My Apology To Sheikh Taj Eldine Al Hilaly

My last article was critical of Sheikh Taj, I was critical of him for putting Muslims in the firing line and although I didn't buy the sensationalised hype from the right wing hysteria filled media I was unfair to the Sheikh in that I hadn't got his side of the story first.

Today the Sheikh was taken to hospital after suffering a mild heart attack, and boy oh boy have the rabid media had a field day with this. A man collapses and talkback radio is filled with people taking pleasure in what this man is suffering.

Today made me realise that it isn't Sheikh Tajs comments that put Muslims in the firing line, it is those who pose as journalists who are looking for an excuse and will abuse every rule of what is considered fair and reasonable under journalistic ethics. They don't care about the truth they are just vultures.

Sheikh Taj is a man who stands at the front line for Muslims, he takes all the heat, cops all the abuse and is the one who is demonised.

His views may not always be popular be at least he always defends the rights of Muslims- I mean this was a man who had undergone heart bypass surgery and put his life on the line to help rescue a fellow Australian, Douglas Wood.

This is a man who has stood up for women, he has stood up for a fair go and he has made his voice heard.

Was the sermon he delivered a mistake? That question is now irrelevant because the attacks have become personal. The media wants Sheikh Taj out but the thing is no matter who we get to replace him they will never be happy.

I'd like everyone to read the Sheikhs press release and then tell me you can condemn this man. In some peoples eyes he may have made a mistake but don't we all.

The Sheikh has done alot for the Muslim community and it will be a sad day indeed if we were to lose him, it is imperative that each and everyone of us stands by him.

We may disagree with what was said, but we will not be dictated to by politicians as to who will be our Mufti.

The saddest thing is that those people close to the Mufti have betrayed him. I can tell you now there is an agenda against him by people who have political aspirations and after speaking to some of them I can reveal that at least one of them was told by a staff member of a prominent state politician that they will have no political career unless they are active in dismissing the Sheikh- this runs against every democratic principal and is a sad day for this country.

On top of this you have a certain Muslim splinter group, who have a record of being underhanded, leaking sensationalised half truths to the media in the hope of having them run as stories against the Sheikh. This group is seeking to control the Muslim powerbase through dishonest means and God shall judge them.

There are times when we have to accept that we will be attacked and demonised but standing by a person like the Sheikh is worth every single article, paragraph and sentence of abuse and demonisation.