Taj El-Din Hilaly
تاج الدين حامد الهلالي
Hilaly in 2005
Personal
Born
Taj El-Din Hamid Hilaly

(1941-01-17)17 January 1941
El-Sumta, Egypt
Died5 October 2023(2023-10-05) (aged 82)
ReligionIslam
SchoolSunni
Muslim leader
Period in office1992–2007
SuccessorFehmi Naji

Taj El-Din Hamid Hilaly (alternatively spelt Tajeddin Hilaly, Hilali, Al-Hilaly, Taj el-Din al-Hilali, Aldin Alhilali, Tajideen El-Hilaly or Tajeddine;[1] 17 January 1941 – 5 October 2023) was an Egyptian Australian imam of Lakemba Mosque[2] in Sydney and a Sunni Muslim leader in Australia.[3] The Australian Federation of Islamic Councils appointed him Mufti of Australia in 1988. He referred to himself as the Grand Mufti of Australia and New Zealand, although this title was not unanimously endorsed,[1][4] and was also described by some Muslims as honorary,[5] rather than substantial.

Hilary was a controversial figure and made several controversial statements, as well as having promoted Islamic extremism in any occasions. Hilaly spread many antisemitic conspiracy theories during his lifetime, including claims that Western countries are controlled by Israel and claims that the Holocaust was a "Zionist lie". Hilaly was known for his antisemitic, anti-LGBT, anti-Western and Islamic supremacist views, as well as for his misogynistic statements. After a series of controversial statements on social issues, Hilaly retired from this position in June 2007 and was succeeded by Fehmi Naji.[6]

Early life

Born in Egypt, Hilaly arrived in Australia in 1982 on a tourist visa from Lebanon. Although the visa was temporary, it was routinely reissued until 1988 when then Minister for Immigration Chris Hurford attempted to have Hilaly deported for being against "Australian values".[7] The Islamic community showed strong support for Hilaly to remain in Australia,[8] and Hilaly was eventually granted permanent residence in 1990 by Hurford's successor Gerry Hand.[9]

Appointment as Imam

Hilaly served as Imam at Lakemba Mosque, which is run by the Lebanese Muslim Association.[10] However, his wages were paid by "the Libyan Islamic Call Society and private individuals", according to a former vice-president of the LMA.[10]

Criminal charges

In 1999 Hilaly was charged and jailed after being convicted of being involved in smuggling goods from Egypt to Australia, which he denied.[11][12]

In early 2003 Hilaly's vehicle was stopped because an object was protruding from it. After closer inspection, New South Wales Police charged him with driving an unregistered and uninsured vehicle, as well as for his behaviour towards the police officers.[13] This incident led to an attack against police officers by nearby Muslims and widespread condemnation from the public.[14] Although charges of assaulting the police officers, hindering the officers, and resisting arrest were later dropped due to police using invalid evidence to justify their suspicion and subsequent search, Hilaly was fined A$400 for the incident.[15]

Negotiation to free abducted Australian Douglas Wood

In May 2005 Australian contractor Douglas Wood was abducted by a militant group calling itself the Shura Council of the Mujahideen of Iraq. They demanded that the Australian government withdraw its troops from Iraq in exchange for Wood. Twice that month, Hilaly traveled to Iraq to negotiate Wood's release, the second time interrupting treatment for a heart condition and returning, at the explicit request of the Australian government, "to Baghdad to deliver an extraordinary offer to Mr Wood's captors, on their behalf." Hilaly said later, "There was a point where the abductors wanted $25 million. Eventually, we managed to convince them to drop this demand and a figure, in the thousands, was agreed."[16] Hilaly also claimed to have spoken to Douglas Wood via telephone, yet after Douglas Wood was rescued following a raid by the Iraqi army, Wood denied ever having spoken to Hilaly.[17]

2005 Australian Muslim Achievement Award

In July 2005 Hilaly was named "Muslim Man of the Year" for 2005 at the first Australian Muslim Achievement Awards by Mission of Hope (Muslim Community Solutions for Health and Well-being).[18][19]

Controversial statements

1988 speech regarding Jews

Australian Jewish organisations have regularly accused Hilaly of antisemitism, a charge he denied. The charges began in 1988 when Hilaly delivered a lecture to a group of Muslim students at University of Sydney on the topic "The Disposition of Jews in the light of the Qur'an." He was quoted as saying:

The Jews' struggle with humanity is as old as history itself; the present continuing struggle with the Islam nation is a natural continuation of the Jews' enmity towards the human race as a whole. Judaism controls the world by...secret movements as the destructive doctrines and groups, such as communism, libertarianism, Free Masons, Baháʼísm, the Rotary clubs, the nationalistic and racist doctrines. The Jews try to control the world through sex, then sexual perversion, then the promotion of espionage, treason, and economic hoarding.[20][21][22]

Hilaly did not apologise nor retract his comments, in which he accused Jews of "causing all wars."[23]

February 2004 sermon

In February 2004 Hilaly gave a sermon at a mosque in Sidon, Lebanon, whilst overseas the text of which was translated by the Australian Embassy in Beirut. It appeared to show him supporting terrorist attacks. In his sermon, Hilaly said:

Sons of Islam, there is a war of infidels taking place everywhere. The true man is the boy who opposes Israeli tanks with strength and faith. The boy who, despite his mother's objections, goes out to war to become a martyr like his elder brother. The boy who tells his mother: 'Oh mother, don't cry for me if I die. Oh mother, Jihad has been imposed on me and I want to become a martyr'." 11 September is God's work against oppressors. Some of the things that happen in the world cannot be explained; a civilian airplane whose secrets cannot be explained if we ask its pilot who reached his objective without error, who led your steps? Or if we ask the giant that fell, who humiliated you? Or if we ask the President, who made you cry? God is the answer.

— Taj El-Din Hilaly[24]

In his speech, he also predicted that Muslims would control the White House and appeared to support Hezbollah.[24][25] The Australian Federal Police declined to investigate his activities overseas.

2006 Holocaust denial

In July 2006 Hilaly was sacked from Prime Minister of Australia John Howard's Muslim Community Reference Group following comments he made in which he denied the Holocaust, calling it a "Zionist lie". He also referred to Israel as a "cancer". This prompted calls for legal action to be pursued against him in a country which has the highest per-capita number of Holocaust survivors in the world outside Israel.[26]

October 2006 sermon

Comments concerning dress and rape

In October 2006, Hilaly delivered a Ramadan sermon in Arabic in which he made statements concerning female clothing which proved highly controversial. The key part of these was:

If you take out uncovered meat and place it outside on the street, or in the garden or in the park, or in the backyard without a cover, and the cats come and eat it ... whose fault is it, the cats' or the uncovered meat? The uncovered meat is the problem. If she was in her room, in her home, in her hijab, no problem would have occurred.

— Taj El-Din Hilaly[27][28]

Hilaly also said, "in the state of zina, the responsibility falls 90 per cent of the time on the woman. Why? Because she possesses the weapon of enticement (igraa)."[29] Hilaly later claimed that he had intended to suggest that "if a woman who shows herself off, she is to blame...but a man should be able to control himself." He also contended that his references to the prison sentence of Bilal Skaf, the leader of a group of Lebanese Australians who committed gang rapes in Sydney in 2000, in which he said that women would "sway suggestively" before men "and then you get a judge without mercy (rahma) and gives you 65 years", were aimed at illustrating the need for harsh sanctions for rape.[29]

Reactions and responses

Phong Nguyen, chairman of the Ethnic Communities' Council of Victoria, responded by saying, "Cultural diversity and equality between the sexes in Australia means that women are entitled to dress as they choose and should never be judged on their dress choice." He also commented, "The standard of someone's dress should never be used to justify rape, which is a criminal offence."[27]

Pru Goward, Australia's Sex Discrimination Commissioner, responded during a television interview that "It is incitement to a crime. Young Muslim men who now rape women can cite this in court, can quote this man... their leader in court. It's time we stopped just saying he should apologise. It is time the Islamic community did more than say they were horrified. I think it is time he left."[30]

Keysar Trad, a spokesman for Hilaly, told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, "From my discussions with him, the issue was not whether they wear a hijab or don't wear a hijab. The issue is that every society has a certain dress code, a normal dress code that people go by. So if somebody goes beyond that dress code, if men or women get to the stage where they dress in a manner that is provocative then these people are doing something wrong. He was not talking about rape."[31]

After such comments were made publicly, on 26 October 2006 Hilaly released a statement. He said, "I unreservedly apologise to any woman who is offended by my comments. I had only intended to protect women's honour, something lost in The Australian presentation of my talk."[32]

The Australian National Imams Council was formed in 2006 during a meeting of more than 80 Imams which had gathered to discuss the crisis created by comments made by Taj El-Din Hilaly.[33][34]

Bikini march

In late 2006 Melbourne resident Christine Hawkins organised a bikini rally, in which women were to wear beach clothing and march on Lakemba Mosque and the Islamic Information and Support Centre in Brunswick, Melbourne, to voice their "disgust" at Hilaly's comments.[35][36][37] Ultimately, organisers claimed that public reports critical of the demonstration and personal attacks caused them to abandon the event.[38]

January 2007 television comments

On 8 January 2007, Hilaly appeared on an Egyptian television program. He made a number of comments that sparked criticism in Australia, including the following:

  • British and Irish settlers arrived in Australia as convicts. Muslims paid for their own tickets, and so have more right to Australia
  • Western people, especially the English race, are the biggest liars and oppressors.

Hilaly also condemned the level of rights awarded to homosexuals in Australia, stating "We have Christian churches which allow people of the same gender to marry" and "I understand the mentality of the West and especially the Australian mentality and I understand that the Australian law guarantees freedoms to the point of insanity."[39][40]

Proposed political movement

Following his comments on social and legal issues and in the lead-up to the 2007 Federal election, Hilaly proposed to form a political party to represent Islamic interests in the national Parliament. The party was to have been supported by the political committee of Muslim community elders, also created by Hilaly. The suggested motto was: "With you, from and for you".[41] A party manifesto had originally been drafted in 2001 but the idea was abandoned in the wake of the 11 September terrorist attacks.[42] Hilaly indicated he would register the party with several thousand members by late 2007.[43]

The proposed new party was immediately criticised. Opposition leader Kevin Rudd was quoted as saying "Australians will never vote for a man who denigrates women, defends gang rapists and makes statements when he is in the Middle East denouncing Australia and Australians." Prime Minister John Howard commented "It would be unwise because it would heighten the belief of some in the community that islamic Australians are opposed to integration."[41][42]

The concept of the Party was abandoned once again in June 2007 when Hilaly retired from his role as Mufti.[44][45]

Allegations surfaced that Hilaly was diverting relief funds intended for the victims of the Israel-Lebanon war to Lebanese Shiite militant group Hezbollah, the military wing of which is classified as a terrorist organisation by the Australian Government. On 10 May 2007 the Australian Federal Police cleared Hilaly of diverting charitable funds to Hezbollah.[46]

Retirement and death

The Council of Islamic Jurisprudence and Research reappointed Hilaly as Grand Mufti on 10 June 2007; however, he declined the position, thereby ending his term in office.[44][45]

Hilaly died in Egypt on 5 October 2023, at age 82.[47]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 Toni Hassan ABC Radio, The Religion Report (transcript)Keysar Trad on an alternative Australian Muslim leadership Archived 24 November 2005 at the Wayback Machine 20 October 2004, retrieved 16 January 2007
  2. ↑ The Lebanese Moslems Association: Sheikhs retrieved 26 January 2007 Archived 25 January 2007 at the Wayback Machine
  3. ↑ Kerbaj, Richard. "Islam's secular stoush. 6 April 2006". Archived from the original on 7 April 2006. Retrieved 1 June 2016. retrieved 28 January 2007
  4. ↑ Geraldine Doogue ABC Radio Sunday Profile (transcript)Sheik Al-Hilaly Archived 9 April 2006 at the Wayback Machine Sunday, 7 March 2004, retrieved 16 January 2007
  5. ↑ Walsh and Berry, Kerry-Anne and Sean (7 March 2004). "Plea for a little understanding". The Sydney Morning Herald. retrieved 16 January 2007
  6. ↑ Bin Laden backer blasted The Daily Telegraph
  7. ↑ Cassidy, Barrie (29 June 2003). "Former minister outlines reservations over sheik". abc.net.au. Archived from the original on 18 May 2006. Retrieved 29 October 2022.
  8. ↑ John Stewart Imam's arrest adds to tensions. 07/01/2003 Archived 22 February 2008 at the Wayback Machine retrieved 29 January 2007
  9. ↑ Henderson, Gerard (9 March 2004). "Think murder and then call it poetry". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 29 October 2022.
  10. 1 2 Irfan Yusuf Islam and Australia: Hilali Has to Go. Wednesday 1 November 2006 Archived 27 September 2007 at the Wayback Machine retrieved 27 January 2007
  11. ↑ Islamic Council of Victoria Islamic Council of Victoria: History: After the Second World War© Copyright ICV 2002Archived 1 December 2002 at the Wayback Machine retrieved 29 January 2007
  12. ↑ "'Beacon of light': Former grand mufti of Australia Sheikh Taj El-Din Hilali dies aged 82". SBS News. Retrieved 13 October 2023.
  13. ↑ Jo Mazzocchi, ABC Radio Sheik Taj el-Din Al Hilaly Facing Summons. Tuesday, 7 January 2003 retrieved 29 January 2007
  14. ↑ John Stewart, ABC Radio Imam's arrest adds to tensions. 07/01/2003 Archived 22 February 2008 at the Wayback Machine retrieved 29 January 2007
  15. ↑ Linda Morris, Sydney Morning Herald Muslim leader's arrest ordeal put to rest. 5 August 2003 retrieved 29 January 2007
  16. ↑ "I stopped execution of Douglas Wood: mufti". The Sydney Morning Herald. 19 June 2005. Retrieved 29 October 2022.
  17. ↑ "Wood 'negotiations' led to ransom hopes". abc.net.au. 3 July 2005. Archived from the original on 31 July 2005..
  18. ↑ MoH(2005) Mission of Hope Awards Finalists 2005.
  19. ↑ Crescents Community News(2005) CCN Sunday,17 July 2005, Newsletter 0036.
  20. ↑ "Immigration mistakes return to haunt us". 31 October 2006.
  21. ↑ Home Archived 1 December 2005 at the Wayback Machine
  22. ↑ Confronting Reality: Anti-Semitism in Australia Today – Jeremy Jones
  23. ↑ The Religion Report: 28 September 2005 – Full Transcript Archived 28 May 2006 at the Wayback Machine
  24. 1 2 Taj El-Din Hilaly (13 February 2004). "Sheikh Hilaly Sermon at Sidon Mosque". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Archived from the original on 14 September 2007. Retrieved 21 August 2007.
  25. ↑ "11 September is God's work: Mufti". The Sydney Morning Herald. 29 February 2004.
  26. ↑ Call for legal action over mufti's Holocaust denial (July 21, 2006) Archived 5 December 2008 at the Wayback Machine
  27. 1 2 "Ethnic leaders condemn Muslim cleric". The Age. 26 October 2006. Retrieved 29 October 2022.
  28. ↑ "Read Sheik Hilaly's comments". Special Broadcasting Service. 28 October 2006. Archived from the original on 27 September 2007. Retrieved 21 August 2007.
  29. 1 2 Kerbaj, Richard (26 October 2006). "Muslim leader blames women for sex attacks". The Australian. Archived from the original on 26 October 2006. Retrieved 26 October 2006.
  30. ↑ "Deport rape comment cleric, says Goward". The Age. 26 October 2006. Retrieved 29 October 2022.
  31. ↑ "Mufti was not talking about rape: associate". The Australian. 26 October 2006. Archived from the original on 19 February 2008.
  32. ↑ "Sheik apologises for sexist comments". The Age. 26 October 2006. Retrieved 29 October 2022.
  33. ↑ Duffy, Conor (28 October 2006). "Reclaim the Streets rally protests Hilali comments". ABC.
  34. ↑ Rane, Halim; Ewart, Jacqui; Abdalla, Mohamad (2010). Islam and the Australian News Media. Carlton, Vic.: Melbourne University Press. p. 46. ISBN 978-0522856408. OCLC 864823300.
  35. ↑ The Australian Hawkins is the mother of Wikileaks founder Julian Assange, who helped her to design and publicize the website for the event. http://www.themonthly.com.au/julian-assange-cypherpunk-revolutionary-robert-manne-3081 Opinion: Youthful ignorance: No one is served by covering up Islamic outrages Archived 27 May 2007 at the Wayback Machine, 7 December 2006
  36. ↑ Taghred Chandab and Matthew Benns, Mosque to get police protection, Sydney Morning Herald, 3 December 2006
  37. ↑ Sabra Lane, ABC television (transcript), Women protest Sheikh's comments with bikini march, 27 November 2006
  38. ↑ Great Australian Bikini March off, Herald Sun, 12 December 2006
  39. ↑ Kerbaj, Richard (12 January 2007) Hilali ridicules nation of convicts The Australian. retrieved 29 January 2015
  40. ↑ Leys, Nick (13 January 2007) On air with the foot-in-mouth mufti The Australian ?
  41. 1 2 McIlveen, Luke; Yamine, Evelyn (13 March 2007). "Poll Sheikh-Up – Mufti: It's time for an Islamic 'Peace' Party". The Daily Telegraph (Sydney). pp. Page 1.
  42. 1 2 Yamine, Evelyn (14 March 2007). "Rudd is scared of Islam: Sheik". The Daily Telegraph (Sydney). pp. Page 2. Archived from the original on 4 September 2007.
  43. ↑ Yamine, Evelyn; Rolfe, John (12 March 2007). "Giving politics a Sheik". The Daily Telegraph (Sydney).
  44. 1 2 "Controversial sheik steps down". The Sydney Morning Herald. 10 June 2007. Retrieved 29 October 2022.
  45. 1 2 Mufti Sheikh Hilaly's tenure coming to an end
  46. ↑ "AFP clears Al Hilali of funding Hezbollah". ABC. 10 May 2007. Archived from the original on 18 May 2007. Retrieved 21 August 2007. An Australian Federal Police (AFP) investigation has cleared the Sydney Muslim cleric, Sheikh Taj el-Din Al Hilali, of diverting charitable funds to the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah.
  47. ↑ "Australia's most prominent Islamic cleric, and the Mufti of Australia, has passed away at 82 years". Global Village Space. 5 October 2023. Retrieved 5 October 2023.
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