Position Statements
Position Statements
Australian Muslims
The unity of the Ummah, both locally and internationally, is an obligation upon all Muslims, especially Imams and Muslim community leaders. This unity must be uncompromised. ANIC strives to unite the Muslim Ummah through shared common interests and agreements among Imams, as well as respectful dialogue and constructive disagreement on matters of Islam, while maintaining community cohesion. It condemns disunity and highlights the important role of Scholars and Imams as heirs of the Prophets. The Muslim community urgently requires the wisdom of Imams to foster unity and understanding.
Unity
The unity of the Ummah, both locally and internationally, is an obligation upon all Muslims, especially Imams and Muslim community leaders. This unity must be uncompromised. ANIC strives to unite the Muslim Ummah through shared common interests and agreements among Imams, as well as respectful dialogue and constructive disagreement on matters of Islam, while maintaining community cohesion. It condemns disunity and highlights the important role of Scholars and Imams as heirs of the Prophets. The Muslim community urgently requires the wisdom of Imams to foster unity and understanding.
Preserving the Quran and Sunnah
The Australian National Imams Council (ANIC) firmly upholds the mainstream understanding of Islam in accordance with the Ahlu Sunnah Wa Jama’a, which is based on the Quran, Sunnah, and prominent scholars’ teachings. ANIC ensures these core values and principles remain uncompromised, preserving the religion’s integrity and authenticity for generations to come.
Palestine and Middle East Affairs
The International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) Working Definition of Antisemitism
The Australian National Imams Council (ANIC) strongly rejects the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) Working Definition of Antisemitism, as it risks conflating legitimate criticism of the Israeli occupation with antisemitism and restricting free speech. ANIC strongly urges the government, as well as all governmental and non-governmental institutions, including universities and law enforcement, not to adopt this definition, as it will suppress essential discourse on human rights, particularly concerning the Palestinian cause.
IDF Soldiers returning/ visiting Australia after engaging in genocide
The Australian National Imams Council (ANIC) expresses its deep concern for the safety of Pro-Palestinian Muslims and non-Muslims following the arrival of IDF soldiers who were involved in the genocide in Gaza. We call on the Australian government to ensure that it does not permit war criminals who have killed and tortured innocent civilians in Palestine and Lebanon to enter the country, and to hold any Australian citizen accountable for their involvement in war crimes and genocide.
“From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free,”
The Australian National Imams Council (ANIC) ANIC supports the phrase “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free,” recognising it as a call for justice and the rights of the Palestinian people for self-determination. Misinterpreting it undermines its historical significance as an aspiration for peace and equality for all people within the region. ANIC strongly opposes any attempts to ban its use.
Australians vote at the UN to recognise a Palestinian State
The Australian National Imams Council (ANIC) welcomes Australia’s recent votes at the United Nations General Assembly that seek to:
- recognise the state of Palestine as a full member of the UN
- recognise that Palestinian people deserve the right to their state
- demand Israel withdraw their illegal occupation of the Palestinian territories
International Criminal Court (ICC) Rulings
The Australian National Imams Council (ANIC) supports the rulings of the ICC in issuing arrest warrants for Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defence Minister, Yoav Gallant, for the crimes carried out across Palestine. ANIC calls on the Australian government to abide by the ICC rulings, which it is a signatory of.
International Court of Justice’s (ICJ) Rulings
The Australian National Imams Council (ANIC) supports the ICJ case initiated by South Africa against the occupying state of Israel. ANIC commends South Africa and the supporting countries for their action against Israel concerning human rights violations, genocide and war crimes. ANIC calls upon the Australian Government to support and join South Africa in this case.
Islamophobia and Anti-Muslim Sentiment
Rise in Islamophobia and Anti-Muslim Sentiment in Australia
The Australian National Imams Council (ANIC) remains deeply concerned with the rise in Islamophobia and anti-Muslim sentiment across Australia. This rise in hate crimes and discriminatory behaviour highlights a critical failure to address systemic Islamophobia effectively. Governments at all levels must immediately recognise this escalating crisis and implement robust measures to combat it.
Freedom and Advocacy
Media Double Standards
The Australian National Imams Council (ANIC) is concerned about the ongoing media double standards imposed on the Muslim community in Australia and around the world. Media outlets are meant to provide unbiased, accurate, and balanced reporting; however, Muslims and advocates for Palestine have been unfairly defamed and repeatedly labelled as terrorists and antisemitic for expressing their political views.
Politicians Inciting Hatred
The Australian National Imams Council (ANIC) condemns any politician or leader who seeks to divide Australians through their hatred and disinformation on Islam and Muslims. ANIC calls for the accountability of political leaders and representatives who seek to divide the Australian people and incite hatred towards any community.
Attack on Religious/ Cultural Communities
The Australian National Imams Council (ANIC) strongly condemns any attacks on any place of worship. An act of violence on any religious establishment, irrespective of religion, is an attack on the sanctity of all places of worship and the principles of mutual respect and coexistence.
Support for Religious Freedoms
The Australian National Imams Council (ANIC) upholds and supports the religious freedom of all faiths, including the right to practice, advocate for, and promote their beliefs and reference their sacred scriptures. This includes the right to religious freedom within schools, institutions, and community centres. ANIC firmly opposes any changes to laws or policies that limit or infringe upon religious freedoms or any form of intimidation by the public, press, political or faith leaders and followers.
Right to Protest
The Australian National Imams Council (ANIC) stands in solidarity with those who wish to protest Israel’s genocide in Gaza and the subsequent war in Lebanon. The right to protest is enshrined in the Australian constitution and serves as a means for Australians to express their concerns safely and with dignity. Australia’s unique diversity brings a range of perspectives on sensitive issues, and removing the right to engage in such discourse severely undermines one’s fundamental right to freedom of speech. ANIC opposes any attempts to ban or limit such protests in any city or state across Australia.
