fundamentalist cleric, who has preached about a time where Muslims will be called on to kill Jews, has told Sky News that there is no place for Muslims to be involved in democracy.
Western-Sydney cleric, Abu Ousayd, otherwise known as Wissam Haddad says those driving the independent Muslim voting movements are in breach of Islam’s most sacred religious texts which forbid political involvement.
“I think they are driven by ignorance,” he said referring to the Quran and Sunnah.
“All these verses that we bring together (show) us that legislation belongs solely to God.
“When a person is involved in a democracy, whether it be in Australia or anywhere else… people become the legislator. People say and start to pass what is right and wrong. They start to say what is permissible and impermissible.”
The comments are part of a series of exclusive interviews with outspoken members of the Muslim community to air on Sky News this Tuesday night, investigating the rise of the independent Muslim voting movement.
“There can’t be a system that’s ever-changing. There has to be one system that’s divine … a system that’s going to stand the test of time,” Abu Ousayd told Sky News in a conversation both parties agreed to record.
However, Abu Ousayd rejected the notion that his sermons were radical or drove people to violence.
“I don’t believe any part of my faith is radical,” he said.
“I believe deep down the Muslim leaders in Australia know that what I’m saying to be the truth. But for some reason, one way or another, some of them feel compelled to not speak the truth … because they have their own agendas.”
Indonesia’s Ambassador Dr Siswo Promono dismissed the notion.
“This is not Indonesia’s view …. Indonesian people never think that way,” he said.
