, native_name_lang = Arabic , image = , alt = , caption = , religion =

Islam Islam (; ar, ۘالِإسلَام, , ) is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic Monotheism#Islam, monotheistic religion centred primarily around the Quran, a religious text considered by Muslims to be the direct word of God in Islam, God (or ...

, denomination =

Sunni Sunni Islam () is the largest branch of Islam, followed by 85–90% of the world's Muslims. Its name comes from the word '' Sunnah'', referring to the tradition of Muhammad. The differences between Sunni and Shia Muslims arose from a disagr ...

, temple = Preston Mosque , education = , alma_mater = , nationality = , birth_name = , birth_date = 1928 , birth_place = Lebanon , death_date = , death_place = , death_cause = , title =

Grand Mufti of Australia The Grand Mufti of Australia is a Sunni Muslim cleric, or Grand Mufti, chosen to represent and answer questions from the growing Muslim population. Nominated by the Australian National Imams Council (ANIC), the current Grand Mufti of Australia ...

, period = 2007–2011 , consecration = , predecessor = Taj El-Din Hilaly , successor =

Ibrahim Abu Mohamed Ibrahim Abu Mohamed (alternative spelling, Ibrahim Abu Mohammed) is an Egyptian-born and educated Sunni Islamic scholar and Grand Mufti of Australia from September 2011 to March 2018. He became Grand Mufti again after Afifi's death. Personal ...

, reason = Fehmi Naji El-Imam AM ( ar, فهمي ناجي الإمام) (1928- 24 September 2016) was the

from June 2007 to September 2011. Born in Lebanon, he arrived in Australia in 1951. He was elected to succeed Taj El-Din Hilaly on 10 June 2007, but by January 2011 Hilaly declared that Naji was no longer active, and that de facto he was functioning as mufti. Naji was succeeded on 18 September 2011 by

. Naji questioned

Osama bin Laden Osama bin Mohammed bin Awad bin Laden (10 March 1957 – 2 May 2011) was a Saudi-born extremist militant who founded al-Qaeda and served as its leader from 1988 until Killing of Osama bin Laden, his death in 2011. Ideologically a Pan-Islamism ...

's responsibility for the September 11 attacks.Dunn, Mark; Yamine, Evelyn (12 June 2007
Bin Laden backer blasted
'' The Daily Telegraph'' (Australia). Retrieved 29 January 2015 He was the Head Imam of Preston Mosque in Melbourne and secretary of the Victorian Board of Imams. He died of natural causes on 24 September 2016.

Activities

Naji served as a board member on the

Muslim Community Reference Group The Muslim Community Reference Group (MCRG) was an advisory body to the Australian federal government, set up by the Howard Government, from mid-2005 to mid-2006. The board served to provide the federal government with proposals on strategies and ...

, an advisory board established by the Howard government from 2005 to 2006."Building on social cohesion, harmony and security: An action plan by the Muslim Community Reference Group"

. (2006). Canberra. pdf

References

External links

The Sheikh of Melbourne
Transcript of ABC TV programme (2001) 1928 births 2016 deaths Members of the Order of Australia Recipients of the Centenary Medal Lebanese emigrants to Australia Australian Sunni Muslim scholars of Islam Australian imams Grand Muftis of Australia {{islam-bio-stub