A prominent Melbourne imam has publicly apologised after an old sermon in which he told male parishioners they could bash their wives to 'shape them up' resurfaced online.
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they → apologise → them
Samir Mohtadi is the leader and founder of the MyCentre mosque in Broadmeadows, which recently made headlines over alleged links to Hamam al-Hammami, the Flydubai co-pilot accused of attempting to hijack and crash an Israel-bound passenger jet on September 30.
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which → make → September
The United Arab Emirates' top prosecutor claimed earlier this month that al-Hammami became acquainted with individuals at MyCentre while studying at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology in 2017.
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Hammami → claim → 2017
Days after Mr Mohtadi strongly rejected claims of any association between al-Hammami and MyCentre, footage of a controversial sermon from more than two decades ago resurfaced.
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footage → reject → sermon
In a 2003 sermon titled 'The Keys to a Successful Marriage', Mr Mohtadi gave marriage advice, including instructions for wives to wear 'perfume' and make sure the house was 'nice and clean', while warning that women who disobeyed their husbands 'will go to hell'.
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who → title → hell
He also advised men on when they should beat their wives.
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they → advise → wives
'This is the last resort, advise her for a long, long time, then you smack them, you beat them …. you are not allowed to bruise them, you are not allowed to make them bleed, it is haram (forbidden),' he said.
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he → advise → them
'If you disobey your husband you will go to hell, it is as simple as that.'
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it → disobey → that
MyCentre founder Samir Mohtadi (pictured with MP Kathleen Matthews-Ward and then Victorian Police Minister, Anthony Carbines) has apologised for comments made in an old sermon which have resurfaced
In the 2003 sermon, Mr Mohtadi gave instructions on how men should beat their wives
In the sermon, uploaded to YouTube in 2013, he also told women when they should have sex with their husbands and questioned Australian laws on rape.
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they → picture → rape
In this country, if the husband wants to sleep with his wife and she does not want to she hasn't got (inaudible) she just doesn't feel like it and he ends up sleeping with her by force
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he → want → force
it is known to be as a rape.
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it → know → rape
Amazing, how can a person rape his wife?' he said.
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he → rape → wife
Even if her husband was to ask her for a sexual relationship and she is preparing the bread on the stove she must leave it and come and respond to her husband.'
The decades-old sermon, which remains online, first gained public attention in 2009, when Mr Mohtadi's comments came under fire from then-prime minister Kevin Rudd.
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comments → ask → Rudd
Under no circumstances is sexual violence permissible or acceptable in Australia,' Rudd said.
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Rudd → say → Australia
'Australia will not tolerate these sort of remarks.
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Australia → tolerate → remarks
They don't belong in modern Australia, and he should stand up, repudiate them and apologise.'
Mr Mohtadi addressed his previous comments in a statement issued on Saturday, explaining that he was responding to questions during a lecture.
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he → belong → lecture
'Throughout my more than 30 years of community service, I have consistently opposed all forms of violence, particularly family violence and violence against women,' the statement read.
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statement → oppose → women
On Saturday, Samir Mohtadi publicly apologised for his previous comment
His comments resurfaced after MyCentre recently made headlines over alleged links to Hamam al-Hammami, the Flydubai co-pilot accused of attempting to hijack and crash an Israel-bound passenger jet last month
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MyCentre → apologise → jet
'Family violence is a crime and we all have responsibility to prevent it.
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we → have → it
I sincerely apologise for my past comments.
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I → apologise → comments
My commitment to preventing family violence and supporting the safety and dignity of women and families remains unwavering.'
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commitment → prevent → women
The Daily Mail has contacted MyCentre for further comment.
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Mail → contact → comment
It comes after Mr Mohtadi distanced MyCentre and himself from alleged associations with al-Hammami.
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Mohtadi → come → Hammami
'I have never met al-Hammami... and we have no record of him ever attending our centre,' he said last week.
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he → meet → centre
The relevant authorities should have verified these claims with me before releasing or publishing such information.'
Hamam al-Hammami (pictured) began drifting towards extremism while studying in Melbourne almost a decade ago, according to a top United Arab Emirates prosecutor
The Australian Federation of Islamic Councils added: 'Attempts to associate MyCentre with terrorism are misleading, harmful and inconsistent with the facts.'
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Attempts → verify → facts
MyCentre previously received several substantial grants from the Victorian Labor Government.
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MyCentre → receive → Government
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