Australian National Imams Council
| Formation | November 14, 2006 |
|---|---|
| Registration no. | (ABN) 66 122 669 318 |
| Purpose | To unite the Imams of Australia under one umbrella body |
| Headquarters | Lakemba, New South Wales |
| Coordinates | 33°55′21″S 151°04′43″E / 33.922514°S 151.078617°ECoordinates: 33°55′21″S 151°04′43″E / 33.922514°S 151.078617°E |
|
Area served
|
Australia |
| Products | ANIC Halal Authority |
|
Membership
|
95 Imams |
|
President
|
Shady Alsuleiman |
| Affiliations | Sunni based |
| Website | www |
The Australian National Imams Council (ANIC) was formed in 2006 during a meeting of more than 80 Sunni imams which had gathered to discuss the crisis created by comments made by Taj El-Din Hilaly. In 2011, they requested that the Darulfatwa-supported Muslim Community Radio Incorporated not have its licence renewed due to ties with Al-Ahbash and because of its promotion of "sectarian fringe views".
The ANIC elects the Grand Mufti of Australia. The current Grand Mufti is Dr. Ibrahim Abu Mohamed, who on a 2012 visit to the Gaza Strip, where he met Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, told local news agencies, "I am pleased to stand on the land of jihad to learn from its sons".
The ANIC has called for the offence of "advocating terrorism" to be removed from the "Foreign Fighters Bill", currently before the Australian Parliament, saying a cleric could fall foul of the law if he simply "advocated the duty of a Muslim to defend his land" or referred to stories in the Quran, Bible and Torah in his sermons.
In February 2015 the Grand Mufti said the Australian Government should not ban Hizb ut-Tahrir, saying the group is "actually pro-freedom of speech". The Prime Minister responded by saying the comments were "unhelpful".
In 2016, Sheikh Shady Alsuleiman, who has criticised homosexuals, supported the mujahideen, been cited as supporting the stoning of adulterers, was elected president of ANIC. Australia's Grand Mufti, Ibrahim Abu Mohamed has defended Alsuleiman, saying Islam has a, "longstanding" position on homosexuality" which "no person can ever change". He said that any attempt to call out its teachings could lead to radicalisation.
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Wikipedia