Australian National Imams Council Accused of “Unspeakable Corruption”

‘Deception’ in imams’ mufti choice

* The cult of the deceived deceivers:

* Who guessed it? It looks as if Sheik Fehmi is nothing more than El Hilali’s stooge. This picture here is quite telling:

 * Now who’s the boss here?

*  Did you know:  Pamela Bone (who also thought clitoridectomy wasn’t part of Islamic law!) referred to an interview with Sheik Fehmi al-Imam of the Preston Mosque where she asked him about clitoridectomy and he replied:

“You probably don’t need it but women in hot countries do”!!! (Melbourne   Age 21/7/01 p7)

* Hat tip: Australian Islamist Monitor/Natalie O’Brien -The Australian

THE Australian National Imams Council has been accused of allowing “unspeakable corruption” and deception to mar the selection of the spiritual head of the country’s 300,000-strong Muslim community.

The council has been attacked by members who say it broke its own rules in the rush to appoint Fehmi Naji el-Imam the mufti of Australia in June last year.

The allegations are made in a letter sent to the council last year by the Board of Imams in Queensland after Sheik Fehmi was named as successor to Sydney imam Taj Din al-Hilali.

The Queensland imams said they had been told that “during the selection of mufti, very many irregularities and unspeakable corruption took place”. None of the criticism has been directed at Sheik Fehmi personally.

The critics have asked the ANIC to reconvene to elect a new mufti and discuss the council’s future. “Your urgent action in the above matter is urgently required to avoid any further confusion, irregularities, corruption, deception and misunderstanding,” the letter says.

It is understood the council has not replied to the letter nor the Queensland imams’ allegations.

The ANIC is being widely criticised over its silence on issues facing the Muslim community, including the allegations of corruption in its ranks.

Telephone calls and emails to the mufti and the council have all been unanswered.

The ANIC’s public silence has angered some of the nation’s Islamic leaders, who say the council is not fulfilling the duties for which it was established.

The former chairman of John Howard’s Muslim community reference group, Ameer Ali, has said ANIC members had privately admitted they did not want to speak out publicly nor get involved in political issues.

Dr Ali said there had been a lot of criticism of Sheik Fehmi, who is nearing 80 and in ill health.

“If he can’t make a comment on issues, he should give it up,” Dr Ali said. “They need to have a spokesperson to respond to some of the issues.”

The council, the only national organisation of imams and Islamic scholars, was set up in 2006 after a conference involving 250 imams from around Australia.

Sydney imam Ibrahim el-Shafie of the Islamic Charitable Projects Association said yesterday the 2006 conference had agreed the ANIC would act as the representative of the Muslim community and provide the media with information.

The dispute follows the controversy over Sheik Hilali’s comments in a Ramadan sermon in which he likened scantily clad women to uncovered meat.

Hilali: “Imam’s council ‘just a bunch of zero’s”

Sheik Hilali told The Australian yesterday the ANIC was ineffective, and with a few exceptions was “just a bunch of zeros”.

* Don’t you just love it? Whenever he opens his mouth he gives it away…

Patel: blames scrutiny on “ill informed reporting”

Australian Federation of Islamic Councils president Ikebal Patel said the council was functioning and having regular meetings.

“They are available to the Muslim community, and personally I think they should be available to the media,” Mr Patel said.

“There are certainly times when Islam is under intense scrutiny – some of it fuelled by The Australian’s ill-informed reporting - but this should be no reason for the imams’ council not to engage with the community.”

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