Islamic Organisations In Australia
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Islamic organisations in Australia include a wide range of groups and associations run and supported by the Islamic community in Australia. Organisations include major community councils, local organisations, mosques and schools. Most Australian Muslims are
Sunni Sunni Islam is the largest branch of Islam and the largest religious denomination in the world. It holds that Muhammad did not appoint any successor and that his closest companion Abu Bakr () rightfully succeeded him as the caliph of the Mu ...
but there is also a
Shia Shia Islam is the second-largest branch of Islam. It holds that Muhammad designated Ali ibn Abi Talib () as both his political successor (caliph) and as the spiritual leader of the Muslim community (imam). However, his right is understood ...
minority. There is also a minority
Ahmadiyya Ahmadiyya, officially the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama'at (AMJ), is an Islamic messianic movement originating in British India in the late 19th century. It was founded by Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (1835–1908), who said he had been divinely appointed a ...
community.


Major organisations

* Australian Federation of Islamic Councils - The Australian Federation of Islamic Councils (AFIC) (also known as Muslims Australia) was founded in 1964 as an umbrella group for various Islamic groups and councils, and is Australia's most important Islamic organisation. The AFIC sees its role to represent Islam and Muslims of Australia to the Australian government and other bodies nationally and internationally. AFIC coordinates and provides resources for activities of its State Islamic Councils and member Islamic societies. * Australian National Imams Council - The Australian National Imams Council (ANIC) was formed in 2006 during a meeting of more than 80
imam Imam (; , '; : , ') is an Islamic leadership position. For Sunni Islam, Sunni Muslims, Imam is most commonly used as the title of a prayer leader of a mosque. In this context, imams may lead Salah, Islamic prayers, serve as community leaders, ...
s which had gathered to discuss the crisis created by comments made by
Taj El-Din Hilaly Taj El-Din Hamid Hilaly (alternatively spelt Tajeddin Hilaly, Hilali, Al-Hilaly, Taj el-Din al-Hilali, Aldin Alhilali, Tajideen El-Hilaly or Tajeddine;Toni Hassan ABC Radio, The Religion Report (transcripKeysar Trad on an alternative Australian ...
. ANIC appoints the Grand Mufti of Australia. * Darulfatwa – Islamic High Council of Australia - Darulfatwa - Islamic High Council of Australia was established in 2004 as an, "independent and moderate, symbol of hope for Australian Sunni Muslims". It is also known as Darul-Fatwa and provides
fatwa A fatwa (; ; ; ) is a legal ruling on a point of Islamic law (sharia) given by a qualified Islamic jurist ('' faqih'') in response to a question posed by a private individual, judge or government. A jurist issuing fatwas is called a ''mufti'', ...
s. It is based in
Bankstown Bankstown is a suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. It is located 19 kilometres south-west of the Sydney central business district and is part of the Canterbury-Bankstown region. Bankstown is the administrative centre ...
,
Sydney Sydney is the capital city of the States and territories of Australia, state of New South Wales and the List of cities in Australia by population, most populous city in Australia. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Syd ...
. * Lebanese Muslim Association - The
Lebanese Muslim Association The Lebanese Muslim Association (LMA) is an Australian non-profit welfare Sunni Muslim organisation based in Lakemba, New South Wales, Lakemba, a south-western suburb of Sydney. It is also variously cited as the Lebanese "Moslem", "Moslems" or ...
is an Australian non-profit welfare organisation based in Lakemba, a south-western suburb of Sydney. The Association was founded in the early 1960s as a community project to service the social, religious, recreational and educational needs of local Muslims. The group operates the Lakemba Mosque which has 5,000 members.


Minor groups and associations

* Crescents of Brisbane - Crescents of Brisbane was formed in 2004 as a community-based organisation promoting healthy lifestyle through sport, entertainment, education and culture, among the Muslim community in Queensland. They publish an e-newsletter on their website called "''Crescent Community News''" every Friday/Saturday that includes general news about the Muslim community, as well as local events and activities. * Islamic Community Milli Görüş Australia - Islamic Community Milli Görüş Australia (ICMG) is an Islamic community which comprehensively organises the religious lives of Muslims. The ICMG not only aims at maintaining the Islamic teachings, proclaiming the Islamic creed and communicating religious duties resulting from that proclamation. Other than that the ICMG addresses all issues regarding Muslims while at the same time representing their interests. It is the goal of the ICMG to improve the living circumstances of Muslims as well as to provide for their fundamental rights. * Islamic Friendship Association of Australia - The Islamic Friendship Association of Australia (IFAA) is an organisation founded by Keysar Trad, a former director of the
Lebanese Muslim Association The Lebanese Muslim Association (LMA) is an Australian non-profit welfare Sunni Muslim organisation based in Lakemba, New South Wales, Lakemba, a south-western suburb of Sydney. It is also variously cited as the Lebanese "Moslem", "Moslems" or ...
.Jakubowicz, Andrew
''Political Islam and the future of Australian multiculturalism''
Accessed 30 August 2014.
* Islamic Information and Services Network of Australasia - The Islamic Information and Services Network of Australasia (IISNA) is an independent Islamic organisation based in Broadmeadows,
Melbourne Melbourne ( , ; Boonwurrung language, Boonwurrung/ or ) is the List of Australian capital cities, capital and List of cities in Australia by population, most populous city of the States and territories of Australia, Australian state of Victori ...
. * Islamic Museum of Australia - The
Islamic Museum of Australia The Islamic Museum of Australia (IMA) is a community museum in Thornbury, Victoria, Thornbury, Melbourne, Australia. It began as a not-for-profit foundation founded in May 2010 with the purpose of establishing the first Islamic museum in Aus ...
(IMA) is a
not-for-profit A not-for-profit or non-for-profit organization (NFPO) is a Legal Entity, legal entity that does not distribute surplus funds to its members and is formed to fulfill specific objectives. While not-for-profit organizations and Nonprofit organ ...
foundation noted for establishing the first Islamic Museum in Australia. The museum showcases the artistic heritage and historical contributions of Australian Muslims and those from abroad through the display of artwork and historical artefacts. * Islamic Research and Educational Academy - The Islamic Research and Educational Academy (IREA) is an Islamic
dawah ' (, , "invitation", also spelt , , , or ) is the act of inviting people to Islam. The plural is () or (). Preachers who engage in dawah are known as da'i. Etymology literally means "issuing a summons" or "making an invitation". Gramma ...
organisation based in
Hoppers Crossing Hoppers Crossing is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, south-west of Melbourne's Melbourne central business district, central business district, located within the City of Wyndham Local government areas of Victoria, local government ar ...
,
Melbourne Melbourne ( , ; Boonwurrung language, Boonwurrung/ or ) is the List of Australian capital cities, capital and List of cities in Australia by population, most populous city of the States and territories of Australia, Australian state of Victori ...
. * Islamic Women's Welfare Council - The Islamic Women's Welfare Council of Victoria (IWWC) is a community welfare organisation supporting Islamic women in Victoria. Founded in 1991, the group's director is Joumanah El Matrah. In 2011, the group was renamed to the Australian Muslim Women's Centre for Human Rights (AMWCHR). * Muslim Aid Australia - Muslim Aid Australia (MAA) is as an Australian-based relief organisation whose main work is humanitarian relief in Muslim countries. Founded in 1989, the organisation is a branch of Muslim Aid UK. The group has raised funds from Australians for the purpose of assisting victims of the 2004 tsunami in South East Asia. The group has been criticised for not providing enough transparency in how funds were distributed. * Muslim Business Network - The Muslim Business Network (MBN) was established in 2006 with the aim of creating a network for Muslim businesspersons and to advance the business interests of Muslims. The group's presidents include Farouk Adam and Mahomed Khatree. * Muslim Community Reference Group - The
Muslim Community Reference Group The Muslim Community Reference Group (MCRG) was an advisory body to the Australian federal government, set up by the Howard government, from mid-2005 to mid-2006. The board served to provide the federal government with proposals on strategies and p ...
was an advisory body to the Australian federal government, set up by the Howard Government, from mid-2005 to mid-2006. * Muslim Women's Association - The Muslim Women's Association (MWA) was formed in 1983. The executive director is Maha Abdo. The group's president is Joumana Harris. The group initially included many women activists from Lebanon but women from Turkey, Singapore, Egypt and other Muslim countries participated as well. The group received support of the Sheik Taj El Din Hilaly. The group supports women who suffer domestic violence or other forms of abuse at home. The MWA has also established child care centres in local communities. The group supports the Islamic women's magazine ''Reflections''. According to the group's 2013 annual report, the yearly budget for the organisation is approximately $950,000 (AUD). * Muslim Women's National Network Australia - The Muslim Women's National Network Australia (MWNNA) is a Sydney-based association representing a network of progressive Muslim women's organisations and individual Muslim women. MWNNA runs events and projects for Muslim women across all ethnic backgrounds, and represents their views to media and government organisations. It was founded in 1990 by Aziza Abdel-Halim AM, and Zubeda Raihman is the current President. * National Zakat Foundation - The National Zakat Foundation is one of a number of Australian Islamic organisations established to distribute
Zakat Zakat (or Zakāh زكاة) is one of the Five Pillars of Islam. Zakat is the Arabic word for "Giving to Charity" or "Giving to the Needy". Zakat is a form of almsgiving, often collected by the Muslim Ummah. It is considered in Islam a relig ...
to each of the eight categories of needy Muslims.


Mosques

A listing of the 384 Australian Mosques,
Masjid A mosque ( ), also called a masjid ( ), is a place of worship for Muslims. The term usually refers to a covered building, but can be any place where Islamic prayers are performed; such as an outdoor courtyard. Originally, mosques were simple p ...
s and
Musallah A musalla () is a space apart from a mosque, mainly used for prayer in Islam. The word is derived from the verb (''ṣallā''), meaning "to pray". It is traditionally used for twice-yearly Eid prayers (''Eid al-Fitr, ʿĪd al-Fiṭr'' and '' ...
s is maintained by ''Islamiaonline''.


Media

* Australasian Muslim Times - The ''Australasian Muslim Times'' is a Sunni-based community newspaper presenting news and views using multimedia technologies. * Muslim Community Radio - The ''Muslim Community Radio'' ( 2MFM) is a community radio station based in
Chester Hill Chester Hill is a suburb of Sydney, located 25 kilometres west of the Sydney central business district, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Chester Hill is mostly in the City of Canterbury-Bankstown, with a minor part in the northeast in ...
,
Sydney Sydney is the capital city of the States and territories of Australia, state of New South Wales and the List of cities in Australia by population, most populous city in Australia. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Syd ...
. It is co-located with Darulfatwa - Islamic High Council of Australia and Salamah College. * OnePath Network - ''OnePath Network'' was established in 2015, "to counter the mainstream media's treatment of Islam in Australia". It is a Sunni-based.


Schools

Islamic schools in Australia are predominantly located in New South Wales and Victoria.


Radical Islamic groups

A number of Australians, from these organisations, have been identified as radicalising youth which in some instances has in resulted in people joining
ISIS Isis was a major goddess in ancient Egyptian religion whose worship spread throughout the Greco-Roman world. Isis was first mentioned in the Old Kingdom () as one of the main characters of the Osiris myth, in which she resurrects her sla ...
. * Ahlus Sunnah Wal Jamaah Association - The Ahlus Sunnah Wal Jamaah Association of Australia (ASWJA) was founded by Melbourne sheik Mohammed Omran. Ahlus Sunnah Wal Jamaah is a generic term referring to
Sunni Islam Sunni Islam is the largest Islamic schools and branches, branch of Islam and the largest religious denomination in the world. It holds that Muhammad did not appoint any Succession to Muhammad, successor and that his closest companion Abu Bakr ...
. Those who adopt it as organisational name, do so as adherents of the
Wahabi Wahhabism is an exonym for a Salafi revivalist movement within Sunni Islam named after the 18th-century Hanbali scholar Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab. It was initially established in the central Arabian region of Najd and later spread to other p ...
movement. * Global Islamic Youth Centre - The Global Islamic Youth Centre is an organisation founded by Feiz Mohammad in
Liverpool Liverpool is a port City status in the United Kingdom, city and metropolitan borough in Merseyside, England. It is situated on the eastern side of the River Mersey, Mersey Estuary, near the Irish Sea, north-west of London. With a population ...
, Sydney. It is linked to the ASWJA. Local residents have opposed the group on the premise that it would seek to spread a fundamentalist form of Islam. Opposition education spokesman Andrew Stoner said the NSW government must closely watch the school and what it may teach, to ensure that it would not teach the "extremist views" and "messages of hate" to young school children. * Hizb ut-Tahrir - The
Hizb ut-Tahrir Hizb ut-Tahrir (HT; ) is an international pan-Islamist and Islamic fundamentalist political organization whose stated aim is the re-establishment of the Islamic caliphate to unite the Muslim community (called ''ummah'') and implement sharia glo ...
is a radical Muslim group operating in Australia. The group adheres to a form of
Islamic fundamentalism Islamic fundamentalism has been defined as a revivalist and reform movement of Muslims who aim to return to the founding scriptures of Islam. The term has been used interchangeably with similar terms such as Islamism, Islamic revivalism, Qut ...
and has been reported calling for Australian Muslims to reject democracy and not to co-operate with Australian law enforcement officers. A speaker associated with the group was criticised for his views on honour killings, leading to a cancellation of one of his talks. An Australian Hizb ut-Tahrir spokesman has, "threatened to make Jews pay with blood". The group has come under scrutiny of the Australian government although no legal action has been taken against it. Columnist,
Janet Albrechtsen Janet Kim Albrechtsen (born 23 September 1966) is an Australian opinion columnist with ''The Australian.'' From 2005 until 2010, she was a member of the board of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, Australia's public broadcaster. Early lif ...
says, "the young men from Hizb ut-Tahrir are a slippery bunch. They dance around our laws. So let's expose, debate, confront every one of their utterances instead of ignoring them". * Islamic Youth Movement - The Islamic Youth Movement is an offshoot group of the ASWJA. The group was raided by the ASIO following 11 September 2001. The group runs the Sydney-based online publication of Nida'ul Islam, "The Call of Islam." The publication is noted for releasing a number of interviews with persons associated with Islamic terror groups, including al-Qaeda leader,
Osama bin Laden Osama bin Laden (10 March 19572 May 2011) was a militant leader who was the founder and first general emir of al-Qaeda. Ideologically a pan-Islamist, Bin Laden participated in the Afghan ''mujahideen'' against the Soviet Union, and support ...
. The group's publication has been criticised for publishing inflammatory material condemning the West, Christianity and Judaism.


Islamic militant groups

A number of small Islamic militant groups have existed in Australia since the 2000s, these groups were believed to have either plotted or carried out acts of terror in Australia. * "Ahmed Y" group - An Algerian man, known as "Ahmed Y," arrived in Australia in the late 1980s. Ahmed established a small militant group in Australia in 2001 and supported the idea of establishing an Islamic State in Australia and the use of violence against Australians.Bendle, Mervyn F. "Secret Saudi funding of radical Islamic groups in Australia." National Observer 72 (2007): 7. * Benbrika group (Melbourne) - A group led by Algerian cleric
Abdul Nacer Benbrika Abdul Nacer Benbrika () (born in Algeria ), also known as Abu Bakr (Arabic: أبو بكر), is a convicted criminal, who served a custodial sentence of fifteen years, with a non-parole period of twelve years, for intentionally being the leader ...
in Melbourne was active until Australian police arrested its members in 2005. * Cheikho group (Sydney) - A group led by Khaled Cheikho was active in Sydney until the Australian police arrested its members in 2005 under Operation Pendennis. * Lashkar-e-Taiba - The
Lashkar-e-Taiba Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) is a Pakistani Islamism, Islamist militant organization driven by a Salafi jihadism, Salafi jihadist ideology. The organisation's primary stated objective is to merge the whole of Kashmir with Pakistan. It was founded in 19 ...
, a proscribed terrorist organisation operating in India and Pakistan, set up a terror cell in Australia.Shandon Harris-Hogan. "The Australian Neojihadist network: Origins, evolution and structure." ''Dynamics of Asymmetric Conflict'', Volume 5, Issue 1. Global Terrorism Research Centre. Monash University. Victoria: Australia. (2012): pp. 18- 30.Koschade, Stuart Andrew. "The internal dynamics of terrorist cells: a social network analysis of terrorist cells in an Australian context." (2007). French convert to Islam, Willie Brigitte, accused of planning an attack in Australia, was trained by Lashkar-e-taiba. * Mantiqi 4 (Jemaah Islamiah) - A short-lived terror cell, known as Mantiqi 4, existed in Australia for several years. The group was sponsored by
Jemaah Islamiah Jemaah Islamiyah (, ''al-Jamāʿah al-Islāmiyyah'', meaning "Islamic Congregation", frequently abbreviated JI) was a Southeast Asian Islamist militant group based in Indonesia, which was dedicated to the establishment of an Islamic state in ...
(JI), a terrorist group known for their attacks in Indonesia, and was established by Abdul Rahim Ayub, a member of Jemaah Islamiah.NATALIE O'BRIEN
"Mother of militant Islam's dark past."
''THE AUSTRALIAN''. 21 July 2007.
David Martin Jones, ''Sacred Violence: Political Religion in a Secular Age'', Palgrave Macmillan, 2014. Ayub resided in Perth during the late 1990s all while being an active JI member, travelling and attending the group's leadership conferences in Indonesia.Darren Goodsir

''Sydney Morning Herald'', 25 July 2003.
In contrast to the Jemaah Islamiah's other cells in Southeast Asia, the Mantiqi 4 cell was less of a focus for the organisation.Zachary Abuza, ''Political Islam and Violence in Indonesia'', Routledge, 2006. The activities of the Australian branch of JI included fundraising among the local Indonesian community in Australia. Jemaah Islamiah leadership also expressed intent on identifying targets in Australia to be attacked by Al Qaeda. * Al-Shabaab - The Al-Shabaab terror group is believed to have been behind the Holsworthy Barracks terror plot. * Syrian syndicate - A group referred to as the "Syrian syndicate" has been investigated for sending Australian Muslims to fight in the Syrian Civil War. Australian Counterterrorism Police have investigated Wassim Fayad in connection to an attempt to ram an ATM during the 2011 Auburn riots. It is suspected that the funds were to be used in connection to local efforts of involvement in the Syrian conflict.


Outlawed terrorist organisations

As at January 2015, there were 20 organisations designated and banned, by a court or a government department, for active involvement in terrorism. Identification of terrorist organisations may result from a prosecution for a terrorist offence, or from a listing determined by the
Attorney-General of Australia The attorney-general of Australia (AG), also known as the Commonwealth attorney-general, is the minister of state and chief law officer of the Commonwealth of Australia charged with overseeing federal legal affairs and public security as the ...
.


See also

*
Islam in Australia Islam is the second-largest Religion in Australia, religion in Australia. According to the 2021 Census in Australia, the combined number of people who Self-concept, self-identified as Australian Muslims, from all forms of Islam, constituted 8 ...
*
Islamic schools and branches Islamic schools and branches have different understandings of Islam. There are many different sects or denominations, Madhhab, schools of Islamic jurisprudence, and schools of Islamic theology, or ''Aqidah, ʿaqīdah'' (creed). Within Sunni I ...
*
Education in Australia Education in Australia encompasses the sectors of early childhood education (preschool) and primary education (primary schools), followed by secondary education (high schools), and finally tertiary education, which includes higher education ( ...
*
Religion in Australia Religion in Australia is diverse. In the 2021 national census, 43.9% of Australians identified with Christianity and 38.9% declared " no religion". Australia has no official religion. Section 116 of the Constitution of Australia states: ...


References

{{reflist, 3


External links


Directory of Islamic organisations in Australia
Islamic organisations based in Australia