Cumberland Council to begin prayer breaks for Muslim councillors

A decision to allow Muslim representatives on a western Sydney council to interrupt meetings for prayer has been blasted as a “waste of resources” but supporters say those who reject it are out of touch.

A controversial change to allow Muslim worshippers on Cumberland Council to pray for 15 minutes during their fortnightly public meetings has been approved despite being blasted as a waste of council resources.

Newly-elected Labor councillor Sabrin Farooqui, who is a Muslim woman, raised the motion at a meeting in February and it was endorsed the following month before going to community consultation.

The feedback included five submissions backing the prayer time and now the Labor-dominated council supported the break, which has become part of the meeting code immediately.

The break — which was previously labelled as a “loony-left agenda” and a “Muslim amendment” — will be brought in despite each fortnightly meeting beginning with a prayer, which is presented by a figure of different religions each week.

Under the Islamic faith, Muslims are required to pray five times a day, including when the sun sets.

While the sun sets before meetings begin at 6.30pm in winter, the sessions are more likely to be interrupted in summer and daylight saving time when it gets darker later.

At its meeting on Wednesday night, Our Local Community councillor Steve Christou was “absolutely disgusted” about the break and unsuccessfully attempted to exclude the prayer clause from the code of meeting practice.

“It is completely uncalled for,’’ he said.

“Talk about wasting council resources.

“I can foresee times in our meeting when we will not get through our agenda because it has been signalled to me that various councillors might request prayer breaks.

“I don’t know what we’re trying to achieve.

“We will be the only council in Australia to bring in such a request.’’

Cr Christou said there was already a prayer time at the start of the meeting and bringing in a second prayer was “beyond comprehension”.

He aims to rescind the motion at the next council meeting.

Cumberland Council meetings will pause for a prayer break to follow Islamic rules. Picture: iStock

Cr Farooqui wants the second prayer break to allow Islamic councillors to pray when the sun sets, to follow the Islamic custom.

She labelled the councillors who opposed the motion as “out of touch”.

“They don’t know or want to know that we have a prayer during the sunset time,’’ she said.

“I’m really surprised to see that level of concern about this prayer break. Nothing can explain this concern except hatred for Islam and Muslim people.’’

Cr Christou demanded Cr Farooqui to withdraw the comments. She retracted the comments and issued an apology.

As well as Cr Farooqui, councillors Ola Hamed and Mohamad Hussein are also Muslims. The break would also allow council staff and members in the public gallery to pray.

Fellow OLC councillor Paul Garrard slammed the break as ridiculous.

“We get voted in to look after our communities, ensure that decisions are appropriate, look after their money, look after their assets — grave responsibilities,’’ he said.

“To me it’s good enough that we start the meeting with a prayer.’’

Councillors Garrard, Christou and Helen Hughes opposed the prayer break while those who voted for it were Mayor Lisa Lake, Cr Farooqui, Cr Hamed, Cr Hussein, Kun Huang, Diane Colman, Suman Saha, Michael Zaiter, Kun Huang and Glenn Elmore.

Cr Greg Cummings abstained from voting, meaning his vote was recorded as being against the break while Joseph Rahme and Eddy Sarkis were absent for the vote.

An online poll posted in March revealed 83 per cent of the community opposed the prayer break.

In February, Baitul Huda Mosque assistant imam Imtiaz Ahmed said Islam allowed flexible prayer times, even during Ramadan and said prayers could be made in five minutes.

But Muslims including Mohammed Al- Zoubi dismissed that and said Muslims who delayed prayers were committing a serious sin.

The Cumberland council area has one of the highest number of Islamic worshippers in NSW — more than 47,000 people — 25 per cent of its population — follow the religion.

Community advocate Roydon Ng, who regularly attends meeting, supported the break.

“Given the time that councillors spend hurling insults and points of order across the chamber on a regular basis (he counted there were a dozen on May 18 when the meeting was just an hour) I think those claiming that the 15-minute prayer break would take up additional time aren’t being genuine,’’ he said.

“Faith in action should extend beyond prayer and be demonstrated in everyday life especially how we care for the weakest, poorest and least among us.’’

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