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SYDNEY - Australia's imams say they will replace controversial Muslim cleric Sheik Taj Aldin Alhilali later this year with a spiritual leader who is more sensitive to "Australian culture and values".
About 60 members of the Australian National Imams Council (ANIC) met today in the south-western Sydney suburb of Lakemba where they decided to reinstate Sheik Alhilali as Australia's mufti, but only for the next three months.
A spokesman for the imams, Dr Mohamad Abdalla, said the conference formed an executive board of 15 members which would consult the wider Muslim community in Australia in order to form a Council of Fatwa.
He said this council would then make a decision on the position of mufti in about three months time.
"The unanimous opinion was to form a Council of Fatwa made of qualified people who will consult thoroughly with the Muslim community on this issue," Dr Abdalla told AAP.
"They gave an interim of three months to form this new council, which will be made up of people nominated by all the various states.
"At the end of the three months, or once this is formulated, then the council will look at the issue of the mufti again."
Sheik Alhilali caused uproar last year when he compared women to "uncovered meat".
He then compounded the controversy by later disparaging Australia's convict heritage, saying Muslims had a better right to be in Australia than people brought here in chains.
Dr Abdalla said the Council of Fatwa would be looking for a number of qualities in the person they elect as Australia's next mufti.
"Firstly, the person must be qualified in the Islamic legal aspects, but also one must be able to communicate in the English language, and also be aware of the social, economic, and political context of Australia," he said.
Dr Abdalla said importantly the new mufti would have to be someone who could smooth relations between Muslims and the wider Australian community.
"That was a point that was made very clear in the conference, that whoever the mufti is to be must be absolutely careful in the statements that he makes," Dr Abdalla said.
He said until a new mufti is elected, a spokesperson would handle all communications on behalf of the ANIC.
"For the meanwhile there will be a spokesperson who can communicate on behalf of the Muslims in a way that is consistent with not only the objectives of the council but also consistent with the Australian culture and values," Dr Abdalla said.
"I would assume I will continue to do that until three months have lapsed and we'll see what happens then."
- AAP
