‘Islam with the sword’: Sydney preacher Wissam Haddad in new speech

A Sydney preacher being sued over allegedly anti-Semitic comments has made a new speech following his high-profile trial, claiming the “Jewish lobby” wants to turn Islam into a “passive religion”.

Wissam Haddad (centre) outside court during his trial.

A Sydney preacher being sued over allegedly anti-Semitic comments has made a new speech following his high-profile trial, claiming the “Jewish lobby” wants to turn Islam into a “passive religion”, before speaking of “Islam with the sword”.

Wissam Haddad, of Bankstown religious centre Al Madina Dawah Centre, will learn his fate this week after the Executive Council of Australian Jewry took him to court over comments he has previously made, including calling Jews a “vile” people.

The ECAJ wants the court to make an order stopping Haddad from making any further “insulting” comments about Jews and an order for his centre to remove some online videos of his speeches.

Justice Angus Stewart is listed to hand down his findings on Tuesday.

Peter Wertheim (centre), one of ECAJ’s plaintiffs against Haddad, outside court.

Meanwhile, Haddad made a new speech this week after days of hearings earlier this month, saying what he sees as the “Australian Jewish lobby” was trying to stymie the influence of Islam.

“During my trial with the Australian Jewish lobby, if you had paid any attention, you would really see what they were after, what they were seeking, you would see plainly that they wish to alter the deed of Allah … they wish to turn Islam into a passive religion — a religion that just turns the other cheek,” he said in a video uploaded online and obtained by The Daily Telegraph.

Later in Haddad’s speech, conducted at his centre, he speaks of “Islam with the sword”.

“As for the words of the messenger when he said: ‘I was sent with the sword’, (this) means that Allah sent him as a caller to tawhid (the oneness of God) with a sword … that whoever does not respond to the invitation of this tawhid through the Koran and its evidences is therefore called to Islam with the sword,” Mr Haddad said.

Haddad with his legal team.

An online account with Haddad’s photo also posted about the upcoming judgment this week.

“Just received notice that my court verdict will be given this Tuesday — Allah is sufficient for his slave and he is the best of protectors,” the account posted.

In the court case, ECAJ members Peter Wertheim and Robert Goot argued Haddad breached the Racial Discrimination Act by calling Jewish people various names such as “shifty”.

They also allege some of his sermons implied that Jews target Muslims by having influence over the media, business and banks.

Haddad is defending the court case against him.

He argues his speeches mostly quote religious texts and are protected by the constitution because they constitute genuine political discussion, including on the Israel-Palestine conflict in Gaza.

Outside court, Mr Wertheim said the case marked a significant moment for Jewish Australians.

“It is the first opportunity we have had to expose what our whole community has been put through over the last 20 months,” he said.