Fehmi Naji

Fehmi Naji El-Imam
Arabic: فهمي ناجي الإمام
Title	Grand Mufti of Australia
Personal life
Born	1928 Lebanon
Died	24 September 2016(2016-09-24) (aged 87–88)
Religious life
Religion	Islam
Denomination	Sunni
Institute	Preston Mosque
Muslim leader
Period in office	2007–2011
Predecessor	Taj El-Din Hilaly
Successor	Ibrahim Abu Mohamed

Fehmi Naji El-Imam AM (Arabic: فهمي ناجي الإمام) (1928 – 24 September 2016) was the Grand Mufti of Australia 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 He was elected to succeed Taj El-Din Hilaly on 10 June 2007,[1][2] but by January 2011 Hilaly declared that Naji was no longer active, and that de facto he was functioning as mufti.[3] Naji was succeeded on 18 September 2011 by Ibrahim Abu Mohamed.[4][1]

Naji questioned Osama bin Laden's responsibility for the September 11 attacks.[5] He was the Head Imam of Preston Mosque in Melbourne and secretary of the Victorian Board of Imams.[5]

He died of natural causes on 24 September 2016.[6]

Activities

Naji served as a board member on the Muslim Community Reference Group, an advisory board established by the Howard government from 2005 to 2006.[7]

References

1. Zwartz, Barney (11 June 2007). "Hilali out as Mufti, moderate in". The Age. Retrieved 29 January 2015.
2. Fehmi Naji El-Imam named new Australian mufti International Islamic News Agency Archived 28 September 2007 at the Wayback Machine
3. Maley, Paul (15 January 2011). "'I'm the mufti in all but name,' says Sheik Taj Din al-Hilali". The Australian.
4. Maley, Paul (20 September 2011). "Grand Mufti Ibrahim Abu Mohamed feels duty to 'cure' radicals". The Australian.
5. Dunn, Mark; Yamine, Evelyn (12 June 2007) Bin Laden backer blasted The Daily Telegraph (Australia). Retrieved 29 January 2015
6. "Sheikh Fehmi Imam passed away aged 88". AMUST. 28 September 2016. Retrieved 16 May 2022.
7. "Building on social cohesion, harmony and security: An action plan by the Muslim Community Reference Group" Muslim Community Reference Group. (2006). Canberra. pdf

External links

• The Sheikh of Melbourne Transcript of ABC TV programme (2001)

Titles in Islam
Preceded by Taj El-Din Hilaly	Grand Mufti of Australia 2007 to 2011	Succeeded by Ibrahim Abu Mohamed