Australia: Islamic Hate Preacher calls on followers to “take up arms” against enemies of Allah

Our government hates us. The ruling clown gallery in Canberra is derelict in their duty to protect.

Melbourne preacher Abu Ahmad calls to ‘take up arms’ against enemies as scrutiny returns to extremist rhetoric

A Melbourne Islamic preacher with links to a Sydney prayer centre associated with the alleged Bondi gunmen has called on followers to “take up arms” against enemies of Allah. 

Each & every one of these creatures is a killer zombie in waiting. And each & every politclown in this country who is not standing up fighting against them is a traitor, a sellout and an enemy.

Abu Ahmad, a preacher associated with the Al Bayyinah Islamic Centre in Springvale, made the remarks during a sermon delivered in July. 

The comments have renewed scrutiny of extremist rhetoric months after Parliament passed strengthened hate laws in response to the Bondi terror attack. 

Continued below the fold.

THE BONDI ISLAMIC JIHAD MASS MURDER TERROR

This is how the Chief Rabbi of South Africa Warren Goldstein describes what happened at Bondi Beach.

He condemns the Australian government and connects the Bondi jihad to a worldwide pattern. Also explains the spiritual issues.

No one… pic.twitter.com/Yb0nFiSeo2

— Australian Jewish Association (@AustralianJA) December 15, 2025

You gotta give it to @MehreenFaruqi, she’s certainly got some neck. She’s spent the last two and a half years advocating for a mob of murderous Hamastinian rapists, wearing their Khafiya in Parliament, and calling for the extermination of the world’s only Jewish state. She’s… pic.twitter.com/3mJMiusWFW

— Fusilier (@firstfusilier) March 12, 2026

Abu Ahmad has previously visited a Sydney prayer centre associated with preacher Wissam Haddad.

It was also reportedly attended by alleged Bondi gunman Naveed Akram. 

“For the sake of Allah, it includes the obligation to declare enmity for his sake, opposition for the sake of Allah. It is to declare opposition: indeed, to take up arms against his enemies, to shun them and to stay far from them both in word and deed,” Abu Ahmad said in a clip posted to the Al Bayyinah Islamic Centre’s social media. 

“This proves that simple opposition of the spirit is not enough and that it must be complete by honouring of your commitment.” 

Abu Ahmad also told followers not to “take the Jews and the Christians for friends”. 

The Al Bayyinah Islamic Centre was established in Springvale in Melbourne’s south-east in 2024. 

The centre has received support from Mr Haddad, a Sydney-based preacher linked to the Al Madina Dawah Centre in Bankstown. 

Naveed Akram reportedly attended the Bankstown centre and formed connections with Islamic State supporters through people he met there. 

Akram and his father Sajid are alleged to have killed 15 people at a Chanukah event at Bondi Beach in December. 

There is no suggestion Abu Ahmad is under investigation or that he supports Islamic State. 

Abu Ahmad made further comments about enemies of Islam during the July sermon. 

He described opposition for the sake of Allah as “to feel anger at the enemies of Allah and to struggle against them”. 

The preacher also referred to a book known for promoting antisemitic conspiracy theories. 

“If the aim of the enemies of Islam, whether they are atheists or Jews or Christians or modernists or Zionists or communists, is the emasculation of … Muslims, and the erosion of their unique character in order to make them the ass of the chosen people … then the urgency of this issue should become clear to every Muslim,” he said. 

Abu Ahmad reportedly visited the Al Madina Dawah Centre in early 2025.

There, he delivered a sermon criticising “infidel” Western powers over the colonisation of the Middle East. 

An ABC Four Corners investigation last year also reported links between Mr Haddad and the Melbourne centre. 

“Haddad rapidly expanded Al Madinah Dawah Centre, turbocharged his online influence, and re-energised a national pro-IS network, which now includes an affiliated prayer centre in Melbourne, Al Bayyinah Islamic Centre,” the ABC reported in April 2025. 

Deakin University associate professor Josh Roose, who researches extremism, described the Melbourne centre as an “outpost” established by Mr Haddad. 

“If authorities don’t crack down on these centres as soon as they emerge, then we’re inviting, quite frankly, extremists, Salafists, jihadist Islam, into the suburbs,” Associate Professor Roose told the Sydney Morning Herald. 

“This is the problem with the hate speech laws as they are. Calling to take up arms is more radical than anything Hizb ut-Tahrir ever said, and they were banned.” 

Hizb ut-Tahrir was formally listed as a prohibited hate group in March under legislation passed by Parliament in January. 

The laws strengthened existing Commonwealth offences covering the advocacy or threat of violence.

It also introduced tougher penalties for religious or spiritual leaders who commit those offences. 

The Albanese government had initially proposed going further by creating a federal racial vilification offence targeting the incitement of racial hatred. 

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese abandoned that element after it failed to secure sufficient parliamentary support amid concerns about its potential impact on freedom of speech. 

The remaining hate legislation passed with Liberal support, while the Nationals and Greens opposed it. 

Associate Professor Roose said existing laws could make it difficult to prosecute generalised rhetoric unless it crossed the required legal threshold. 

He said Abu Ahmad could argue a reference to taking up arms was general or colloquial rather than a specific call for violence. 

The comments come as security agencies continue to warn about the threat posed by violent extremism in Australia. 

Earlier this month ASIO boss Mike Burgess warned Iran could seek to kill prominent Jewish Australians on Australian soil.   

“I wouldn’t rule out the possibility that Iran will want to kill prominent Jewish Australians,” Mr Burgess said on the Mitchell Unlimited Podcast.  

“So again, no immediate threat that we’re investigating, but we do have that concern.  

“And it’s not because of Australia; it’s because of their hatred of Jews.”