Controversial Australian Muslim leader quits

Australia’s top Islamic cleric, who triggered a furore last year when he referred to women without head scarves as “uncovered meat,” stepped down today, prompting Muslim leaders to appoint a new mufti.

Australia’s council of Muslim leaders appointed Sheikh Fehmi Naji El-Imam as the nation’s senior cleric, ending months of controversy over the previous mufti, Sheikh Taj Aldin al-Hilali.

The council initially offered al-Hilali another two-year term in the post but he “gracefully declined,” according to a statement released by the Australian National Imams Council.

“We recognise the great services that Sheikh Taj Aldin al-Hilali has provided over the years and we pray for his good health,” the council said.

The sheikh declined to comment on why he decided to step down.

Rehin Ghauri, a senior Muslim leader from Western Australia state, said moderate Muslims would be glad to leave the friction of al-Hilali’s 18-year tenure behind.

“Al-Hilali is very experienced, but he has caused some problems to the community,” said Ghauri. “I don’t like his personality, I don’t like his style … pulling punches gets you nowhere, you bring controversy instead of friends.”

Last September, al-Hilali sparked outrage in Australia when he blamed scantily clad women for tempting men to rape them, saying, “If you take out uncovered meat and place it outside … and the cats come to eat it … whose fault is it?”

Al-Hilali denied his comments could incite rape and apologised for them, but soon afterward he sparked further anger by saying Muslims have more right to live in Australia than the descendants of convicts.

Those remarks prompted Prime Minister John Howard to urge the national council of imams to fire al-Hilali, saying Muslim leaders were out of touch with the wishes of most Australians.

Muslims are a minority of about 300,000 among Australia’s mostly Christian population of more than 20 million, and relations between the two communities are sometimes tense.