A Muslim cleric has received heavy backlash for preaching anti-Semitic views at an Auckland mosque, and he's now being investigated.
Dr Mohammad Anwar Sahib's comments, which were delivered at the At-Taqwa mosque in Manukau and subsequently posted online, took aim at Jews.
"Christians are using the Jews, and the Jews are using everybody, because they think that their protocol is to rule the entire world," he said in a sermon filmed in November.
He also referred to Jewish community as "the enemy of Muslims", and has been filmed making offensive remarks about women.
"No woman can dare step out of her house without the permission of her husband," he has been recorded saying in another sermon.
Dr Sahib is the President of the At-Taqwa mosque and secretary of the Federation of Islamic Associations of New Zealand (FIANZ).
Ethnic Communities Minister Sam Lotu-Iiga is disgusted and says the preaching is offensive and insulting - and the Government is poised to take action against him.
Mr Lotu-liga says hateful and discriminatory remarks made by Dr Sahib have no place in New Zealand, and are prohibited under the Humans Rights Act.
He is now waiting to see if the Human Rights Commission prosecutes Dr Sahib - but says regardless of what happens, it is concerning some New Zealanders could be influenced by that kind of hateful speech.
Stephen Goodman, co-president of the New Zealand Jewish Council, says there is "no place for hate-based rhetoric" in New Zealand.
"That a senior member of FIANZ, an organisation we have worked with over many years, is openly and repeatedly preaching such sentiments is deeply concerning," he said.
It is not yet known whether FIANZ will remove Dr Sahib from his secretary role at the organisation.
Press Release Dr Sahib by NewshubNZ on Scribd
Newshub.
