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; 17 January 1941 – 5 October 2023) was an Egyptian Australian imam of Lakemba Mosque in Sydney and a Sunni Muslim leader in Australia.

Born in Egypt, Hilaly arrived in Australia in 1982 on a tourist visa from Lebanon.

The Australian Federation of Islamic Councils appointed him Mufti of Australia in 1988.

He referred to himself as the Grand Mufti of Australia and New Zealand, although this title was not unanimously endorsed, and was also described by some Muslims as honorary, rather than substantial.

Hilary was a controversial figure and made several controversial statements, as well as having promoted Islamic extremism in any occasions.

Hilaly spread many antisemitic conspiracy theories during his lifetime, including claims that Western countries are controlled by Israel and claims that the Holocaust was a "Zionist lie".

Hilaly was known for his antisemitic, anti-LGBT, anti-Western and Islamic supremacist views, as well as for his misogynistic statements.

Although the visa was temporary, it was routinely reissued until 1988 when then Minister for Immigration Chris Hurford attempted to have Hilaly deported for being against "Australian values".

The charges began in 1988 when Hilaly delivered a lecture to a group of Muslim students at University of Sydney on the topic "The Disposition of Jews in the light of the Qur'an."

He was quoted as saying:

"The Jews' struggle with humanity is as old as history itself; the present continuing struggle with the Islam nation is a natural continuation of the Jews' enmity towards the human race as a whole. Judaism controls the world by...secret movements as the destructive doctrines and groups, such as communism, libertarianism, Free Masons, Baháʼísm, the Rotary clubs, the nationalistic and racist doctrines. The Jews try to control the world through sex, then sexual perversion, then the promotion of espionage, treason, and economic hoarding."

Hilaly did not apologise nor retract his comments, in which he accused Jews of "causing all wars."

The Islamic community showed strong support for Hilaly to remain in Australia, and Hilaly was eventually granted permanent residence in 1990 by Hurford's successor Gerry Hand.

Hilaly served as Imam at Lakemba Mosque, which is run by the Lebanese Muslim Association.

However, his wages were paid by "the Libyan Islamic Call Society and private individuals", according to a former vice-president of the LMA.

In 1999 Hilaly was charged and jailed after being convicted of being involved in smuggling goods from Egypt to Australia, which he denied.

In early 2003 Hilaly's vehicle was stopped because an object was protruding from it.

After closer inspection, New South Wales Police charged him with driving an unregistered and uninsured vehicle, as well as for his behaviour towards the police officers.

This incident led to an attack against police officers by nearby Muslims and widespread condemnation from the public.

Although charges of assaulting the police officers, hindering the officers, and resisting arrest were later dropped due to police using invalid evidence to justify their suspicion and subsequent search, Hilaly was fined A$400 for the incident.

In February 2004 Hilaly gave a sermon at a mosque in Sidon, Lebanon, whilst overseas the text of which was translated by the Australian Embassy in Beirut.

It appeared to show him supporting terrorist attacks.

In his sermon, Hilaly said:

"Sons of Islam, there is a war of infidels taking place everywhere. The true man is the boy who opposes Israeli tanks with strength and faith. The boy who, despite his mother's objections, goes out to war to become a martyr like his elder brother. The boy who tells his mother: 'Oh mother, don't cry for me if I die. Oh mother, Jihad has been imposed on me and I want to become a martyr'."

11 September is God's work against oppressors.

Some of the things that happen in the world cannot be explained; a civilian airplane whose secrets cannot be explained if we ask its pilot who reached his objective without error, who led your steps?

Or if we ask the giant that fell, who humiliated you?

Or if we ask the President, who made you cry?

God is the answer."

- Taj El-Din Hilaly

In his speech, he also predicted that Muslims would control the White House and appeared to support Hezbollah.

The Australian Federal Police declined to investigate his activities overseas.

In May 2005 Australian contractor Douglas Wood was abducted by a militant group calling itself the Shura Council of the Mujahideen of Iraq.

They demanded that the Australian government withdraw its troops from Iraq in exchange for Wood.

Twice that month, Hilaly traveled to Iraq to negotiate Wood's release, the second time interrupting treatment for a heart condition and returning, at the explicit request of the Australian government, "to Baghdad to deliver an extraordinary offer to Mr Wood's captors, on their behalf."

Hilaly said later, "There was a point where the abductors wanted $25 million. Eventually, we managed to convince them to drop this demand and a figure, in the thousands, was agreed."

Hilaly also claimed to have spoken to Douglas Wood via telephone, yet after Douglas Wood was rescued following a raid by the Iraqi army, Wood denied ever having spoken to Hilaly.

In July 2005 Hilaly was named "Muslim Man of the Year" for 2005 at the first Australian Muslim Achievement Awards by Mission of Hope (Muslim Community Solutions for Health and Well-being).

Australian Jewish organisations have regularly accused Hilaly of antisemitism, a charge he denied.

After a series of controversial statements on social issues, Hilaly retired from this position in June 2007 and was succeeded by Fehmi Naji.