Evidently they did this in response to the new allegations that he gave charity money to Al-Qaeda and Hizballah. Enterprising Australian reporters ought to be asking now if those who fired him reject his Islamic supremacist views, or just favor a slower, less controversial, lower-profile route to dominance.
“Sheik up as mufti axed and role is abolished,” by Taghred Chandab for the Sydney Morning Herald, with thanks to David:
CONTROVERSIAL Muslim leader Sheik Taj el-Din al Hilaly has been sacked by the peak Islamic body and the role of mufti has been abolished.
The Australian Federation of Islamic Councils (AFIC), which employed the mufti for more than 15 years, has severed all ties with him.
But the sheik has retaliated by registering the title of mufti for himself and has vowed to carry on speaking on behalf of the Muslim community – even though no organisation wants him to represent them.
The move comes as the Australian Federal Police widens its probe into allegations that the sheik gave charity funds to supporters of the al-Qaeda and Hezbollah terrorist groups.
The Egyptian-born imam had been plagued by problems throughout his term as mufti. During a Ramadan sermon last year he likened scantily-clad women to uncovered meat, and earlier this year he said Muslims had more right to be in Australia than Europeans.
AFIC president Ikebal Patel said the organisation had stopped paying the sheik’s salary and had no intention of keeping him on as mufti. He also said the organisation owned the title of mufti.
AFIC’s decision comes as the Australian National Imams Council (ANIC) decided to make the role of mufti redundant and create a group of imams, the Australian Council of Jurisprudence and Research, to deal with community issues. A chairman or president would be selected to act as spokesman.
ANIC spokesman Mohamad Abdalla said Sheik al Hilaly would not be the mufti once his three-month grace period ended. He said 39 of the 50 clerics who attended the ANIC conference last month voted against reappointing him.
“Muslims don’t want al Hilaly as mufti,” Dr Abdalla said.
“The Turkish community, for example, does not recognise him as their leader. Having one person lead the community is problematic.”
In what way?