Who is Wissam Haddad and why his controversial Islamic centre is being closed

The controversial Islamic centre run by preacher Wissam Haddad in Sydney is set to shut down after a local council ordered it to cease operations. The City of Canterbury Bankstown has issued a “cease use” directive to Haddad and the Al Madina Dawah Centre, citing the unauthorised use of the premises as a place of worship. The order was issued late on Monday, December 22, after council surveillance found the property, approved to operate as a medical centre, was being used for religious activities, according to reports by multiple outlets, including news.com.au.

Haddad and the Al Madina Dawah Centre came under increased public scrutiny last week following media reports alleging that the Bondi gunman, 24-year-old Naveed Akram, had been a worshipper at the centre and had also acted as a street preacher for Haddad’s Dawah Van organisation. Authorities have not alleged that Haddad had any involvement in the Bondi attack.

Why Wissam Haddad’s Islamic centre is being shut down

As per the council, the change of use from a medical centre to a prayer hall or place of worship requires development consent, which was not sought in this case and was therefore unauthorised.

“Our recent surveillance indicates there is a strong suspicion the premises is being used contrary to its intended use,” The Australian Financial Review quoted the Media release. Photographic evidence suggested “the centre is being used contrary to what it has been approved for”.

Who is Wissam Haddad?

Wissam Haddad is a Sydney-based Islamic preacher who has generated controversy over his public statements and online sermons. While he has reportedly inspired one of the Bondi attackers, Haddad has never been charged with any terrorist offences, and there is no suggestion he played any role in the attack. However, he has reportedly spoken favourably about Islamic State on previous occasions and was known to have associated with Sydney men Khaled Sharrouf and Mohamed Ali Elomar, who were later killed while fighting for the group in Syria.

In one of his viral videos, Haddad can be heard speaking favourably about “Jihad”, which he describes as part of the religion, and referring to “the physical struggling against the enemies of Allah”.


In July, a Federal Court judge ruled that Haddad had breached the Racial Discrimination Act, finding that some of his lectures contained “racist and antisemitic” material. The court ordered that the content be removed from social media platforms. According to the council, this is not the first time Haddad has been issued with a directive to shut down a premises due to unauthorised prayer meetings. In December 2023, a similar “cease use” order was issued for a property on Eldon Street in Georges Hall, which was only approved to operate as a gym.