Andrew L. Urban
That well known saying ‘actions speak louder than words’ echoes in my head as I search for signs that Australian Muslims are as fed up with Islamic extremism as the rest of us. That search is obviously prompted by acts of terrorism one after the other, from Gazan guerillas in Israel on October 7, 2023, to the bloodletting at Bondi Beach on December 14, 2026, and other anti-Jewish aggressions in between.
Research suggests that the majority of Muslims in Australia (unlike in Gaza, for example) do not support Islamic terrorism. At least that’s what they say in surveys and in public statements by Muslim leaders.
For example:
- Grand Mufti of Australia, Dr. Ibrahim Abu Mohamed: He has condemned specific terrorist acts. Following the December 2025 Sydney shooting targeting Jews, he described it as “an act of terror” and “a crime against humanity that cannot be explained under any circumstances.” He has also condemned attacks on synagogues and related violence in Australia, aligning with broader rejections of extremism.
- Australian National Imams Council (ANIC): ANIC has issued statements rejecting terrorism. In contexts like synagogue attacks (e.g., 2024 Melbourne incident), they supported condemnations of hatred and violence. They have also highlighted concerns over rising Islamophobia while implicitly or explicitly distancing from extremism through community safety appeals.
- Alliance of Australian Muslims (AAM) and ANIC joint statements: While focused on condemning Israeli actions in Gaza (describing them as “genocide” and ongoing since before October 7), these statements frame violence against civilians negatively and reject extremism in broader terms, though they do not explicitly name Hamas’s October 7 actions as terrorism in available records.
- Ahmadiyya Muslim Community (Australian branch, aligned with global leadership): The World Head of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad, condemned the 2025 Bondi Beach terrorist attack in the strongest terms, stating acts of terrorism and hatred are “completely contrary to the true teachings of Islam.” This reflects a consistent Ahmadiyya position against violence in religion’s name.
So Muslims, by and large, say they are against Islamic extremist violence. But is that the whole story?
No major Australian surveys have directly asked Muslim respondents “Do you support ISIS, Al-Qaeda, or similar extremist groups?” in a straightforward approval-style question. But the 2019 “Islam in Australia” National Survey (n=1,034 Muslim Australian citizens and permanent residents) conducted online in September–October 2019 by Griffith University researchers (Halim Rane et al.), disseminated via Muslim community organisations and social media was instructive. The sample was broadly representative on key demographics (gender, age, birthplace, etc.), though self-selected and only in English.
But key findings on extremism-related attitudes reveals a darker picture:
Typologies (respondents could select multiple; based on agreement with statements):
-9.5% identified as “Political Islamist” (“I am a committed Muslim who believes politics is part of Islam and advocates for an Islamic state based on shariah laws”).
-3.3% identified as “Militant” (“I am a committed Muslim who believes an Islamic political order and shariah should be implemented by force if necessary”). Males were more likely than females to select these. These are the closest proxies to “extremist” orientations; the researchers described the militant group as a “smaller sub-group” with views that “could be considered extreme.” 3.3% is a small percentage, sure, but with almost 1 million Muslim in Australia, it’s a big number: over 30,000 would qualify as extremists.
ISIS specifically: 24.5% said Islam advocates a particular political system. Of that subgroup (n=253), only 5% (16 people) regarded ISIS as a legitimate “Islamic” state. Most (60%) said “none” of the options (including Saudi Arabia, Iran, Pakistan) qualified.
93.3% agreed that “someone who dies attacking innocent civilians is not a martyr.” 89.5% said Islam “never permits armed conflict against civilians/non-combatants.” So 10.5% thinks it’s permitted under Islam. That’s some 105,000 Muslims in Australia alone.
88% were concerned or very concerned about “terrorism by Muslim extremists.” That leaves 12% who are not concerned about terrorism by Muslim extremists.
In short, there are thousands of Muslims who support Islamic violence, and some 30,000 of them are self-declared extremists. It is reasonable to argue that families, friends and the social networks of those 30,000 make up the larger number. Pardon my cynicism but I don’t expect to see any Muslim-led marches in Australia, condemning Islamic terrorism, fine words notwithstanding.