A prominent Melbourne imam has apologised after an old sermon resurfaced in which he told male worshippers they could strike their wives to “shape them up”.
Samir Mohtadi founded and leads the MyCentre mosque in Broadmeadows, which recently attracted attention over alleged links to Hamam al-Hammami, a Flydubai co-pilot accused of trying to hijack and crash a passenger jet bound for Israel on September 30.
Earlier this month, the United Arab Emirates’ chief prosecutor alleged that al-Hammami met people connected with MyCentre while studying at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology in 2017.
Mr Mohtadi strongly denied any connection between al-Hammami and MyCentre. Days later, footage from a contentious sermon delivered more than 20 years ago resurfaced online.
During the 2003 sermon, titled “The Keys to a Successful Marriage”, Mr Mohtadi offered advice that included telling wives to wear “perfume” and keep the home “nice and clean”. He also said women who disobeyed their husbands “will go to hell”.
He went on to explain when he believed men should hit their 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.
“If you disobey your husband you will go to hell, it is as simple as that.”
MyCentre founder Samir Mohtadi, pictured with MP Kathleen Matthews-Ward and then Victorian Police Minister Anthony Carbines, has apologised for remarks from an old sermon that have resurfaced
In the 2003 sermon, Mr Mohtadi described when and how men should hit their wives
The sermon, which was uploaded to YouTube in 2013, also addressed when women should have sex with their husbands and challenged Australian laws concerning 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 it is known to be as a rape. Amazing, how can a person rape his wife?” he said.
“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 sermon remains online and first drew widespread attention in 2009, when then-prime minister Kevin Rudd condemned Mr Mohtadi’s remarks.
“Under no circumstances is sexual violence permissible or acceptable in Australia,” Rudd said.
“Australia will not tolerate these sort of remarks. They don’t belong in modern Australia, and he should stand up, repudiate them and apologise.”
Mr Mohtadi addressed the earlier comments in a statement released on Saturday, saying they had been made while he was answering questions during a 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 said.
Samir Mohtadi publicly apologised for his earlier comments on Saturday
His remarks resurfaced after MyCentre was recently thrust into the spotlight 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
‘There is no place for violence against women in our homes and communities.
‘Family violence is a crime and we all have responsibility to prevent it.
‘I sincerely apologise for my past comments.
‘My commitment to preventing family violence and supporting the safety and dignity of women and families remains unwavering.’
The Daily Mail has contacted MyCentre for further comment.
It comes after Mr Mohtadi distanced MyCentre and himself from alleged associations with al-Hammami.
‘I have never met al-Hammami… and we have no record of him ever attending our centre,’ he said last week.
‘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.’
MyCentre previously received several substantial grants from the Victorian Labor Government.
