Lakemba Mosque, also known as Ali ibn Abi Talib Musjid, is one of Australia’s largest and most famous Musjids. It is Sydney’s oldest purpose-built Musjid, having been completed in 1977.

While historically Muslims of Lebanese heritage constituted the majority of the congregation, today people of Pakistani, Bangladeshi, Somali and South-East Asian backgrounds also attend in significant numbers, along with a small but growing number of converts. The overwhelming majority of the congregation is either of Hanafi or Shafi’i background.

For over 45 years Lakemba Musjid has continued to be the heart of the local community and hosts a growing congregation of thousands of people every week, with over 100,000 people attending major events and milestones, such as Eid celebrations.

1977 ‘Holy War’ document

During Ramadan celebrations on September 30, 1977, around 4000 copies of a document calling for a “Holy War” (Jihad) was distributed to worshippers at Lakemba Musjid. The document stated that Muslims must wage war against foreign interference and to spread Islam. It also made discriminatory references to Christians, Jews, Hindus and others, referring to them as “infidels” that must be fought. Middle Eastern Christian groups such as the Maronites and Copts believed that the document was created by Muslim Brotherhood members active at the Musjid.

 1988 speech regarding Jews

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 has not since apologised nor retracted his comments, in which he accused Jews of “causing all wars.”

February 2004 sermon.

In February 2004 Hilaly gave a sermon at a Musjid 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.

 Activities

The Musjid offers a number of religious classes, such as in prophetic biography, fiqh and aqidah. The Musjid gives a platform to a number of local Shaykhs to speak and teach, such as Shaykh Wesam Charkawi. Since 2014, the Musjid has served as the centre of the National Musjid Open Day event.

Several thousand worshippers normally attend weekly prayers on Fridays.[27] In 2015 around 30,000 worshippers attended Eid prayers at the Musjid and in the road outside, making it one of Australia’s largest Eid celebrations. In 2016, an estimated 40,000-50,000 attended Eid prayers.