Why does Australia have two muftis?

A debate in the Australian Muslim community over the date of Eid Al-Fitr, which marks the end of the fasting month of Ramadan, has recalled the need for having only one mufti in the country. The Australian National Imams Council (ANIC) headed by Mufti Ibrahim Abu Mohammed announced that Eid Al-Fitr was on Saturday, April 22, while the Australian Federation of Islamic Councils (AFIC) headed by Mufti Sheikh Abdul Quddoos Al Azhari announced that Eid Al-Fitr was on Friday, April 21. 

“We need one mufti, or at least we need the two muftis to settle on one date for Eid,” Shaimaa Gamil, a Muslim resident of Adelaide, Australia, told Josoor Post, explaining, “I was confused; the two muftis had two different dates for Eid, and I didn’t know which one to follow. After discussions, my family agreed to fast on Friday and to celebrate Eid and break our fasting on Saturday to be on the safe side. Fortunately, the mosque near us was following ANIC and we prayed the Eid prayer there and celebrated.”

Sheikh Taj Al-Din Al-Hilali: the first mufti of Australia

Australia used to have only one mufti elected by the Australian Federation of Islamic Councils (AFIC). The Federation, which describes itself as the national peak Islamic community organization, elected Sheikh Taj Al-Din Al-Hilali as Australia’s first Grand Mufti in 1989. Sheikh Al-Hilali was one of the most controversial top Muslim clerics of Australia, known for having made offensive statements. In 2006, Hilali described unveiled women as “uncovered meat” and accused them of attracting sexual assault. The statement had sparked the anger of Muslim and non-Muslim Australians at the time. Due to his comments, AFIC abolished the position of Grand Mufti altogether in 2007, according to SBS Arabic 24. 

Two muftis and no agreement

The position of Australia’s Grand Mufti remained empty until 2011, when the Australian National Imams Council (ANIC) elected Dr. Ibrahim Abu Mohammed to be the mufti. Abu Mohammed was the only mufti of Australia for almost a decade. Then, in April 2021, AFIC announced Sheikh Abdul Quddoos Al Azhari as the Grand Mufti of Australia in a ceremony held in Canberra. Since then, the Australian Muslim community has been divided between two muftis and two bodies claiming they have the right to elect the Grand Mufti, with no settlement to reunite the Muslim community. 

“Every year we have the same struggle in Ramadan and Eid over which mufti to follow,” Mohammed Sherif, an Egyptian-Australian Muslim told Jusoor Post, adding, “Islam is about unity. Eid and Ramadan are meant to unite families and friends, so how can we celebrate these occasions together while we are divided on the dates?”