Trad says Sheik's good work forgotten

The Islamic Friendship Council of Australia has sought to fend off criticism of besieged Muslim cleric Sheik Taj Aldin Alhilali, saying all his good work has been forgotten in the rush to condemn him.

Council president Keysar Trad, who also acts as a spokesman for the mufti of Australia, said that people had forgotten he risked his life to rescue another Australian in Iraq.

The sheik, who has triggered a storm over a sermon in which he blamed women for sexual assault, went to Iraq last year to help negotiate the release of Australian businessman Douglas Wood from kidnappers.

"It seems there are so many people out there waiting to pounce on him," Mr Trad said.

"People forget all of the great work he has done for this country, all of the strong stands that he made in support of law and order.

"This is the man who risked his life to go and rescue a fellow Australian in Iraq.

"And this is the man who done so much to empower women in Australia and yet all these are forgotten when he makes an ambiguous comment."

Sheik Alhilali, who is said to be sick, will not be giving his regular Friday sermon at Sydney's Lakemba mosque, where thousands of worshippers gather each week, Mr Trad said.

The chairman of the British Muslim Council, Imam Abdul Jalil Sajid, will deliver a sermon in English at the Lakemba mosque before Friday prayers, Mr Trad said.

Sheik Alhilali outraged Muslim community leaders and politicians across the political spectrum with his comments, made during a Ramadan sermon to 500 worshippers in Sydney last month.

Excerpts from a recording of the 17-minute sermon appeared in The Australian newspaper.

The Sheik alluded to rapes in 2000 in which four women were separately gang-raped by young Muslim men, including Bilal Skaf, who received a 55-year jail sentence, later reduced.

He said there were women who "sway suggestively" and wore make-up and inappropriate clothes, "and then you get a judge without mercy (rahma) and gives you 65 years," The Australian reported.

"If you take out uncovered meat and place it outside on the street, or in the garden or in the park, or in the backyard without a cover, and the cats come and eat it ... whose fault is it, the cats or the uncovered meat," the sheik asked.

"The uncovered meat is the problem."

"If she was in her room, in her home, in her hijab (head scarf), no problem would have occurred."