. p. 16. Archived from the original (PDF) on 17 July 2014. Retrieved 26 June 2016.
  18. ↑ Morton, Rick (1 July 2016). "Mufti defies Malcolm Turnbull on anti-gay speech". The Australian. Retrieved 1 July 2016.
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