Islamic cleric called out for using Jew-hating sermons for online clout
Wissam Haddad defends antisemitic sermons in court, insisting his remarks targeted faith, not ethnicity.
A hardline Islamic preacher has denied using inflammatory sermons to boost his online profile, as a Federal Court trial over alleged antisemitic remarks nears its conclusion.
Wissam Haddad is being sued by the Executive Council of Australian Jewry over a series of sermons delivered in November 2023, which the group claims breach section 18C of the Racial Discrimination Act.
The sermons, delivered at his Al Madina Dawah Centre in southwest Sydney and posted online, included descriptions of Jews as “descendants of pigs and monkeys”, “vile and treacherous”, and as people who use “wealth” to dominate the weak. In another sermon, he referred to Jews as “rats”.
“The majority of banks are owned by the Jews,” Haddad said in one speech. “Peace is bad for the Jews. There goes our media, our Hollywood blockbuster films.”
Barrister for the Jewish council, Peter Braham SC, accused Haddad of aiming to become an online personality. “You wanted to be an online personality, an influencer, didn’t you?” he asked. “No,” Haddad replied.
Threat Alert!
— Amy Mek (@AmyMek) November 8, 2023
Australia is Allowing Muslim Preacher Wissam 'Abu Ousayd' Haddad to Build an Islamic Army that Wants to Destroy non-Muslims...
The “respected” Islamic scholar has threatened and has expressed his hatred of non-Muslims, homosexuals, Christians, Jews, Hindus,… pic.twitter.com/lBu7ypJMB2
Braham pressed further: “It’s just a lie for you to say you were only talking about Jews in the Israeli government when you were talking about Jews who made Hollywood films?”
Haddad denied lying, stating, “I’m speaking about Jews of faith, not an ethnicity.” He said his references were aimed either at Jews from the 7th century or members of the Israeli government. “When I speak about Jews today, I’m referring to the Jews that are in charge of Israel.”
Justice Angus Stewart questioned Haddad on whether Israeli leaders could be of no particular faith. Haddad answered, “I don’t have that knowledge.”
Haddad also faced scrutiny over past comments about other religions, including a 2022 sermon in which he said wishing someone “Merry Christmas” was worse than congratulating a murderer. In another instance, he mocked Hindus as “worshippers of cows and monkeys.”
Haddad claims his sermons were made “reasonably and in good faith”, a defence under section 18D of the Act. The case is expected to conclude on Friday.


COMMENTS
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Bruce Atchison commented 2025-06-11 19:28:00 -0400Islam is a religion of conquest. Never forget that. It can’t be reformed either. And this hateful bigot is using taqia, the practice of lying to infidels in order to advance Islam. Is there any place in this world for such retrograde and immoral beliefs?