Muslim leaders using sermons to urge no vote in same-sex marriage plebiscite

IMAMS and Islamic leaders are using their sermons in mosques across Australia to urge the Muslim community to vote no against same-sex marriage.

Former president of the Australian Federation of Islamic Councils, Keysar Trad. Picture: Richard Dobson

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IMAMS and Islamic leaders are ramping up a campaign against same-sex marriage, using their sermons in mosques across Australia to urge the Muslim community to vote no.

Islamic Friendship Association of Australia head Keysar Trad has begun a tour of prayer halls in a bid to thwart same-sex marriage, comparing gay love to incestuous relationships­.

“We might love our mum and dad intensively but you don’t denigrate that love with sexual behaviour,” he said.

Former president of the Australian Federation of Islamic Councils Keysar Trad has begun campaigning against same-sex marriage. Picture: Richard Dobson

And the Grand Mufti of Australia, Ibrahim Abu Mohamad, is understood to have told a Bankstown prayer hall on Friday that legislating same-sex marriage was the start of a change that could mean it would be illegal to tell children homosexuality was wrong.

“We should all love each other but that type of love ends in denigrating people; there is nothing to stop you from having the utmost love for your friends who might be the same gender but it doesn’t mean you strip naked together and start doing things,” Mr Trad, the recent past president of the Australian Federation of Islamic Councils, said.

The Australian National Imams Council says that Islam does not allow gay marriage and “marital relationship is only permissible between a man and woman”.

Grand Mufti of Australia Dr Ibrahim Abu Mohammed is believed to have preached that legalising same-sex marriage could lead to parents being prosecuted for telling children that homosexuality was wrong.

But mental health groups have warned the intensifying “vote no” campaign for the same-sex marriage postal survey was leading to a spike in requests for assistance from young gay people who were feeling scared or attacked.

Sheik Muhammad Saleem, a spokesman for the Victorian Board of Imams, said they were running a social media campaign urging their community to vote no.

“Like Catholic and Jewish people, we have always maintained marriage is between a man and a woman and that’s widely known to people,” he said.

“This is a democracy, we are being asked to vote, and we’ve had a say on that matter.”

The Grand Mufti did not respond to request for comment, but Mr Trad said Dr Mohamed gave a sermon on Friday where he expressed concerns the law, if changed, would stop parents telling children homosexuality was wrong.

Keysar Trad says many people in the Islamic community had received ‘homosexual overtures’ before. Picture: Richard Dobson

People who attended the sermon also said that he told them that they should vote no, along the lines that it would threaten their ability to tell their children about the rights and wrongs of that particular behaviour.

Mr Trad said many people in the Islamic community had received “homosexual overtures” before.

“It’s no secret people in general, wherever you are, are exposed to homosexuality in one way or another. It may be by seeing other people adopt homosexual behaviour or receiving homosexual overtures from other people …

“I doubt very much many people haven’t experienced one or more of those things.”

Leaders of other religions have also raised concerns same-sex marriage would lead to an erosion of religious freedoms.

WHAT THEY SAID

KEYSAR TRAD

“There is nothing to stop you from having the utmost love for your friends who might be the same gender but it doesn’t mean you strip naked and start doing things.”

“We might love our mum and dad intensively but you don’t denigrate that love with sexual behaviour.”

GRAND MUFTI OF AUSTRALIA, IBRAHIM ABU MOHAMAD

Understood to have told prayer hall that legislating same-sex marriage was the start of a change that could mean it would be illegal to tell children homsexuality is wrong.