Taking a stand for moderate Islam

Much of the most controversial literature is Wahhabi, including the works of Sheikh Mohammad Ibn Abdul Wahhab, the 18th-century founder of the fundamentalist Wahhabi form of Islam that originated in Saudi Arabia. But Hilaly refuses to blame any particular country for the spread of radical Islamic theology.

The Australian government has expressed its concern regarding the dissemination of literature to Saudi embassy officials, but there is little more it can do short of banning the distribution of such publications.

Hilaly's detractors question his role as spiritual head of the Islamic community.

"We don't have any connection with this so-called Mufti," says Ahmed Shah, the imam of the Doncaster mosque in Melbourne. He disagrees with the choice of the Imams of the Australian Federation of Islamic Councils, who gave Hilaly his honorary title. "How can he guide us if he doesn't speak English when so many of our people are from countries like Turkey, Lebanon, [and] Pakistan," asks Mr. Shah.

Others question the Mufti's methods.

"There are plenty of websites for extremist Islamic thinking. Books on the other hand are very hard to find," says Amir Butler, executive director of the Australian Public Affairs Committee in Melbourne, who sees his main purpose to correct misapprehensions about Islam that appear in the Australian media. "I don't believe that the Mufti is achieving very much."

There are also allegations that the Mufti tailors his message to his audience. On a recent trip to Lebanon in February, he allegedly called for an Islamic revolution and Islamic ideology in Western countries during a sermon. He is even alleged to have said, "September 11 is God's work against oppressors."

Outraged, Australian foreign minister Alexander Downer called the remarks "appalling and provocative."

However, Hilaly's spokesman, Keysar Trad, insists that his words had been taken out of context and changed during the Arabic-to-English translation.

"The Mufti never gave a call to arms or any of the things that the media is saying right now. That's rubbish," he insists.

Despite the kerfuffle that ensued, many Australian leaders remain convinced that Hilaly is someone they can deal with. He has had close relations with the former immigration minister, Philip Ruddock, known for his stern, uncompromising stance, and Hilaly has albums of pictures of meetings with other senior politicians.

Mr. Trad dismisses the rumor that there is a move to replace the Mufti with younger, more hotheaded Muslim leaders in upcoming local community elections.

"The Mufti will stay on as long as he has the support of the Federation," he says.

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