Who will rid us of this bothersome clerlic?
From November, 2004:
Australia: A push for more responsible moderate leadership of Australia's Muslim community:
"The controversial head of Australia's Muslims, Sheikh Taj Din al-Hilali, is under threat from a new Islamic council that is trying to gather support for an alternative leader. The Islamic High Council of Australia was formed in southwestern Sydney this month with plans to become the leading organisation of the country's 400,000 Muslims.
"Members of the council said their goal was to appoint a mufti of their own, in a direct challenge to Sheikh Hilali, the current mufti of Australia. The council is hoping to tap into disenchantment in some Muslim communities with Sheikh Hilali over his controversial speeches, in which he reportedly attacked Jews and supported suicide bombers...
"A spokesman for the new council, Mahmoud Krayem, said yesterday that 20 Muslim organisations had joined the council from different ethnic backgrounds around the country, including Afghan, Indonesian, Pakistani and Lebanese...
"The spiritual leader of the new council, Sheikh Salim Alwan Al-Hasani, said there was a need for a moderate umbrella organisation that 'totally refuses all kinds of extremism' and rejects interference from overseas."
According to Sheikh Alwan, "In looking at the current state of the Muslim leadership in Australia, we can confidently say there is an urgent need for the unity of all the moderate sheikhs, sincere scholars and the highly qualified and educated members of the community." In a dig at the perceived influence of Saudi Wahhabi money, Sheikh added that "Darul-Fatwa Islamic High Council of Australia [as the new group is known] is not a tool serving the interests of any foreign government nor does it accept or receive funds from any overseas sources." His final words offer encouragement for all those who hope to see the Muslim community taking a strong stance against the Islamist cancer: "Darul-Fatwa totally refuses all kinds of extremism as it refuses its elements from any group or individual and declares all acts of extremism unrelated to Islam, as Islam is not related to them in spite of those who claim otherwise."
http://chrenkoff.blogspot.com/2004/11/good-news-from-islamic-world-part-2.html
Apparently, al Hilali is planning a trip to the ME soon. He should be stripped of aussie citizenship...he certainly does not belong here, and neither do his followers.
clerlic? = cleric!
About Hilali, I’m wondering why nothing has happened since 2004, as per the content of the link you provided? Granted, I haven’t really followed the situation, only that Hilali is and has been problematic (headlines and stories in newspapers).
Although I can understand that the Muslim community in Australia, for example, will need to challenge and choose their own leader, they (leaders and followers) still live in Australia and are bound by wider Australian laws, values, culture and so forth. It is, largely, up to the Australian government to take appropriate actions and address issues within the Australian law.
Perhaps, we need to seriously review current laws, citizenship criteria and introduce better screening methods and procedures before granting, even, permanent residency. Btw - I would say the same about any other religious or ethnic community in Australia. And, I don't care if they were born here.
My problem is that I believe we are too soft and too accommodating especially towards the Muslim community and its current leadership and issues. It really is very simple: Either they integrate, respect and accept their new country’s way of life and values or they to leave and go back to where they came from.
“Apparently, al Hilali is planning a trip to the ME soon. He should be stripped of aussie citizenship...he certainly does not belong here, and neither do his followers.”
I totally agree with that statement. I think by doing so, it may just set an example for others.