By GB News (World News) | Created at 2026-09-28 11:07:31 | Updated at 2026-09-29 03:12:07
16 hours ago
An Australian Islamic preacher has urged his followers to “take up arms” against what he described as the enemies of Allah, while also telling Muslims not to take Jews or Christians as friends.
Melbourne based Abu Ahmad, associated with the Al Bayyinah Islamic Centre in Springvale, made the remarks during a sermon in July, with a recording later posted on the centre’s social media.
“For the sake of Allah, it includes the obligation to declare enmity for his sake, opposition for the sake of Allah. It is to declare opposition: indeed, to take up arms against his enemies, to shun them and to stay far from them both in word and deed,” Abu Ahmad said.
“This proves that simple opposition of the spirit is not enough and that it must be complete by honouring of your commitment.”
The preacher separately told delegates not to “take the Jews and the Christians for friends”.
The remarks have drawn renewed attention to extremist rhetoric in Australia, following the passage of strengthened hate laws by Parliament in the wake of the horrific Bondi Beach terror attack last December.
There is no suggestion Abu Ahmad is currently under investigation or that he supports Islamic State.
The Al Bayyinah Islamic Centre was established in Melbourne’s south-east in 2024 and has received support from Sydney-based preacher Wissam Haddad, who is associated with the Al Madina Dawah Centre in Bankstown.
Abu Ahmad urged his followers to 'take up arms' against what he described as the enemies of Allah
YOUTUBE/AL BAYYINAH ISLAMIC CENTRE
Abu Ahmad has previously visited the Sydney centre, reportedly in early 2025, where he delivered a sermon attacking “infidel” Western powers over the colonisation of the Middle East.
The Bankstown centre was also said to have been attended by alleged Bondi gunman Naveed Akram - who, along with his father Sajid, are alleged to have killed 15 people during a Chanukah event at Bondi Beach in December.
Naveed Akram is also alleged to have formed connections with Islamic State supporters through people he met at the Bankstown centre.
During his July sermon, Abu Ahmad said opposition for the sake of Allah meant “to feel anger at the enemies of Allah and to struggle against them", referencing a book associated with antisemitic conspiracy theories.
He said: “If the aim of the enemies of Islam, whether they are atheists or Jews or Christians or modernists or Zionists or communists, is the emasculation of Muslims and the erosion of their unique character in order to make them the ass of the chosen people, then the urgency of this issue should become clear to every Muslim."
An ABC Four Corners investigation in 2025 reported connections between Haddad and the Melbourne centre, describing Al Bayyinah as part of a wider network.
Deakin University associate professor Josh Roose, who researches extremism, described the Melbourne centre as an “outpost” established by Haddad.
“If authorities don’t crack down on these centres as soon as they emerge, then we’re inviting, quite frankly, extremists, Salafists, jihadist Islam, into the suburbs,” he told the Sydney Morning Herald.
The rhetoric comes just months after the Bondi Beach attack against Australia's Jewish community
“This is the problem with the hate speech laws as they are. Calling to take up arms is more radical than anything Hizb ut-Tahrir ever said, and they were banned.”
Hizb ut-Tahrir was formally listed as a prohibited hate group in March under legislation passed by Parliament in January.
The new laws strengthened Commonwealth offences concerning the advocacy or threat of violence, and introduced tougher penalties for religious or spiritual leaders who commit such offences.
Prof Roose said existing laws could make prosecution difficult where rhetoric remained generalised and did not cross the relevant legal threshold.
He said Abu Ahmad could argue that the reference to taking up arms was general or colloquial, rather than a specific call for violence.
The comments come as Australian security agencies continue to warn about violent extremism.
Earlier this month, ASIO director-general Mike Burgess warned that Iran could seek to target prominent Jewish Australians.
“I wouldn't rule out the possibility that Iran will want to kill prominent Jewish Australians,” Mr Burgess said on the Mitchell Unlimited Podcast.
“So again, no immediate threat that we're investigating, but we do have that concern. And it's not because of Australia; it's because of their hatred of Jews.”
